Divergent patterns of engagement in Internet standardization: Japan,Korea and China

This article analyzes the engagement of Japanese, Korean and Chinese participants in the development of Internet standards at IETF on the basis of four quantitative metrics: attendance, patenting, authorship and leadership. The results are strikingly divergent. Japanese involvement in Internet standardization began early and Japan was, for many years, second only to the U.S. in terms of IETF participation. Though Japanese participation has declined since the early 2000s, Japan remains a major contributor to IETF standardization. Korean involvement in IETF has always been significant, but below the levels of Japan and major European countries. Korean participation in IETF has also declined over the past decade, and has been dominated by one firm, Samsung. Though meaningful Chinese involvement in IETF did not begin until the mid-2000s, it has rapidly expanded in recent years. Today, China is a major player in numerous areas of Internet standardization in terms of three metrics (participation, patenting and leadership), and is rapidly gaining in terms of document authorship as well. Most of China׳s recent IETF involvement can be attributed to Huawei, though other Chinese firms have recently begun to increase their participation in the organization. Thus, contrary to some views that China׳s engagement with standardization is primarily one of indigenous innovation and “catching up”, China׳s experience with IETF demonstrates deliberate and effective engagement with a major Western standards-development organization on its own terms.     

Green shoots from the grass roots? The National Shop Stewards Network

This paper presents an analysis of the significance of the Internet in rebuilding a shop stewards movement in a time of circumscribed trade union organisation and power. It takes the National Shop Stewards Network as the focus for empirical research and places the argument within the broader context of two historical periods of trade union activity. The study finds significant historical parallels in terms of the key questions of the relationship between a network and a movement and the virtual and real worlds. It suggests that the Internet is particularly significant in forging horizontal rather than vertical links between shop stewards and unions and also provides the potential for mutual support and solidarity. However, the empirical research suggests different levels of engagement with the network, which the paper categorises and it also illustrates how a political party can become engaged in the networking activity.     

Net neutrality: A progress report

This paper is intended as an introduction to the debate on net neutrality and as a progress report on the growing body of academic literature on this issue. Different non-net neutrality scenarios are discussed and structured along the two dimensions of network and pricing regime. With this approach, the consensus on the benefits of a deviation from the status quo as well as the concerns that are unique to certain non-net neutrality scenarios can be identified. Moreover, a framework for policy decisions is derived and it is discussed how the concept of neutrality extends to other parts of the Internet ecosystem.     

互联网金融的经济逻辑与演进安排--基于普惠金融的帕累托改进视角

互联网金融是金融抑制宏观背景下的创新演绎,有着内在的形成机理,对推动普惠金融帕累托改进有着深厚的经济逻辑,但也隐含着潜在风险,需要作出理性而适度的演进安排。     

物联网工程专业课程体系构建研究

物联网工程专业作为应用型本科专业,在高等教育行业领域内应建立一个新的理念和体系,其教育体系的完善和后备力量的培养是其中最重要的环节.在本科层次的物联网专业建设过程中,课程体系的构建要针对应用型本科的特点,在专业基础和核心课程上体现出该专业的技术需求特征,便于更好满足物联网专业课程体系建设规范化的要求.     

网络借贷的发展现状、风险分析及其法律规制

近年来,随着网络日益普及,网络借贷作为一种新兴民间借贷方式在我国悄然兴起并得到迅速发展。但是由于法律制度与有效监管的缺失以及社会信用体系的不完善,其自由发展也潜藏着一些较大的风险隐患。文章介绍了国内网络借贷的发展现状,分析了网络借贷的主要风险,并在借鉴发达国家成熟经验的基础上,提出了完善我国网络借贷法律规制的相关建议。     

The role of epistemic communities in the “constitutionalization” of internet governance: The example of the European Commission High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence

In the last few years, digital constitutionalism has emerged as a novel, alternative, Internet Governance approach aiming at ordering and limiting the exercise of power by both states and private operators, as well as at promoting people's control over digital technology development.Although digital constitutionalism is encountering growing popularity, the prevalent non-binding nature of its initiatives, the discrepancy between the jurisdictional border and transnational digital processes, and the technological embedment of governance mechanisms, have hindered the effectiveness of its impact.This paper identifies epistemic communities as a crucial factor for the constitutionalization of the digital technologies since they have the necessary technical expertise and policy commitment to create norms and standards at transnational level, informing the policy choices of both state and non-state actors.In order to illustrate this nexus, the article performs an in-depth investigation on the case of the European Commission High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence (HLEG-AI). The analysis revealed that the HLEG-AI effectively gathered an epistemic community strongly committed with fundamental rights promotion and capable to influence the following policy-making activities of the European Commission, as well as of other non-state stakeholders, whose involvement is essential in order to embed digital constitutionalism principles within the design of AI systems.     

Internet of Things,big data and the economics of networked vehicles

The evolution of special purpose standards for networked vehicles towards IP based communication networks and the high-volume data processing requirements call for the introduction of a new concept – the big data virtual network. The virtual network operator, which may be integrated with the operators of networked vehicle applications, combines sensor and camera devices with big data, either using large data centers (cloud computing) or local processing (fog computing), and complementary QoS (Quality of Service) differentiated bandwidth capacities from the all-IP network. The growing importance of camera-based sensors as well as geo-awareness requirements create a need for more pronounced QoS differentiated bandwidth as well as big data processing efforts. In particular, combining QoS differentiated all-IP bandwidth capacities with local data processing within the edge cloud constitutes a new task for big data virtual network service providers, enabling deterministic guarantees for ultra-low latencies required for networked fully automated (driverless) vehicles.     

Information communications technology and economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: A panel data approach

This research empirically analyzed the impact of mobile phone and the Internet on per capita income of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) for the period of 2006–2015 using a panel data of 40 countries. We have employed the robust two-step system GMM. Results showed that growth in mobile phone penetration has contributed significantly to the GDP per capita of the region after controlling for a number of other variables. A 10% increase in mobile phone penetration results in a 1.2% change in GDP per capita. Therefore, improving access to mobile phones will play a critical role in reducing the poverty level of the region through raising the per capita income of the population.However, the Internet has not contributed to the per capita GDP during the study period. The insignificant impact of the Internet could be due to low penetration of the technology, low ICT skill of Internet users, lack of or insufficient local content on the global network, and the relatively immature state of the technology in the region. Therefore, governments and other stakeholders should design policies that encourage expansion of the Internet. In addition to improving Internet access, policies which focus on ICT skill development and local content creation should also be designed and implemented.