E-Readiness Assessment of Small and Medium Enterprises in Egypt: A Micro Study

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Revolution, Graffiti and Copyright: The Cases of Egypt and Tunisia

During and after the Arab uprisings in 2011, there was an outburst of creative production in Egypt and Tunisia, serving as a means to counter state-controlled media and to document alternative narratives of the revolutions. One of the most prominent modes of creative output was graffiti. Within an access to knowledge (A2K) framework that views graffiti as an important knowledge good, this article outlines the author’s findings from research into perspectives towards revolutionary graffiti held by graffiti artists and graffiti consumers in Egypt and Tunisia. The main quest of this work is to identify a copyright regime best suited to the priorities of both the revolutionary graffiti artists and the consumers of this art, cognisant also of the possibilities offered by increasingly widespread use of, and access to, online digital platforms. The research looked at how artists and consumers relate to the revolutionary graffiti, how they feel about its commercialisation, and how they feel about the idea of protecting it with copyright. Based on the research findings, the author concludes that an A2K-enabling approach to preservation and dissemination of the revolutionary graffiti – and an approach that would best cater to the needs of both the artists and the consumers – is provided by the Creative Commons (CC) suite of flexible copyright licences

Online and offline networks and voting decisions : the case of Egypt's post revolution parliamentary elections

This article takes the November 2011 parliamentary elections as a case study to assess the relative roles of on and offline networks in shaping political decisions in Egypt. Online networks do not emerge out of a vacuum but rather, out of a pattern of life that could not be considered independently of the socio-cultural localities that shape them. On the whole, results suggest that physical networks were significantly more influential than digital networks in shaping voting decisions. In particular, the family unit stands out as a primary driver of decision-making, at least for this sample

Imagining a Future with Intelligent Machines A Middle Eastern and North African Perspective

Narratives about intelligent machines can influence the development, adoption, reception and regulation of artificial intelligence (AI). The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is hugely overlooked by the Western mainstream when it comes to discussing the future of artificial intelligence. Recognizing the vital importance of diversity in the global debate on what AI is and should be, this report examines the narratives about technological futures spreading in the Arab world

Knowledge & innovation in Africa: scenarios for the future

This book is the product of three years of literature reviews, expert interviews and scenario-building exercises by the Open African Innovation Research and Training (Open A.I.R.) network, which has members in 14 African countries. The authors trace the contours of knowledge and innovation in Africa from the founding civilisations to today’s current realities, and then set out the drivers of change that can be expected to shape innovation systems on the continent between now and the year 2035. The volume then offers three plausible scenarios – elements of which are likely to emerge in various settings on the continent in the short- to medium-term. Each scenario raises different issues for control of, and access to, knowledge in Africa. The key insight for policymakers, business leaders, scholars and civil society is that the question is not whether intellectual property (IP) rights will be relevant in the future, but rather which rights will be most important in different scenarios

Open innovation in Africa : current realities, future scenarios, and scalable solutions

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Free and open source software (FOSS) as a vehicle for human development in Egypt: Some evidence and insights

This paper is based on the hypothesis that free and open source software (FOSS) has a developmental potential in Egypt as it relies on a democratising technology and a collaborative liberalising knowledge production model that encourages smaller business structures rather than proprietary conglomerates. This hypothesis is tested through in-depth interviews with stakeholders. Fieldwork reveals a strong potential for FOSS, particularly towards enhancing different layers of human capital. As FOSS in Egypt is at its infancy stage, its developmental potential is stunted as market forces point towards reinforcing larger proprietary software models at the expense of smaller FOSS-based businesses. This is compounded by limited political will, lack of awareness and absence of FOSS from educational curricula, all of which pose additional challenges. This paper provides recommendations for action in the short and long-terms to promote FOSS as a vehicle for Egypt\u27s development. Copyright © 2012 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd

Open approaches to sharing: Egypt\u27s independent music-a realm of sharing and creativity

[no abstract provided]https://fount.aucegypt.edu/faculty_book_chapters/1111/thumbnail.jp