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42. Reimagining Global Economic Governance: African and Global Perspectives
- Author:
- Stewart Patrick, Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, and Erica Hogan
- Publication Date:
- 09-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Abstract:
- Demand is growing for more representative and equitable global institutions that are capable of managing the risks and opportunities of interdependence—such as accelerating climate change and rapid technological innovation.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Science and Technology, Governance, Innovation, International Institutions, and Equity
- Political Geography:
- Africa
43. Japan’s Aging Society as a Technological Opportunity
- Author:
- Ken Kushida
- Publication Date:
- 10-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Abstract:
- Japan’s extreme demographic aging and shrinking is an economic and societal challenge, but also a technological opportunity for global leadership. Technological trajectories of worker automation and worker skill augmentation within Japan are already being shaped by the country’s demographics. Software, robotics, and other technology deployments are transforming the nature of work in a wide range of sectors in Japan’s economy, and across types of work such as blue-collar, white-collar, agriculture, manufacturing, and services. Specific ways in which Japan’s demographics shape technological trajectories include market opportunities, acute labor shortages, and favorable political and regulatory dynamics. The private sector is driving technology deployments in industrial sectors hit hard by Japan’s aging population, ranging from construction and transportation to medical care and finance, with strong government support in each of the domains. Demographically driven technological trajectories play to Japan’s strengths in implementing, deploying, and improving technologies rather than generating breakthrough innovations. Japan’s demographically driven technological trajectory can be an important platform for international technology cooperation, fitting with the top U.S.-Japanese political leadership agreements on fostering strong innovation and technology collaboration ties. Japan’s start-up ecosystem, often in partnership with large incumbent firms, will be critical in deploying new technologies by defining new markets and providing new offerings. An effective analysis goes beyond broad demographic numbers to delve into specific pain points of particular segments of society to better capture their situations and roles in shaping market opportunities that drive technological adoption. This introductory paper: (1) defines key analytical concepts; (2) surveys some of Japan’s key demographic shifts; and (3) highlights cases from agriculture, construction, transportation, healthcare, eldercare, land, and housing ownership.
- Topic:
- Demographics, Science and Technology, Innovation, and Aging
- Political Geography:
- Japan and Asia
44. The idea of smart city in the perspective of the development of the capitals of the Visegrad Group countries
- Author:
- Marek Gorka
- Publication Date:
- 03-2024
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Nowa Polityka Wschodnia
- Institution:
- Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
- Abstract:
- The objective of this study is to analyze the implementation and utilization of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the development of Smart Cities by the authorities of the V4 capitals. This research examines the smart city concept in the context of the development strategies of the V4 capitals. The study utilizes quantitative and qualitative methods to assess the potential of each city and conducts a comparative analysis of strategic documents related to the smart city concept. The article initiates by examining the changing dynamics of public space management in light of the increasing significance of cybertechnology. The subsequent section highlights the key points outlined in the Agenda 2030 document. This is followed by an effort to conceptualize the smart city concept and an explanation for investigating the development of the V4 capitals. The subsequent portion of the article delves into the perception of economic and social development, drawing from the security and cybersecurity strategies of each V4 country. The cases of each country are then analyzed based on selected factors that define their technological potential. The analysis aims to identify the predominant aspects pertaining to the utilization of ICT within the Smart City concept in the V4 capitals. The comparative analysis will reveal commonalities, disparities, strengths, and areas that require further development in each capital. The insights derived from this research prove vital for effective urban management. They facilitate an enhanced understanding of the interconnectedness between various economic and social resources and allow for the systematization of assumptions, visions, and underlying concepts related to urban space management. This, in turn, assists in identifying the factors that influence comprehensive engagement in smart city initiatives.
- Topic:
- Development, Science and Technology, Communications, Innovation, Smart Cities, and Visegrad Group
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Eastern Europe
45. The Great Reset and the Near-Term Implications for the Chinese Economy
- Author:
- R. Reghunanadhan and J. T. Karackattu
- Publication Date:
- 09-2024
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- AUSTRAL: Brazilian Journal of Strategy International Relations
- Institution:
- Postgraduate Program in International Strategic Studies, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
- Abstract:
- The Great Reset has had a severe impact on the Chinese economy, with implications domestically, and on the global supply chain. One consequence has been the decline in the overall market demand in China, with a significant negative impact on infrastructure development and the labour industry. A unique aspect is a survey is to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on innovation and integration of digital technologies in China. The authors explicate the impact of the Great Reset on the Chinese economy, the implications on the supply chains that China is a crucial part of, and the global implications thereof.
- Topic:
- Labor Issues, Economy, Innovation, COVID-19, Supply Chains, and Great Reset
- Political Geography:
- China and Asia
46. Income Innovation in the Not-for-Profit and For-Purpose Sectors in Australia
- Author:
- Gemma Hardie and Min Wah Voon
- Publication Date:
- 08-2024
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- International Women's Development Agency (IWDA)
- Abstract:
- This report shares the findings of research by the International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA), conducted in 2019 and 2023, on income innovations in the not-for-profit and for-purpose sectors in Australia. A Rapid Scan of Income Innovations in the Not-For-Profit and For-Purpose Sectors in Australia draws from interviews with 26 individuals and organisations about diversifying funding beyond traditional grants, fundraising and philanthropy. The intended outcomes of the research were to: Identify income innovations in the not-for-profit and for-purpose (NFP+FP) sectors that currently generate untied income (excluding traditional funding) Help inform IWDA’s broader strategic planning and decision making.
- Topic:
- Development, Innovation, Philanthropy, and Non-profits
- Political Geography:
- Australia
47. Russia’s digital tech isolationism: Domestic innovation, digital fragmentation, and the Kremlin’s push to replace Western digital technology
- Author:
- Justin Sherman
- Publication Date:
- 07-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- Digital technology has long been a key component of the Russian government’s power, and for years following the collapse of the Soviet Union there was significant technology entanglement between Russia, the West, and other areas of the world. That changed in the late 2000s and early 2010s with heightened paranoia within the Kremlin about regime security and foreign subversion—and Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine has taken this to new levels. Due to combinations of intense securitization, Western sanctions, foreign businesses exiting Russia, tech “brain drain,” and other factors, digital technological isolationism is now both a reality and a desired goal for Moscow. This report examines the history of the modern Russian state’s approach to digital technology, the internet, and connection and interdependence with the West and foreign countries. It then analyzes the Kremlin’s late 2000s and early 2010s shift to a heavily securitized approach to the internet and its concerted push to develop domestic digital technology—both the successes and many failures. It then examines the 2022 Russian war on Ukraine, how the conflict and resulting events (such as sanctions and brain drain) have shifted Russia’s approach to domestic technology and digital isolation, and where different digital technology segments, such as hardware and software, stand.
- Topic:
- Science and Technology, Cybersecurity, Internet, Innovation, Isolationism, and Russia-Ukraine War
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Europe, Eurasia, and Ukraine
48. What should be done about Google’s quasi-monopoly in search? Mandatory data sharing versus AI-driven technological competition
- Author:
- Bertin Martens
- Publication Date:
- 07-2023
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Bruegel
- Abstract:
- The first part of this paper focuses on competition between search engines that match user queries with webpages. User welfare, as measured by click-through rates on top-ranked pages, increases when network effects attract more users and generate economies of scale in data aggregation. However, network effects trigger welfare concerns when a search engine reaches a dominant market position. The EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) imposes asymmetric data sharing obligations on very large search engines to facilitate competition from smaller competitors. We conclude from the available empirical literature on search-engine efficiency that asymmetric data sharing may increase competition but may also reduce scale and user welfare, depending on the slope of the search-data learning curve. We propose policy recommendations to reduce tension between competition and welfare, including (a) symmetric data sharing between all search engines irrespective of size, and (b) facilitate user real-time search history and profile-data portability to competing search engines. The second part of the paper focuses on the impact of recent generative AI models, such as Large Language Models (LLMs), chatbots and answer engines, on competition in search markets. LLMs are pre-trained on very large text datasets, prior to usage. They do not depend on user-driven network effects. That avoids winner-takes-all markets. However, high fixed algorithmic learning costs and input markets bottlenecks (webpage indexes, copyright-protected data and hyperscale cloud infrastructure) make entry more difficult. LLMs produce semantic responses (rather than web pages) in response to a query. That reduces cognitive processing costs for users but may also increase ex-post uncertainty about the quality of the output. User responses to this trade-off will determine the degree of substitution or complementarity between search and chatbots. We conclude that, under certain conditions, a competitive chatbot markets could crowd out a monopolistic search engine market and may make DMA-style regulatory intervention in search engines redundant.
- Topic:
- Science and Technology, Governance, European Union, Digital Economy, Innovation, Artificial Intelligence, and Competition
- Political Geography:
- Europe
49. China’s quest for innovation: progress and bottlenecks
- Author:
- Alicia Garcia-Herrero and Robin Schindowski
- Publication Date:
- 06-2023
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Bruegel
- Abstract:
- As the Chinese economy continues to decelerate, the central government is investing heavily in innovation, doubling down on research and development (R&D) spending and STEM-oriented human capital. In this paper, we assess China’s progress so far, looking at the inputs to innovation (R&D and human capital) as well as intermediate targets, such as scientific research and patents. We then evaluate how China has fared with respect to the ultimate goal of commercialising this progress, by looking at the value-added of Chinese exports and the overall productivity of the economy. We identify three potential bottlenecks that might be hindering the translation of China’s innovation efforts into productivity growth.
- Topic:
- Industrial Policy, European Union, Economic Growth, Innovation, and COVID-19
- Political Geography:
- China, Europe, and Asia
50. Antitrust issues raised by answer engines
- Author:
- Christophe Carugati
- Publication Date:
- 06-2023
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Bruegel
- Abstract:
- Rapid development of generative artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT is leading search engine providers to move from search to answer engines. Unlike search engines, which provide search results in the form of blue links to content creators, answer engines generate personalised answers through a conversation with end users. This revolution impacts the internet ecosystem of content creators and the digital advertising market. This paper outlines some early antitrust issues related to answer engines, from the transition from search to answer engines (sections 2 and 3) and the response competition authorities should adopt (section 4). It finds that search and answer engines complement and compete with each other. While the answer-engine market is still at an early stage of development, it already raises some competition issues in relation to data scraping, vertical integration and unfair terms and conditions. Intervention by competition authorities is more likely than not to prevent market power in this new market. In this regard, competition authorities should act to preserve dynamic competition and minimise adverse effects on content creators. Finally, the paper concludes with several research questions for future research (section 5).
- Topic:
- Science and Technology, Governance, European Union, Digital Economy, Innovation, Artificial Intelligence, and Competition
- Political Geography:
- Europe