Papers and Publications

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Open Standards, Open Source, and Open Innovation: Harnessing the Benefits of Openness
The report, “Open Standards, Open Source, and Open Innovation: Harnessing the Benefits of Openness” finds that openness in the creation of computer software and other digital information products is an important element needed to foster further innovation and economic growth for the United States and for the global economy. (By the Digital Connections Council for Committee on Economic Development)

Freedom of Information: a comparative legal survey
This book, published by UNESCO, provides an authoritative and accessible account of the law and practice regarding freedom of information, providing analysis of what is working and why. (By Toby Mendel)

The ARTICLE 19 Freedom of Expression Virtual Handbook
The ARTICLE 19 Freedom of Expression Virtual Handbook is a resource providing access to international and best comparative standards on the right to freedom of expression. It is designed to be accessible to journalists, NGOs and others, while also providing high-quality legal information. The information in the Handbook can be searched in a number of ways, including thematically – for example for defamation law, broadcast regulation, on-line expression, and legal protection of journalists – and by country or jurisdiction. (by Article 19)

Microsoft: closed windows and hidden vistas
While Microsoft faces tough questions about anti-competitive practices, the world outside is turning towards open development and more innovative technology. (By Betty Hogge, Open Democracy)

Making a Difference: Measuring the Impact of Information on Development
What is the link between "information" and "development?" Terms such as "information superhighway," "information revolution," and "information economy" are used routinely to illustrate the profound role of information in modern societies. Yet it is easy to make unverified assumptions about the nature of benefits being generated in an "information society." Despite the high profile enjoyed by information issues, especially those involving new information technologies, it is perhaps ironic to find that many library and other information services are feeling increasingly vulnerable in the tight funding environment that is prevalent today. This book reports on an international research program investigating the impact of information on development. It presents a series of case studies and essays that describe practical, operational experience with methodologies to assess the impact of information. Amongst many issues, authors examine sampling and interview techniques, questionnaire design, survey instruments, data definitions, and approaches to identifying different user communities. The book will be of use to scholars, researchers, student, and practitioners in information sciences and development studies. (by Paul McConnell (ed), IDRC)

Telecommunications and Unversal Service: International Experience in the Context of South African Policy Reform
This publication suggests some approaches to the delivery of universal service. What institutional, financial and technological arrangements have been tried elsewhere, and how successful have they been? Are they more effective with a monopoly or in a competitive environment? How does international experience compare with the efforts undertaken in South Africa? Telecommunications and Universal Service was prepared in the context of a national effort in South Africa to develop a telecommunications policy that would balance the aims of economic growth and social justice. It will be of interest to scholars, researchers, students, and practitioners in information sciences and development studies. (by Sean O' Siochru, IDRC)

Development and the Information Age: Four Global Scenarios for the Future of Information and Communication Technology
Development and the Information Age offers a glimpse into the future of the Information Age. Its brevity and clarity will appeal to all readers interested in development issues and the new information technologies, and will particularly inform policymakers, academics, students, and practitioners in development and information technology worldwide. (by J. Howkins and R. Valentin (eds.), IDRC)

Knowledge Societies...In a Nutshell: Information Technology for Sustainable Development
In summarizing the full-length report of the Working Group (entitled Knowledge Societies), this book focuses particularly on the dangers that will accompany a failure to develop ICT strategies tailored to the specific and changing needs of countries in the developing regions of the world. It will appeal to decision-makers and ICT producers and users, as well as to development professionals, academics, and citizens interested in development issues and the new and emerging information and communication technologies. (by Andreas Crede and Robin Mansell, IDRC)

Assessing Community Telecentres: Guidelines for Researchers
This guidebook will assist researchers as they assess and evaluate the role and impact of community telecentres. It provides an introduction to some of the key research issues, a framework for telecentre evaluation, and an impetus for research teams to share ideas, instruments, and methods. Assessing Community Telecentres will interest researchers, practitioners, and academics in information science, communications, international development, and evaluation, including telecentre operators, telecentre managers, and community leaders. (by Anne Whyte, IDRC)

E-Commerce in the Asian Context: Selected Case Studies
The scope of these reports ranges from the policy environment in Vietnam to the empowerment of rural women’s artisan groups in southern India. The studies were underaken to explore the technical and socioeconomic achievements and challenges faced by e-commerce in Asia, and to better understand the lessons learned and future developments of this dynamic business model. (by Renald Lafond and Chaitali Sinha (eds), IDRC)

Outsourcing Markets in Services: International Business Trends, Patterns and Emerging Issues
The global context and estimates of the market for outsourcing, within the framework of Multinational Enterprises' (MNEs) Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), are reviewed. The examination of geo-economic spatiality of MNEs international involvement, including outsourcing, shows stark gravitational asymmetries with the Triad economies of North America, European Union and Japan as core and South and East Asia as periphery - particularly China and India. The impacts of outsourcing on policy issues, and responses, are scrutinised to expose the key variables of policy craft.(by Frank L. Bartels, UNIDO)

Information and Communication Technologies: Growth, Competitiveness and Policy for Developing Nations
This paper, prepared for the 1995 Global Forum on Industry, assesses the potential contribution of information and communication technologies (ICT) to economic growth and deals in particular with the issues of industrial growth, competitiveness and industrial policies for developing countries. The publication contains a bibliography, statistical tables and graphs.(By Edward Steinmueller and Maria-Ines Bastos, UNIDO)

UNESCO Thematic Meetings on the WSIS
Reports and conclusions of the thematic meetings organized by UNESCO in preparation of the second meeting of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). (By UNESCO)

Information and Communication Technologies and the Effects of Globalization: Twenty-First Century "Digital Slavery" for Developing Countries--Myth or Reality?
In this paper, L.A. Ogunsola theorizes that a reenactment of slavery is currently taking place as information and communication technologies (ICTs) continue to magnify the onerous implications of globalization to poorer nations. Though globalization may have been intended to diffuse opportunities for economic development, technology transfer and information sharing, it has nonetheless spawned a wide rift between developed countries and developing countries particularly those situated in Africa. This sitaution thus poses challenges to governments that need to leapfrog the gaps of decades of poverty in the face of crippling requirements such as those demanded by the World Bank, International Monetray Fund and the World Trade Organization. (by L.A. Ogunsola)

Computer Industry Almanac Market Research Reports
The Computer Industry Almanac has produced a set of market reports with regard to the usage of various infomation and communication technologies in different geographic locations. These indicators include cellular subscribers by country; internet users by country; worldwide PC market; computers-in-use by country; worldwide smartphone and pda report and information applicances. (by CIA)

From the Digital Divide to Digital Opportunities: Measuring Infostates for Development
From the Digital Divide to Digital Opportunities: Measuring Infostates for Development -- is by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Orbicom, the Network of UNESCO Chairs in Communications. The book is a contribution to the international community in the context of the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), Tunis 2005. This project builds on the enthusiastic reception of the 'Monitoring the Digital Divide…and Beyond' report, presented at the Geneva 2003 WSIS, and offers such an instrument to the international community. (by UNESCO)

The Net For Journalists
"The Net for Journalists" is a handbook for journalists in developing countries who want to learn how to use the Internet to enhance their work. The resource is published by UNESCO, Thomson Foundation and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association. (by UNESCO)

Measuring Linguistics Diversity on the Internet
UNESCO has been emphasizing the concept of “knowledge societies”, which stresses plurality and diversity instead of a global uniformity in order to bridge the digital divide and to form an inclusive information society. An important element of this concept is multilingualism for cultural diversity and participation for all the languages in cyberspace. (by UNESCO)

Communication Rights Assessment Framework and Toolkit
The Communication Rights Handbooks coordinated by Sean O' Siochru is part of the CRIS Campaign's CRAFT Project (Communication Rights Assessment Framework and Toolkit). Launched during the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis last November, the Handbook is now available for download in English, French and Spanish.

Digital Review of Asia-Pacific
The "Digital Review of Asia-Pacific" is a joint collaboration by the Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme of UNDP, Pan Asia Networking of the International Development Research Centre of Canada, and the UNESCO Chairs in Communication Network. The publication will provide a comprehensive review of the state of diffusion, adoption and application of new information and communication technologies in the Asia-Pacific Region. (by UNDP-APDIP)

Global Information Technology Report
Since it was first launched in 2001, the Global Information Technology Report has become a valuable and unique benchmarking tool to determine national ICT strengths and weaknesses, and to evaluate progress. It also highlights the continuing importance of ICT application and development for economic growth. The Report uses the Networked Readiness Index (NRI), covering a total of 115 economies in 2005-2006, to measure the degree of preparation of a nation or community to participate in and benefit from ICT developments.

The NRI is composed of three component indexes which assess: (1) the environment for ICT offered by a given country or community; (2) the readiness of the community's key stakeholders - individuals, business and governments; and (3) and the usage of ICT among these stakeholders. (by World Economic Forum)

Internet Governance: A Primer
This primer offers an overview of Internet governance, discussing its history, the issues at stake and the various actors involved. It shows how governance decisions can have social and economic ramifications, and it suggests steps that can be taken to enhance developing country participation in Internet governance. This Primer together with an Internet governance DVD produced by DiploFoundation and UNDP-APDIP will be available for distribution at the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis (by APDIP).

Guide to Organising a National Consultation on ICT Policy
APC's FAQ about Conducting a National WSIS Process outlines the steps to take and key components in organising a national consultation around ICT policy, in this case specifically the debates raised by the United Nations conference on the Information Society (WSIS). The ‘frequently asked questions’ (FAQ) question & answer format was chosen to home in on some of the key questions we have heard people ask. This is not a completely comprehensive guide to national level ICT policy lobbying, but it provides some useful answers to a civil society organisation that has the interest and initiative to organise an ICT policy-related consultation. The primary target audience is people that are active in using or promoting the use of ICTs in their work, but who have not necessarily been involved in national level policy processes previously. (By APC)

ICT Policy for Civil Society Training Curriculum
The ICT Policy for Civil Society training course builds the capacity of civil society organisations to understand policy and regulation related to information and communication technologies (ICT) so that they can begin to engage and influence policy processes affecting ICT adoption and implementation at national, regional and global levels. This is a five day course with each session planned to last approximately 1.5 hours. The modules can be used stand-alone as training on particular topic or used together as part of a longer course. Modules are in English with some in Spanish. (By APC)

ICT Policy: A Beginner's Handbook
This book by APC lays out the issues and dispenses with the jargon to encourage more people to get involved in ICT policy processes. It is for people who feel that ICT policy is important but don't know much about it, e.g. a government official worried about a gap in her technical knowledge of how the internet works, a human-rights worker concerned that his need to send secure email is being challenged by national government policy, a citizen fed up with paying exorbitant rates for dial-up internet access and ready to organise… (By APC)