Telecommunications models: Planning for regional development in LDCs

The aim of telecommunications policy in the less developed countries should be to contribute to general development goals, but the links between economic development and telecommunications are not clearly understood. The authors suggest a dual approach to this problem. First, this involves the construction of models of demand based on the interaction between regional economic development and telecommunications use. Second, corporate models are required to explore the feasibility of particular supply strategies. The progress of practical work in these areas is described and includes the results of some specific research in Kenya.     

Telecommunications for development — an addendum

Further comments on the debate concerning the use of telecommunications for development, in response to John H. Clippinger's article ‘Can communications development benefit the Third World?’     

Telecommunications development in Asia-Pacific : The case for a new Australian role

This article describes the role of Australia in economic cooperation and telecommunications development in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly Asia. Australia's economic imperative focuses on north-east Asia while targeting markets for telecommunications in the relatively poorer nations of south-east Asia. A new role is advocated for Australia to take the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum it instigated beyond the purpose of economic cooperation directly into the cultural and human realm. Australia is challenged to use the new communications technologies to facilitate an active, shared learning process which could move Asia-Pacific into a new global order. A case is put for research on the use and impacts of the new telecommunications technologies in the service of humankind.     

Telecommunications and economic development in Singapore

The existing research of aggregate statistical analysis on the relationship between telecommunications and economic development is largely organized around the hypothesis that telephone growth fosters economic development. Although considerable evidence supports that hypothesis, there is also a growing realization that the growth of telecommunications, in turn, requires a sound economy. The existing research, however, ignores the reciprocal relationship between these two variables. Employing Singapore data, this article formulates a simultaneous equation model to assess the reciprocal relationship between telecommunications and economic development. These data support the reciprocal relationship hypothesis. Policy implications of the findings are also discussed.     

Telecommunications: implications for women

Telecommunications offer benefits to women in their changing work roles, such as helping working mothers by providing more flexible schedules and facilitating the establishment of child-care, reducing the need for relocation and/or separation of members of dual- career families, and easing discomfort of male-female work interactions by helping to depersonalise the working environment. While discussion focuses on the implications for women, many of the benefits already apply to men and will become even more applicable as men take more active roles in their families and engage in more leisure-time activities.     

Innovation and project development: an impossible equation? Lessons from an innovative automobile project development

Product development performance has become a key issue for car manufacturers. But innovation seeks to outperform dominant design, whereas project development targets well-defined areas (costs, lead times, quality, etc.). This article provides an analysis of the extent to which innovation is compatible with recent managerial and technical methods (project and multi-project management, co-development, simulation tools and digital mock-ups, etc.). The analysis is based on a recent development project conducted at Renault in which these various techniques were used in an attempt to achieve highly ambitious targets simultaneously in the areas of lead times, costs and innovation. During the course of the project, unexpected design problems revealed failures in co-ordination, monitoring procedures and expertise. We argue that recent project development methods can induce negative effects on collective learning processes and that these effects have managerial implications for innovative developments.     

The boundary relevance of the project manager's job: findings and implications for R & D management

Much of the stress and conflict in the project manager's job can be attributed to the boundary nature of that position. This study explores the relevance of recent developments in organizational role theory for clarification and understanding of the project manager's job. Findings are reported from a study which show that traditional management thought is inadequate for understanding the factors which regulate the project manager's behavior. One must recognize the boundary relevance of the project manager's role in order to avoid organizational or administrative arrangements that would be undesirable for project management. Several implications, which logically follow from the theory and findings on boundary role behavior, are noted for their relevance for R & D management.     

Telecommunications development in Israel: The growth of public services and lessons from developing countries

The article begins with a discussion of the importance of the public services sector in the development of a modern economy, with specific reference to the organization and growth of public services in Israel. While the telecommunications sector is becoming increasingly important in national economies, it is often mismanaged in developing countries and its profits are used to subsidize other areas of the economy, particularly the postal services, which are run at a loss. The author analyses the various reasons for the lack of effective telecommunications policies in developing countries, and concludes with a series of recommendations for Israel which arise from that analysis.     

Telecommunications policy: The medium is the message

Reflecting on his involvement with Telecommunications Policy, since 1979, this article by one of its first editors Colin Blackman, contributes to the 40^th anniversary issue. It describes the launch of the journal, the unique nature of its publisher, IPC Science & Technology Press, the way in which the field has changed over the past four decades, and makes some personal observations about the changing nature of the world of journal publishing.     

Telecommunications technology applications and standards : A new role for the user

Telecommunications is at a critical juncture in the development of technology, policy and industry structure. The industry is becoming increasingly global and competitive; technology is developing faster than it can be implemented; and telecommunications is becoming strategically important to user organizations. Regulatory bodies and standards organizations are struggling with these developments. Public policy that encourages both competition in the telecommunications industry as well as the organized participation of users in the development of new technology applications, technical standards and industry regulations is essential for realizing the prospective benefits of the information age.     

Toward the development of benchmarking tools for R&D project management

This paper presents an audit model for the process of R&D project management that can be used to check the robustness and repeatability of processes and provide a template for internal and external benchmarking. The intention is to offer a 'fine-grained' model focusing rather closely on the R&D activities within the broader innovation process, thus complementing the more widely based innovation audit models that already exist.
Based on field-work in six business units in ICI and five companies from other industries, the paper sets out three major variants of the R&D project management process. These variants reflect the fact that R&D projects take place in different circumstances and have different objectives.     

Integrated rural development in Nigeria: The Funtua project

The Funtua Agricultural Development Project is the oldest World Bank financed rural development project in Nigeria. This article evaluates the impact of the project on the area and its implications as a prototype for rural development in Nigeria. Increased agricultural production has not occurred to the extent and in the direction that the project expected. The project's activities appear to be concentrated on large-scale and progressive farmers rather than on the traditional farmer which could result in increased income differentials and the creation of a ‘landless’ class. The costs of the project are too high for the benefits involved. Extension of the project to other parts of the country would be difficult to organize and manage due to the lack of trained manpower.     

Telecommunications resale: A policy analysis

The traditionally monopolistic character of common carrier telecommunications in the USA has meant that all communications functions have been the responsibility of the carrier. Recent proposals by the Federal Communications Commission, if accepted by the courts, will allow intermediaries to operate between the carrier and the user. The author examines the background to the issues involved, describes and analyses the policy options that were open to the FCC and finally summarises the reasons behind its ultimate decision.     

Telecommunications infrastructure facilitating sustainable development of rural and remote communities in Northern Australia

Telecommunications access in the rural and remote areas of Australia has come under considerable scrutiny in recent years. In the past decade, various Federal Government reports and inquiries have citied inadequate infrastructure, lack of service provision, the high cost of access and “thin” markets as key impediments. Whilst these difficulties are not restricted to rural and remote Australia, they tend to impact disproportionately on regional communities, notably in education and health service provision. Particularly at risk are the indigenous communities in rural and remote regions of Australia.In this paper telecommunications infrastructure is perceived as the lynch-pin for achieving sustainable economic and social development. It is suggested that without appropriate development of information infrastructure, the disparities already experienced by rural and remote communities will be further exacerbated as the reliance of goods and services over computer-mediated networks increases.The paper offers a new paradigm that will assist in maintaining a competitive telecommunications environment and facilitate the sustainable social and economic development of rural and remote communities.     

Telecommunications and the UK government

The first article in this series reviewed the nature of the UK Post Office's monopoly, its relations with government and a number of forces for change. Since then (September 1977), the UK government has published: the government's response to the Carter Committee's proposals; an appendix to the Carter Report; and a ‘White Paper’ concerning all nationalized industries. This article reviews the government's response to the Carter Committee against the background of the evidence submitted to the Committee, the government's overall policy towards nationalized industries and the political debate concerning that policy. Finally, subsequent political and union responses to the government's telecommunications policy are reported which may result in considerable change.     

The European Framework for Regulating Telecommunications: A 25-year Appraisal

Review of Industrial Organization - The European telecommunications sector has been radically transformed in the past 25 years: from a group of state monopolies to a set of increasingly...     

Telecommunications infrastructure competition in Greece: Potential scenarios for future debates

In the light of the forthcoming liberalization in the provision of public voice telephony services and infrastructure in the European Union (EU), particular concerns have been expressed with regard to the realization of these competition principles in the less favoured regions. This article discusses the case of Greece, the country which has traditionally lagged behind other member states in both network infrastructure and institutional reorganization of the sector. Evidence from documentary and interview-based research shows that, although little progress has been made in liberalization policy and practice, underlying trends expressed by domestic and foreign actors could lead to a situation where signs of infrastructure competition may appear.