Poll: Only three percent of Indians understand economic reforms © AFP

NEW DELHI: India, which celebrated its 58th anniversary as a republic yesterday, January 26, may be registering blistering rates of growth but only three percent of its people understand the economic reforms being implemented and most think they have benefited only the rich, said a survey. "Seventy-two percent of Indians were unaware of the economic changes that the country has been going through since 1991" when India launched market reforms, said the survey published in the Hindustan Times. Sixty-two percent also felt the changes in economic policy benefited only the rich, said the poll by the New Delhi-based Center for the Study of Developing Societies for the Hin­dustan Times and news channel CNN-IBN. The survey questioned 7,681 people across 19 states of India.  I never thought it would be that bad. Maybe they interviewed mostly young people who were too young to remember. Anotther nail in the coffin of India's education system.

News items from my Google Reader

Howtopedia

via WorldChanging: Tools, Models and Ideas for Building a Bright Green Future by Sarah Rich on Jan 24, 2007

Everybody loves a "how-to." Simple instructionals and DIY projects are a requisite occupation for self-sufficient hipsters and hackers. From constructing personal PV arrays to generating pedal-powered electricity, brewing biodiesel to knitting scarves, worldchangers like to do things ourselves. Hence, my elation at discovering the nascent online project, Howtopedia.org, set up by a Swiss non-profit supported by Practical Action (formerly ITDG) and the International Network for Technical Information (INTI). Howtopedia's building a wiki-style library of DIY recipes that promote sustainability by helping us all become a little more independent. Howtopedia describe themselves as: A collaborative platform for practical knowledge and simple technologies, (i.e. technologies that require no complex machine, that are easily explainable and usable by individuals or small communities) for a sustainable and ecological future [...] We are convinced that sharing low-tech know-how across borders and organisations is essential for an independent and self-sufficient form of sustainable development. So far the library still has a lot of open space where content will eventually be found, and we're all invited to start filling it up by offering our own expertise and editorial skills. Even so, it's fascinating just to look through the placeholders and see what ideas have already begun to... (more)

(Posted by Sarah Rich in Collaboration at 12:04 PM)

Sabancı: "we could not turn into an *information society*"

via News-stream by unknown on Jan 24, 2007

The chairman of the board of directors of TÜSİAD (Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association), Ömer Sabancı stated that Turkey could not turn into an information society. ...

UOC Papers: e-Journal on the Knowledge Society

via News-stream by unknown on Jan 25, 2007

It is an interdisciplinary journal "which looks to publish original university papers that focus on the conflux of the subject areas dealt with by universities in the knowledge society". The site includes an archive of past issues.

From Google Reader

Knowledge Society Report: 2007-01-24

via News-stream by Tanedu Tanzania on Jan 24, 2007

The Knowledge Society last Saturday was all about career guidance, with a focus on business leadership skills and choosing a career. Scott Beestman facilitated the business leadership skills programme as he skilfully went through his ...

On My Own's Site - Information Literacy in an *Information Society*

via News-stream by Neuromancien on Jan 24, 2007

On My Own's Site - Information Literacy in an Information Society. Tags: information_literacy.

British Social Attitudes 23rd report: Perspectives on a Changing

via News-stream by Paul Ayres on Jan 24, 2007

The 23rd British Social Attitudes Report - Perspectives on a Changing Society - was published on Wednesday 24 January 2007, by the National Centre for Social Research.

The latest Report assesses the consequences for public attitudes of a number of recent, fundamental social changes - including the emergence of radical Islamic terrorism; an ageing society; the huge growth of the internet; globalisation and increasingly competitive labour markets; and a change of government.

Among the findings:

• Overwhelming majorities of the public are willing to give up various freedoms to tackle the threat of terrorism - four in five think that following people suspected of involvement with terrorism, tapping their phones and opening their mail is ‘a price worth paying’.
• Commitment to civil liberties is in decline: in 1990, 40% disagreed that every adult should carry an ‘identity card’; this figure has nearly halved to 22%.
• The current law that prohibits assisted dying is at odds with public opinion - four out of five people in Britain say that the law should allow a doctor to end someone’s life at the person’s request if they have an incurable and painful illness from which they will die.
• ‘Britishness’ is in decline - fewer people say that ‘British’ is the best or only way of describing themselves now than 10 years ago, and this is partly due to an increase in feelings of ‘Englishness’
• Compared with the 1960s, there has been no decline in the proportion of people identifying with a social class. More people still identify with the working class than the middle class.

The press release includes brief summaries of the findings of all 10 chapters.

Intute: Social Sciences links to more resources on the issue of Social Research

Kapil Sibal on Knowledge in KE

Kapil Sibal, the Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Government of India addressing the Map World Forum in Hyderabad said,

“We live in a globalized world and it’s only befitting that in the years to come, the globalization processes affect data as well; a globalized world must have globalized data; And from globalized world we will have globalized products...GIS is not just a technology tool; it’s all about public good; All technology is essentially a tool to serve the public…Ultimately data is a source of information; and information in a globalized world is knowledge. And knowledge in a knowledge economy is progress."

Source: All Points Blog

From my email

Source: http://topics.developmentgateway.org

9. MEASURING THE ELECTRONIC ECONOMY
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1086138
This website of the U.S. Bureau of the Census provides information collected by the Bureau on e-commerce. Specifically, in provides the most recent "E-commerce Multi-sector Report". The official source of e-commerce for key sectors of the U.S....
Contributed by John Daly on 05 Jan , 2007

10. The Science and Technology Resources of Japan: A Comparison with the United States
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1086131
From the introduction: "This report provides comparisons of U.S. and Japanese science resources and some initial evidence that Japan is expanding the human and financial resources for science, while improving the environment for basic research. The...
Contributed by John Daly on 05 Jan , 2007

13. Highlight from the Nobel Lecture of Muhammad Yunus: Information Technology for the Poor
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1086162
Information and communication technology (ICT) is quickly changing the world, creating distanceless, borderless world of instantaneous communications. Increasingly, it is becoming less and less costly. I saw an opportunity for the poor people to...
Contributed by Mahmud Hasan on 06 Jan , 2007

15. The ICT Hub National Awards for the Use of ICT in the Voluntary Sector 2007
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1086487
The ICT Hub National Awards will reward those voluntary and community organisations who have realised the potential of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and showcase them as good examples for others to learn from. It is widely recognised...
Contributed by Mahmud Hasan on 08 Jan , 2007

19. The International Association of Science and Technology for Development (IASTED)
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1086480
This organization holds conferences and publishes the following journals through ACTA Press: * Control and Intelligent Systems * International Journal of Computers and Applications * International Journal of Power and Energy Systems * International...
Contributed by John Daly on 08 Jan , 2007

20. International Conference on ICT Solution for Socio-Economic Development, Feb 12-13, 2007, India
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1086500
ICT Research and Training Centre, C-DAC, Bangalore is holding the First International Conference on ICT Solutions for Socio- Economic Development "ISED - 2007". The aim of the conference is to provide a platform for knowledge sharing on various...
Contributed by Nadia Afrin on 08 Jan , 2007

34. Ten Guiding Principles for Knowledge Management in E-government
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1086950
This is a paper which I contributed to First International Conference on Knowledge Management for Productivity and Competitiveness, January 11-12, 2007, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India and may be of interest to those who wish to introduce...
Contributed by Dr DC Misra on 12 Jan , 2007

E-government: Who controls the controllers?

Asks Kayode Akinmade in the Nigerian Tribune

THE promise of e-government is a transparent, accessible, efficient state in a new partnership with its citizens. But could it be the model of an invisible model of political control? .... It may sound like a brave new world. But the concept of e-government does not signify only efficiency, gains and economic benefits, it also underpins the changing, thickening relationship between government and power in the new era of integrated computer networks. More precisely, in an advanced technological society whose social structure is the result of the interaction among a complex web of networks constantly exchanging and processing data between their myriad of nodal points, the exercise of power and the relationships of power are radically changed.

New Terminology in the Knowledge / Information Economy / Society (KIES)* Discourse:

1. FLOSS - Free, Libre, Open Source Software

2. Creative Commons.

3. Simputer.

4. OLPC: One Laptop per Child.

5. K4D: Knowledge for Development.

6. ICT4D: Information and Communications Technology for Development.

7. Infocomm: Information and Communications.

8. Broadband Divide/Gap.

9. Web 2.0

* KIES was coined by my supervisors Charles Crothers and Sharon Harvey of AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand.

The Outsourcing Spin Cycle

Bill Fink writing in the San Francisco chronicle writes about the other side of the outsoucing story where jobs keeps shifting from place to place in order for the firms to maintain the bottom line. Fink concludes, "What I've discovered isn't so much a one-way drain on U.S. business, but rather a spin cycle, a whirling of people, products and places coordinated to produce our daily goods and services"

Far from being new and Asian-focused, outsourcing, according to Fink, has always happened and was neccessary for progress. In The Spin Cycle of Outsourcing: A consultant tells the other side of the story Fink writes that "The basic concept of outsourcing is that companies want to specialize in what they do best, and find another source for all the other stuff" and that

"The reality is, America is not a nation of bolt-tighteners. If jobs hadn't been sent abroad, on a regular basis over the past 200 years, we'd still be hand-picking cotton on plantations, and weaving shirts on huge looms in sweatshops in New York City, while somewhere abroad the microchip engineers would be sipping wine and watching TVs that American workers were assembling in 24-hour-a-day factories. The question is, do you want to be the place that sends out the unskilled labor jobs, or the one that receives them?"

Neoliberalism at Work in the World Bank

An interesting paper on neoliberalism at the Bank by Robin Broad published in the Review of International Political Economy, 13:3 (August 2006): 387-419. It is also available on the Global Policy Forum Website.

Robin Broad, professor in the School of International Service at American University, describes six mechanisms by which the World Bank's development economics vice-presidency (DEC) performs a "paradigm-maintenance" role, privileging individuals whose work "resonates" with the neo-liberal free-market ideology.

Unbeknownst to most who work on the World Bank, this institution is not only the main lender of public money in the world. It is also the world's largest development research body, centred in DEC . DEC is important because it serves as a research department for other bilateral aid agencies and other multilateral development banks, which often follow the course laid out by the Bank. So too with the World Trade Organization which, according to an internal Bank document "looks to the Bank to provide analysis on trade integration policies." And Bank research is consulted by policy-makers across the globe. In academia, as well, relevant courses often rely heavily on Bank research papers. In short, DEC is the research powerhouse of the development world.

The Six mechanisms of "paradigm maintanance" at the Bank in favour of the neoliberal ideology, according to Broad are:

Hiring, Promotions, Selective enforcement of rules, Discouraging dissonant discourse, Manipulation of data, External projection.

Seymour Lipset dies age 84

Seymour Lipset eminent political sociologist has died age 84. Stephen Miller, a obituary writer at the New York Sun Newspaper reflects on Lipset's life and contributions to the fields of sociology and political science.
Perhaps another addition to the Dead Sociologists Homepage and Dead Sociologists Index. And maybe a few more jokes in sociology classes about dead sociologists.

Global Indian Takeover?

Here are some articles relating to the "global Indian takeover". The frame of India as a economic superpower is promoted as much by the media as it is by the government. However there are two sides to the argument – India as a economic powerhouse with great potential and the myth of India as a economic superpower poised to takeover the world.

1. India's great global takeover game
By Raju Bist in Asia Times

2. The global Indian takeover
The Times of India, Jan 4, 2003

“Ladies and gentlemen please take your seats. You are about to witness one of the greatest shows on earth: the gradual Indian takeover of global companies…”

3. The Myth of the New India

INDIA is a roaring capitalist success story." So says the latest issue of Foreign Affairs; and last week many leading business executives and politicians in India celebrated as Lakshmi Mittal, the fifth richest man in the world, finally succeeded in his hostile takeover of the Luxembourgian steel company Arcelor. India's leading business newspaper, The Economic Times, summed up the general euphoria over the event in its regular feature, "The Global Indian Takeover": "For India, it is a harbinger of things to come — economic superstardom.

4. Letter from India: India can't wait to put the 'super' before 'power'
“http://www.iht.com/bin/print.php?id=3642086

The Times of India has designed a neat logo that it sticks at the top of every article about India's thriving economy or growing international importance: a small spinning wheel, the national symbol, alongside the words "Global Indian Takeover." Sometimes the articles deemed to reflect the nation's unstoppable rise are persuasive - Indian corporate successes, rising share prices, Booker Prize victories. More often they are bewilderingly trifling. In a front-page article this week, the latest evidence of India's rising power was the rather underwhelming news that a girl of Indian-origin had become Miss Great Britain. The "Global Indian Takeover" slogan was stamped next to a pouting picture of Preeti Desai. “

THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY: IS THE UNITED STATES LOSING ITS COMPETITIVE ...
of a knowledge economy, declining sharply as a percentage of the gross domestic product. This has. placed future innovation and our economic competitiveness ...

Knowledge Commission to connect 5,000 educational hubs-Pitroda

January 11, 2007

---

New Delhi (IANS): The National Knowledge Commission (NKC), a high-level advisory body to the Indian Prime Minister has recommended to connect at least 5,000 educational hubs across the country through broadband.

"We have recommended for broadband networking of 5,000 knowledge hubs including universities, colleges, libraries, laboratories, medical centres and research hubs all over India," Sam Pitroda, chairman, NKC said Wednesday here.

"The central government has also been advised to connect all the research centres of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Once connected people can easily access the research findings and other important resources to read, write and develop it further," Pitroda told IANS on the sidelines of an Indian-American physicians' programme.

Pitroda also said that several telecom players have expressed their desire in this project and they can be roped in for this nationwide 100-megabit broadband networking.

"It could be a public-private partnership involving several telecom service providers like Bharti, Reliance, BSNL."

He said India has a huge pool of fibre optics and it should be utilised to "update, improve and upgrade our knowledge sources".

"We have given our recommendations and in all likelihood things should start moving by the end of this year."

Blog Round-up courtesy of Google

Ukraine: Information Society Law
By Veronica Khokhlova
Information Policy reports on a new law adopted by the Ukrainian parliament: the Law On Fundamental Principles of Development of Information Society in Ukraine in 2006-2016.
Global Voices Online - http://www.globalvoicesonline.org

Internet Governance Forum silent on gender
By Brenda Zulu
There is need to push for inclusion in scenarios like these, since they might evolve into crucial sights where power over the information society is being brokered, even if firmly, no political decisions are taken in them. ...
ICT Journalist - http://brendait.blogspot.com

Where does open source code come from?
By Matthew Aslett
"The high share of European FLOSS developers provides a unique opportunity to create new software businesses and reach towards the Lisbon goals of making Europe the most competitive knowledge economy by 2010. ...
Open Source Weblog - http://www.businessreviewonline.com/os/

IMI to host conference on Asian innovation in science, technology ...
The Irish Management Institute (IMI), in partnership with DEMOS, the UK think-tank, will host a conference interrogating Asian innovation in science, technology and business within the global knowledge economy. ...
Finfacts - http://www.finfacts.com

Information policy Conference report.

Note the five key themes with Individual as an "entrepreneur" and the role of government at all scales as being of "re-engineering society".

 

How can Public Policy Encourage Innovation and Entrepreneurship?

ugasser - November 27, 2006 @ 5:14 am ·

policy , innovation , entrepreneurship

The

Rueschlikon Conference on Information Policy , chaired by Professor Viktor Mayer-Schoenberger , just released its latest conference report on Innovative Entrepreneurship and Public Policy . The report, authored by Kenneth Cukier , includes recommendations for what public policy can do to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. The executive summary suggests five recommendations.

• Entrepreneur: The Individual – Innovation starts with a "random walk" in "design space," where ideas can be incubated and challenged. Investing in education is crucial, as is softening the consequences of failure.

• Social Networks: The Group – The relationships among people, firms and nations help determine the degree of diversity they are exposed to, which influences inventiveness. Supporting the interactions across groups is essential.

• Organizing R&D: Universities and Firms – A networked-model based on connections, collaboration, flat hierarchies, modularity and constant "re-writing" is required. This enables groups to respond successfully to discontinuities.

• Creating Clusters: Geographic Areas – Places where finance, technical talent, legal, accounting and marketing support intermingle aids the innovation process. Yet it should ideally be technology-neutral, and not reliant on one technical domain.

• Public Policy: The Role of Government (Municipal, Regional, National) – Reengineering society for a networked economy requires resources, patience and ceding control International cooperation with new stakeholders is imperative.

The full report with the title Hero with a Thousand Faces is available online .

11 new resources have been added to Knowledge Economy on the Development Gateway

 http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge

Too much e-mail? See how to change your settings at the bottom of this message.
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1. Science Careers at UNESCO
2. Impulsan la Jatropha Curca para biodiesel en Argentina
3. Book review: Is e-government a dangerous enthusiasm?
4. eRepublic.org : A portal dedicated to e-government practices around the World
5. Can e-goverment help transform countries? By Karen D. Schwartz
6. Charles Kenny's Blog
7. Cybersecurity a Growing Problem
8. "Prioritizing Countries for Assistance To Overcome the Digital Divide"
9. Hacking Knowledge: 77 Ways to Learn Faster, Deeper, and Better
10. "A Knowledge Driven Economy" by Juan Enriquez
11. The Edge Annual Question - 2007: What are you optimistic about? Why?
-------------------------

1. Science Careers at UNESCO
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085455
This article describes how scientists might go about finding a career post at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It profiles two young scientists who started on such careers. Lynn Dicks, ScienceCareers.Org, 22...
Contributed by John Daly on 26 Dec , 2006

2. Impulsan la Jatropha Curca para biodiesel en Argentina
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1084622
Carlos Torres, de Cultivos Energéticos SRL, promueve la plantación de esta especie a escala industrial en el Noroeste y Noreste. Sus ventajas sociales, ambientales y económicas. El vivero que ya comenzó a tomar forma. La posibilidad de instalar una...
Contributed by ANA LILIAN LICHOWSKI on 14 Dec , 2006

3. Book review: Is e-government a dangerous enthusiasm?
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085753
This is a review article of Gauld, Goldfinch and Dale (2006): Dangerous Enthusiasms: E-government, Computer Failure and Information System Development,* in which the authors discuss a number of case studies in New Zealand and widwer literaure and...
Contributed by Dr DC Misra on 01 Jan , 2007

4. eRepublic.org: A portal dedicated to e-government practices around the World
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085767
eRepublic.org contains a more up-to-date, comprehensive directory of national government Internet sites and / or ( when found comprehensive for the a country's individual eGov sites and user-friendly ) Web portals worldwide. The directory also...
Contributed by Gary Vizzo on 01 Jan , 2007

5. Can e-goverment help transform countries? By Karen D. Schwartz
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085786
When done right, e-goverment can help transform countries ? and the way citizens view government. Service providers are seizing the opportunity to make a difference. This article was written by Karen D. Schwartz. From the introduction: "AS THE...
Contributed by Mikhail Doroshevich on 02 Jan , 2007

6. Charles Kenny's Blog
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085751
Charles is a policy analyst in the Global ICT Group of the World Bank. His blog deals with subjects such as Corruption, ICTs and Economic Growth issues.
Contributed by John Daly on 01 Jan , 2007

7. Cybersecurity a Growing Problem
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085494
"More than 90 percent of all e-mail sent online in October was unsolicited junk mail......Spam volumes monitored by Postini rose 73 percent in the past two months as spammers began embedding their messages in images to evade junk e-mail filters that...
Contributed by John Daly on 27 Dec , 2006

8. "Prioritizing Countries for Assistance To Overcome the Digital Divide"
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085746
This paper focuses on the gap in access to quality information infrastructure. It uses a measure of access that allows for the income per capita of a country. while buildong on previous econometric studies that have looked at determinants of...
Contributed by John Daly on 01 Jan , 2007

9. Hacking Knowledge: 77 Ways to Learn Faster, Deeper, and Better
http://topics.developmentgatewa y.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085806
In a recent article published by OEDb (Online Education Database), Jimmy Atkinson offers 77 tips related to knowledge and learning to help you on your quest. A few are specifically for students in traditional learning institutions; the rest for...
Contributed by Thomas BEKKERS on 02 Jan , 2007

10. "A Knowledge Driven Economy" by Juan Enriquez
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085809
According to Juan Enriquez, CEO, Biotechonomy, a knowledge Driven Economy Allows individuals to lead millions out of poverty an a single generation. "Many within the biggest, China and India, as well as the smallest Singapore and Luxembourg can...
Contributed by Thomas BEKKERS on 02 Jan , 2007

11. The Edge Annual Question - 2007: What are you optimistic about? Why?
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085810
The 160 responses to this year's Edge Question span topics such as string theory, intelligence, population growth, cancer, climate and much much more. Contributing their optimistic visions are a who's who of interesting and important world-class...
Contributed by Thomas BEKKERS on 02 Jan , 2007

 

Newsweek covers the new entrepreneurial boom in India. Interesting article

The New Generation
A 'second wave' of entrepreneurial firms is poised to drive the economy. And they aren't in the outsourcing sector.

 

By Ron Moreau and Sudip Mazumdar

Newsweek International

Jan. 8, 2007 issue - India's rise as an economic power is known the world over, thanks largely to the global ambitions of its biggest corporations. But names like Infosys, Tata and Reliance aren't necessarily as important to India's future as modest firms like Acme Tele Power Ltd. It sounds a bit like a store you might find on Main Street in Peoria, but one look at the numbers belies this association. Acme has a profit margin of 33 percent on 2006 revenues of $300 million, which have risen more than 3,000 percent in four years. Acme makes energy-efficient sheds that protect cell-phone relay stations, but its 32-year-old founder Manoj Upadhyay is plowing most of that profit into R D, and files for a new patent about once a month. "He is poised to grow exponentially," says Sandeep Ghosh, director of commercial banking for Citigroup India. "If only one of Upadhyay's new ideas comes off, it's going to be fabulous."

11 new resources have been added to Knowledge Economy on the Development Gateway

1. Science Careers at UNESCO http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085455

This article describes how scientists might go about finding a career post at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It profiles two young scientists who started on such careers. Lynn Dicks, ScienceCareers.Org, 22...Contributed by John Daly on 26 Dec , 2006

2. Impulsan la Jatropha Curca para biodiesel en Argentina http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1084622Carlos Torres, de Cultivos Energéticos SRL, promueve la plantación de esta especie a escala industrial en el Noroeste y Noreste. Sus ventajas sociales, ambientales y económicas. El vivero que ya comenzó a tomar forma. La posibilidad de instalar una...Contributed by ANA LILIAN LICHOWSKI on 14 Dec , 2006

3. Book review: Is e-government a dangerous enthusiasm? http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085753This is a review article of Gauld, Goldfinch and Dale (2006): Dangerous Enthusiasms: E-government, Computer Failure and Information System Development,* in which the authors discuss a number of case studies in New Zealand and widwer literaure and...Contributed by Dr DC Misra on 01 Jan , 2007

4. eRepublic.org: A portal dedicated to e-government practices around the World http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085767eRepublic.org contains a more up-to-date, comprehensive directory of national government Internet sites and / or ( when found comprehensive for the a country's individual eGov sites and user-friendly ) Web portals worldwide. The directory also...Contributed by Gary Vizzo on 01 Jan , 2007

5. Can e-goverment help transform countries? By Karen D. Schwartz http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085786When done right, e-goverment can help transform countries ? and the way citizens view government. Service providers are seizing the opportunity to make a difference. This article was written by Karen D. Schwartz. From the introduction: "AS THE...Contributed by Mikhail Doroshevich on 02 Jan , 2007

6. Charles Kenny's Blog http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085751Charles is a policy analyst in the Global ICT Group of the World Bank. His blog deals with subjects such as Corruption, ICTs and Economic Growth issues.Contributed by John Daly on 01 Jan , 2007

7. Cybersecurity a Growing Problem http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085494"More than 90 percent of all e-mail sent online in October was unsolicited junk mail......Spam volumes monitored by Postini rose 73 percent in the past two months as spammers began embedding their messages in images to evade junk e-mail filters that...Contributed by John Daly on 27 Dec , 2006

8. "Prioritizing Countries for Assistance To Overcome the Digital Divide" http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085746This paper focuses on the gap in access to quality information infrastructure. It uses a measure of access that allows for the income per capita of a country. while buildong on previous econometric studies that have looked at determinants of...Contributed by John Daly on 01 Jan , 2007

9. Hacking Knowledge: 77 Ways to Learn Faster, Deeper, and Better http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085806In a recent article published by OEDb (Online Education Database), Jimmy Atkinson offers 77 tips related to knowledge and learning to help you on your quest. A few are specifically for students in traditional learning institutions; the rest for...Contributed by Thomas BEKKERS on 02 Jan , 2007

10. "A Knowledge Driven Economy" by Juan Enriquez http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085809According to Juan Enriquez, CEO, Biotechonomy, a knowledge Driven Economy Allows individuals to lead millions out of poverty an a single generation. "Many within the biggest, China and India, as well as the smallest Singapore and Luxembourg can...Contributed by Thomas BEKKERS on 02 Jan , 2007

11. The Edge Annual Question - 2007: What are you optimistic about? Why? http://topics.developmentgateway.org/knowledge/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085810The 160 responses to this year's Edge Question span topics such as string theory, intelligence, population growth, cancer, climate and much much more. Contributing their optimistic visions are a who's who of interesting and important world-class...Contributed by Thomas BEKKERS on 02 Jan , 2007

From DevGateway: 7 new resources have been added to Governance on the Development Gateway

http://topics.developmentgateway.org/governance

Too much e-mail? See how to change your settings at the bottom of this message.
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1. State of the English Cities
2. Strong and Prosperous Communities - The Local Government White Paper
3. Corruption to Blame for China's Worsening Pollution, Official Says
4. Is e-government a dangerous enthusiasm?
5. eRepublic.org: Worldwide eGovernment Directory, with Mission Abroad Web Sites and eGov Related
6. Transforming Government
7. Viet Nam first test site for new UN reform
-------------------------

1. State of the English Cities
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/governance/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085476
In its Urban White Paper of 2000, Towards an Urban Renaissance, the Government made a commitment to commission a report on the progress and performance of English cities in the last five years. This State of the Cities report to government by a...
Contributed by Anuradha Bhattacharjee on 27 Dec , 2006

2. Strong and Prosperous Communities - The Local Government White Paper
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/governance/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085472
The aim of this White Paper is to give local people and local communities more influence and power to improve their lives. It is about creating strong, prosperous communities and delivering better public services through a rebalancing of the...
Contributed by Anuradha Bhattacharjee on 27 Dec , 2006

3. Corruption to Blame for China's Worsening Pollution, Official Says
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/governance/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085537
China's top environmental official has blamed corruption for frustrating environmental protection efforts and worsening the country's already severely polluted air and waterways, state media reported on December 26, 2006.

Contributed by Boris Demidov on 28 Dec , 2006

4. Is e-government a dangerous enthusiasm?
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/governance/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085755
This is a review article of Gauld, Goldfinch and Dale (2006): Dangerous Enthusiasms: E-government, Computer Failure and Information System Development, in which the authors discuss a number of case studies in New Zealand and widwer literaure and...
Contributed by Dr DC Misra on 01 Jan , 2007

5. eRepublic.org: Worldwide eGovernment Directory, with Mission Abroad Web Sites and eGov Related
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/governance/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085772
eRepublic.org contains a more up-to-date, comprehensive directory of national government Internet sites and/or (when found comprehensive for the a country's individual eGov sites and user-friendly) Web portals worldwide. The directory also includes,...
Contributed by Gary Vizzo on 01 Jan , 2007

6. Transforming Government
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/governance/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085787
When done right, e-goverment can help transform countries ? and the way citizens view government. Service providers are seizing the opportunity to make a difference. By Karen D. Schwartz.
Contributed by Mikhail Doroshevich on 02 Jan , 2007

7. Viet Nam first test site for new UN reform
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/governance/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085798
Viet Nam has become the first country to be included in the One-UN initiative designed to reform UN programmes in member countries. The effort, begun on a trial basis, will streamline UN activities in each country. An interview with John Hendra, the...
Contributed by Boris Demidov on 02 Jan , 2007