Information Policy

Local e-Government Applications - an Example from Romania

This short case study presents an example of e-government application at the local government level. In a context where decentralization is becoming so widespread worldwide, e-government applications at the local level are becoming critical in enhancing the efficiency and transparency of local governments.

http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/resourceptrdb/uploads/partnerfile/upload/291/Giurgiu_article.pdf

World broadband lines pass 164 million users

World broadband lines reached 164m as of 31 March 2005, an increase of 52m lines since March 2004 last year - with 28m lines added in the last 6 months alone. The USA is still the world's largest broadband country with 36.5m lines, and China remains in second place with 28.3m lines.

http://www.point-topic.com/content/dslanalysis/Q105BBana.htm

Open source battles Microsoft in Ukraine

The adoption of the open source project is more than a software issue; it is critical to the well-being of the Ukraine economy. Today, more than 90% of the million-plus computers in Ukraine run pirated software. If we assume that the average cost of the software installed on these computers runs to at least a thousand dollars each, the funds that would be required to legalize all this proprietary software would run into the billions of dollars.

http://business.newsforge.com/business/05/06/20/2057245.shtml?tid=110&tid=132

Interconnection Disputes: Antitrust or Sector Regulation and the Case of New Zealand

Full liberalization of telecommunications markets provides scope for relying largely on general antitrust rules and institutions for economic regulation. But at least for a time after liberalization, sector-specific rules and institutions are likely to be needed in some areas, including interconnection. This Note draws lessons from the experience of New Zealand. After fully liberalizing its telecommunications market in the late 1980s, the country relied primarily on antitrust instruments to regulate interconnection until 2001, when it introduced a new regime putting heavier emphasis on sector-specific regulation

http://rru.worldbank.org/documents/PublicPolicyJournal/295kerf.pdf

The New Knowledge Workplace

Knowledge is power. It follows that the creation and transfer of knowledge is one of the most important challenges facing businesses in the maturing Information Age.

Knowledge work already represents 40 percent of the global economy. In the very near future, knowledge workers will be the predominant workforce. Unfortunately, over 50 percent of organizational knowledge is tacit and non-formalised. It is resident in the minds of its workers, and thus not easily captured and codified. In fact, approximately 80 percent of individual professional knowledge is lost when an employee leaves a company. Therefore, with the ongoing processes of corporate downsizing, restructuring, and employee turnover--not to mention the imminent mass exodus from the workforce of retiring baby boomers--it is more and more essential for companies to implement programs that can capture all of their employees' knowledge. But how?

http://www.pwc.com/extweb/newcolth.nsf/docid/B847266B96111E6785256FD400623C5C?OpenDocument

Usage of e-government services jumps to 39 percent in Australia

J. Bajkowski reports in June 21 issue of Computerworldthat Australia's use of online government services has nearly doubled over the last two years, with taxpayers swapping standing in queues for Web transactions, according to the most comprehensive study of the subject to date. Compiled by a consortium of Dandolopartners, Roy Morgan Research and BDO Consulting on behalf of the Australian Government Information Management Office, the survey of nearly 6000 Australians found usage of e-government services has jumped from 21 percent in 2002 to 39 percent in 2004.

http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;382532251;fp;16;fpid;0

Mozambique E-Government Pilot Could be Model for Africa.

The government of Mozambique has connected up 15 of its ministries in the first phase of a programme seen by some as a model for e- government across Africa and the developing world.

The 'GovNet-Pilot,' whose initial participants include the Ministry of Public Administration and Ministry of Science and Technology, is the first stage of Mozambique's 'Information and communication technology policy implementation strategy.'

"GovNet has electronically connected central Mozambique institutions for the first time," said Giorgio Mariani, senior e-government manager at the US-based non-profit Development Gateway Foundation. The foundation has funded and helped develop the programme, in partnership with the Italian government.

"By providing the infrastructure for a common intranet, document management system, and a unified email system, the pilot is allowing government employees to more efficiently store and transfer information relevant to their work in serving citizens," said Mariani.

A government web portal has also been launched (http://www.govnet.gov.mz) to which all ministries will gradually add content. For the next phase, around 150 more government bodies and offices in Mozambique are to be connected, and there are plans to develop and link into a national land register.

Mariani said GovNet could serve as a model for e-government in the rest of Africa and beyond. "The Development Gateway is involved to act as a catalyst in the implementation of projects that can then be scaled up by larger donors and replicated elsewhere." he said.

Online banking use widespread, study finds

According to a Yahoo-commissioned study, a majority of adults are comfortable monitoring their finances and paying bills over the Internet, while older people remain more cautious. In an online survey of 2,687 people, 64 percent said they check their bank account balances primarily online and 56 percent said they use the Internet as their primary way to check their investment portfolios.

http://news.com.com/2100-1038_3-5759890.html

Converting Wireless Nonusers - What's It Going to Take?

Got wireless? That seems to be the big question on everyone's lips as more and more consumers continue to subscribe to wireless plans, forego their landlines and seek out the latest in cool cell phones and gadgets. Even the stodgiest of consumers are going wireless. It's likely your grandparent owns a cell phone with a ringtone of the All in the Family theme song.

Despite the continued migration to wireless, there remains an untapped market of American consumers who don't have cell phones and insist they never will. However, recent research is promising for wireless carriers and shows the level of subscribers will continue to grow, with an additional 54 million people expected to go wireless by 2010.

http://www.telecomdirectnews.com/do.php/150/13604?7649

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Small Enterprise: A Handbook for Enterprise Support Agencies in Developing Countries

This handbook is for staff in agencies that support the development of small enterprise in developing countries. It aims to provide those staff with a better understanding of information and of information and communication technologies in enterprise development.

The handbook will also be of value to staff in donor agencies, government departments and professional business associations, and to researchers and students dealing with ICTs, with enterprise, and with development.

The handbook is divided into three sections: one on information in small enterprise; one on ICTs in small enterprise; and one on enterprise support agency strategies.

Each section is further divided into a number of sub-sections, each dealing with a key issue. Each issue will typically be covered on a single page with discussion followed by key questions that agency staff need to be addressing.

A glossary of ICT terms and some pointers to sources of further information are provided.

http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/idpm/research/is/ictsme/esaghbk/esaghbk.pdf