Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of the present paper is to describe managerial and US legal issues associated with using social networking web sites (SNWs) such as Facebook for personnel selection. Managers must consider the benefits and concerns that using such information presents.Design/methodology/approach – The paper identifies issues based on the academic literature, theoretical concepts, and current managerial and legal developments as reported in the popular and business press.Findings – Using SNWs to screen applicants offers benefits to organizations in the form of gaining a large amount of information about applicants, which may be used to supplement other information (e.g. a resume). It may also help a firm address “negligent hiring” legal concerns. However, other legal considerations as well as issues pertaining to information accuracy, privacy, and justice argue against using such information.Research limitations/implications – Throughout the paper, topics are raised which may guide future research.Pra...

Abstract: Purpose – Fearing that their voice and SMS business will be substituted by IP‐based services from internet companies, mobile operators are developing various IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) based technologies to enable richer communication services. They reason that since the new rich communication services – such as enhanced presence, group communication and seamless switching between devices and media types within the same communication session – provide secure and more reliable services than those offered by internet companies – Skype, Whatsapp and Google+, for instance – consumers will readily appreciate their services and consequently use them. This paper seeks to address these issues.Design/methodology/approach – To validate these claims, this study analyzes the results of a conjoint survey among 82 respondents in The Netherlands, France and Spain. Are users really willing to adopt these rich communication services and, if so, do issues like reliability, privacy and security impact their decision?Find...

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to identify the nature of the problem of corruption in the telecommunications sector and to identify possible actions to limit it.Design/methodology/approach – A review of instances of corruption, showing the scope of its various forms, with particular emphasis on the Arab states, in the light of recent events.Findings – Policies were advocated for telecommunications that greatly increased the risks of corruption without corresponding measures to ensure integrity, transparency and the investigation and prosecution of those paying and, especially, those accepting bribes.Research limitations/implications – There is a need for much more raw data and detailing of specific cases, in particular there are no plausible estimates of the overall scale of bribery in the sector.Practical implications – By repressing bribery in telecommunications it will increase competition in markets, reduce prices and remove the social grievance of “crony capitalism”.Originality/value – There are, as yet, ...

Abstract: Purpose – This paper seeks to propose a technology classification model for mobile content and service delivery platforms (MCSDPs), the core of mobile middleware technology providers' (MMTPs) value proposition.Design/methodology/approach – The proposed model is grounded on existing literature and empirical research consisting of 40 in‐depth case studies with MMTPs and 102 semi‐structured interviews with top management from firms operating in the mobile content environment that already own or are interested in purchasing a MCSDP. Theoretical sampling was employed. The quality function deployment (QFD) technique was used to create the final technology classification schema.Findings – The MCSDP technology classification model has three components: a MCSDP functional architecture, which describes platform structure in terms of its endowment of functionalities and capabilities; a MCSD classification schema, which allows the identification of a set of platform categories classified according to the range of fun...

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper to analyse Hutchison Whampoa's involvement in the telecommunication industry.Design/methodology/approach – A brief overview of Hutchison Whampoa is provided before a timeline of the company's involvement in the telecommunications industry is presented. This is followed by the recounting of the company's performance in three areas, namely geographical footprint, mobile subscribers and financial returns. After discussing these three areas, an assessment of the company's exposure to 3G markets is made.Findings – One finding is that Hutchison Whampoa has actively engaged in the telecommunications industry through buying and selling businesses, often through complex organisational structures. A second finding is that the company has been very successful in the past at building and selling mobile operations, though it is unlikely to be as successful with its current series of 3G investments.Research limitations/implications – Some of the data used in the paper are hard to est...

Abstract: Purpose: Video distribution over the internet leads to heated net-neutrality related debates between network operators and over-the-top application providers. The purpose of this paper is to analyze this debate from a new perspective that takes into account all of the assets that companies try to exploit in the so-called battle for eyeballs in video distribution. Design/methodology/approach: The systematic value chain analysis is used to determine the points along the value chain where net neutrality interacts with video distribution. The inputs to the analysis are the existing and proposed policy measures for net neutrality in Europe and in the USA, and a number of net neutrality incidents that have led to discussions earlier. Findings: The paper finds that the current and proposed policy measures aimed at net neutrality each contribute to a certain extent to their intended effects. However, the analysis also shows that they are likely to lead to new debates in other parts of the value chain, as players try to compensate the loss of influence or revenue streams by rearranging the ways in which they exploit their assets. Practical implications: Further and new debates are expected in the areas of peering and interconnection, distribution of resources between over-the-top and managed services and the role of devices with tightly linked search engines, recommendation systems and app stores. Originality/value: The new perspectives offered by our value-chain based analysis are valuable for policy makers who aim to promote net neutrality and simultaneously stimulate competition and innovation throughout the value chain. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework for analyzing the dynamics of innovations emanating from ICT‐based service encounters. Many innovations are based on the direct encounter between employees and customers, and the paper aims to extend the analysis of such encounters to ICT‐based encounters.Design/methodology/approach – The paper discusses and merges different approaches in the existing literature and examines different modes of ICT‐based customer/employee interaction to construct a framework that will help understand how innovations are developed on the basis of a service encounter, which is ICT‐based.Findings – The implementation of ICT in services contributes greatly to the innovation of services, but in order to better understand innovations in ICT‐based employee/customer interaction, a “service approach” is one of the important ways to move forward.Research limitations/implications – The service encounter approach offers a promising research avenue for understanding innovati...

Abstract: Purpose – The paper aims to report the main findings of a study for the Dutch Regulatory Authority for the Telecommunications sector OPTA to explore how the new European ‘‘cookie rules’’ in the ePrivacy Directive impact on behavioral advertising practices via the storing and reading of cookies. The paper identifies the main dilemmas with the implementation of the new European rules. The Dutch case provides a valuable reality check also outside The Netherlands. Even before the amendment of the directive, The Netherlands already had an opt-in system in place. From the Dutch experience important lessons can be learned also for other European countries. Design/methodology/approach – After a brief analysis of the legal situation in Europe and in The Netherlands (section 2), section 3 reports about the findings of a survey among the main providers of targeted advertising in The Netherlands to explore the current use of cookies and targeted advertising practices. Section 4 describes the findings of a qualitative survey among Dutch internet users with the goal to define their level of skills and knowledge, acceptance of and behavior towards the placing and reading of cookies. A concluding section (section 5) summarizes the main findings and identifies implications for the future policy debate. Findings – The results show that the majority of the surveyed parties involved in behavioral advertising do not inform users about the storing of cookies or the purposes of data processing of the subsequently obtained data, neither have they obtained users’ consent for the storage of cookies. The authors also found that the majority of users lack the skills and knowledge to handle cookies. Social implications – The findings critically question the wisdom of the ‘‘informed consent regime’’ that currently lies at the heart of Europe’s ePrivacy Directive. The paper concludes with reflections about the concrete policy implications of the study, and a number of concrete suggestions of how to approach the future debate with regard to the regulation of online tracking and cookies. Originality/value – The approach of the paper is original in that it combines legal analysis with two surveys: one among behavioral advertisers and one among online users. This approach permits us to better understand the efficacy of the new legal rules, to make predictions regarding the level of compliance with the new rules and identify areas in this highly topical debate that require further attention.

Abstract: This study aims to measure quality of life (QOL) at the individual level in African countries in relation to the accessibility of mobile phones and the Internet. QOL is proxied by self-reported data on household income, participation in decision-making and productivity, which is measured in additional working hours. The main methodology is a descriptive analysis that presents a cross-tabulation of the QOL indicator before and after access to mobile phones and the Internet. A specific index of the Gini coefficient and Lorenz curve is also presented in relation to income distribution. The study found that access to telecommunication devices has contributed very little to closing the income gap in places where the mobile phone has had a slightly higher impact than Internet access. The impact on self-reported participation and productivity is also similar in places where there is no strong evidence that access to both devices is sufficient to motivate users to become more involved and productive. The choice of the QOL variables is still under discussion. It also has to be said that the proxies for QOL are still very raw, as is the way of measuring it. The descriptive analysis does not provide the causality between the variables, and is rather an indication of the phenomenon – whether access to telecommunication devices leads to a better QOL index. This paper indicates a need to design policies for the telecommunications sector in African countries with a stronger connection between access to and use of the devices and economic activities. The policy should also aim to reduce the polarisation of access and use by providing a telecommunications infrastructure in all the countries, thereby decreasing the cost of access and usage. Such policies require close collaboration between the governments and the private sector.

Abstract: Purpose – The goal of this paper is to explore how an approach upfronting the notion of crisis and related restructuring processes may yield certain strategic stakes and anchor points by which to identify and measure the forms and extent of unfolding changes or innovations broadly understood One key objective of this exploratory project is to undertake a comparative investigation of the major commonalities and differences between the specific forms, features and manifestations of “crisis” tendencies and counter‐tendencies in two sub‐sectors of mediated “content”: the music industry and the news media industryDesign/methodology/approach – The paper engages with issues and concerns relating to these two particular sub‐sectors of the media and cultural industries and considers relevant concepts and indicators of crisis and recent developmental trends in these domains It introduces the background setting and implications of “crisis” and introduces some distinctive concepts and other aspects of the approach

Abstract: Purpose – The paper aims to explore the “build or lease” dilemma that a new operator faces when it plans to enter a liberalized telecom market. The “build” decision requires the operator to invest in new network infrastructure. The “lease” part involves obtaining access to the subscriber by leasing the access part of the network via local loop unbundling (LLU) and/or by implementing wholesale broadband access (WBA) (also known as bitstream access). Which are the factors that an operator should take into account when it designs a broadband strategy based on LLU and/or WBA? Are there regulatory measures that can affect the outcome of such a strategy? The paper aims to provide specific answers to both questions.Design/methodology/approach – Initially the paper establishes the case that LLU as well as WBA can indeed be considered as a useful instrument during the initial stages of broadband development. Consequently, the paper explores the “build or lease” dilemma by using a cost model created from actual mar...

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to demonstrate that call termination is not one side of a two‐sided market and that a “waterbed effect” does not exist for calling‐party's‐network‐pays (CPNP) markets where mobile termination rates are being reduced towards the cost of an efficient operator.Design/methodology/approach – The cases of Namibia, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and Botswana are investigated and the impact of cost‐based termination rates on subscriber numbers, investment and profits of dominant operators is analysed.Findings – In Kenya, the reduction in mobile termination rates in August 2010 led to an immediate reduction in retail prices, allowing smaller operators to compete with dominant operators. In Namibia, lower retail prices led to an expansion of the market, which, in turn, led to higher investment and profits for the dominant operator. On the strength of the most recent empirical evidence from Africa, the paper shows that cost‐based mobile termination rates increase competition between operators...

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to provide an analysis of the UK's experience with spectrum trading using data from Ofcom's transfer notice registry and the UK statutory instrument on spectrum trading.Design/methodology/approach – The legal framework for spectrum trading is outlined and the data from Ofcom's transfer notice registry is subjected to three analytical techniques: descriptive statistical analysis, a binary logistic regression and volitional pragmatism.Findings – A descriptive account of the empirical observations associated with spectrum trading shows that most trades (however defined) occur in business radio. A binary logistic regression of the transfer notice registry data demonstrates that trading is more likely to occur where the buyer and seller of a radio license are in the same service/industry. This analysis is inconclusive however due to lack of data. A third analytical technique, volitional pragmatism, suggests that the interdependency inherent in radio communications makes the scope of s...

Abstract: Purpose – This paper seeks to identify policy and regulatory bottlenecks that need to be overcome in order to stimulate private sector investment in backbone networks in selected African countries (Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda).Design/methodology/approach – It does so by exploring policy and regulatory frameworks and market structures that influence investment decisions on backbone infrastructure roll‐out; it investigates models and strategies adopted by the public sector to finance national backbone infrastructure; and it provides recommendations on how to stimulate private investment in backbone roll‐out by creating an enabling policy and regulatory environment.Findings – Research findings show that the telecommunications sector in the selected African countries has witnessed the return of state‐led investment in the roll‐out of fibre backbones. The rationale for state‐led intervention has often been cited as market failure regarding investment in broadband backbone roll‐out. ...

Abstract: Purpose – The paper seeks to examine the role of consumer representation in communications policymaking with a focus on the UK. It aims to review the role of the Communications Consumer Panel and to argue that there is an important role to play for a consumer advocate due to behavioural biases, information overload, and market failure.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on analysis of all relevant reports and documentation published by the Ofcom Consumer Panel, as well as participant observation carried out by the author as a member of the panel. It also analyses switching data to make the case that the communications sector may be unique in terms of the low levels of switching between suppliers.Findings – The paper finds that there is an ongoing role for a consumer advocate in media and communications and that this body should be independent of government and the regulatory agency.Research limitations/implications – The limitation of this research is that it focuses principally on only one s...

Abstract: Purpose – In sharp contrast to television, various sources of market failure currently prevent market forces fulfilling the promise of digital switchover in radio markets. The purpose of this paper is to review the strengths and weaknesses, business models and market deployment of the two main platforms, with a view to establishing the economic case for higher regulatory involvement in digital radio markets.Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyses the relevant broadcaster, engineering and regulatory literature, with particular emphasis on technical compatibilities among terrestrial radio broadcast technologies, and the technological and economic difficulties they face. The exercise is the first of its kind to scope and bring together these multidisciplinary contributions.Findings – The highly uncoordinated development and deployment of terrestrial digital radio platforms is leading this new digital industry to an impasse. There is a legacy of uncertainty and scepticism amongst market players. Furt...

Abstract: Purpose – This study aims to analyse how the media plays its role in the information communications technology (ICT) debate in a developing country context, by way of analysing the media discourse surrounding the South African Broadband Policy.Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts a critical approach and uses critical discourse analysis, employing Habermas's theory of communicative action. Data for the study include the media reports on the South African Broadband Policy.Findings – It is noted that: the media discourse was systematically distorted; the discourse was driven mainly by the government; and many actors were systematically excluded from the discourse, or opted not to engage in the debate. The low‐income category, the very group that should benefit from the policy, was excluded from the debate. The study notes further that the status of key actors in the policy affected the media's perception of the policy.Originality/value – To increase the chances of success for policy, there is a nee...

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to analyze the contradictions between telecommunications regulation and environmental law in America, via coverage of the problem of large numbers of birds being killed at communications towers.Design/methodology/approach – Via statutory, legal, and qualitative analysis, this article provides an analysis of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) compliance with environmental statutes and the conflicts that arise between the agency's mandate to maintain a robust telecommunications network and its statutory responsibilities for environmental protection.Findings – Every year, millions of birds are killed at communications towers. In 1999, the US Fish and Wildlife Service issued guidelines urging the FCC to take action on this problem, as required by various environmental statutes. The FCC ignored the guidelines for several years and defeated the American Bird Conservancy in court when that group sued for observance of the guidelines, but this ruling was later overturned on appeal. ...

Abstract: Purpose – The paper aims to outline the legal framework with regards to the civil liability of online intermediaries for users' misconduct in China, to analyze the problems in applying the rules related, and to introduce recent efforts from the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and legislature to combat online misconduct.Design/methodology/approach – The paper intends to introduce these rules by studying the legislative history and several important case decisions. Comparisons with European and American approaches have also been made with regard to the self‐regulation issue.Findings – Chinese courts have made many inconsistent decisions on the liabilities of online intermediaries in the past, but the legal framework is improving and the situation will become better given more clarifications from the Supreme People's Court. The State proactively promotes industry self‐regulation, together with public supervision in order to ensure the enforcement of rules.Research limitations/implications – This pa...

Abstract: Purpose – Privacy impact assessments (PIAs) are an important tool for managing risk in both public and private sector projects. The best evidence of how PIAs are being conducted is the PIA reports published at the conclusion of the process. This paper aims to consider PIA reports from five countries and assesses their strengths, weaknesses and impacts.Design/methodology/approach – The paper also identifies key trends and makes recommendations for improving the PIA process and enabling access to lessons learned by PIA practitioners.Findings – The paper calls for further study of PIA case studies to determine how closely practitioners and assessors follow the PIA methodologies promulgated in their countries, to seek good practice in the preparation of PIAs and for the creation of a central repository for PIAs.Originality/value – The author believes this is the first such paper to review actual PIA reports.

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the HADOPI Law adopted in France in 2009. It aims to focus on two aspects of the law: the graduated response and the certification of a “legal” offer. It also aims to describe both, analyze their rationale and discuss their likely impact.Design/methodology/approach – The paper combines legal and economic approaches. The legal debates have been analyzed and transcribed in a casual discourse. Economic analysis is used to understand the rationale of the law. Both approaches are used to point out the limitations of the law.Findings – The paper shows that the graduated response and the certification of a “legal” offer both target consumers. The former aims at deterring file sharing, the latter aims at guiding consumers towards “legal” services. However, the graduated response's efficiency is dubious; the certification raises the issue of defining what is legal. Both mechanisms destabilize the French copyright law by putting more pressure on ISPs and online serv...

Abstract: Purpose – The main objective of this paper is to assess how the degree of regulation that a company has to comply with affects its profitability. There is great variation within the internet value chain in the profitability of different players. The paper aims to analyse a large sample of companies that are leaders in different internet‐based businesses (network operators, search engines and other ASP, software, electronic retailing, content delivery networks, device manufacturers …). The paper's hypothesis is that regulation plays an important role in the profitability of a company and therefore also in how the market values them.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology used to check the authors' hypothesis includes the following steps: identify leaders in the internet space; identify their core asset and group them according to it; calculate their profitability across a series of dimensions, with focus on return on fixed assets (ROFA); assess the degree of regulation of each group; and assess the s...

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand how visionary system architects wean the development of a new technology away from the seductions of the path of least resistance – a complementary relationship with the entrenched system.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on two cases wherein critical players started pursuing visions of a full‐fledged system while the technology was still an appendage to an established one: Theodore Vail and the development of the Bell telephone system; and the US Navy and the development of wireless telegraphy. Vail's interests were of a commercial nature, securing competitive advantage over Western Union and future rivals. The US Navy's interests were of a geopolitical nature, overthrowing Britain's monopoly on trans‐oceanic cable telegraphy.Findings – The pursuit of system benefits requires long‐term thinking. In terms of day‐to‐day actions it requires a persistent effort against the seductions of a complementary relationship or the path of least resistan...

Abstract: Purpose – This study aims to analyze how the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) market in Korea will evolve, the opportunities and/or threats of network operators and how the MVNO market will be forged in the future.Design/methodology/approach – This study provides competitive analysis, market evaluation and current regulatory assessment of the Korean MVNO marketplace.Findings – While there are many positive prospects of MVNO in Korea, a series of complicated techno‐economic issues arise.Practical implications – The current development of MVNO sheds light on the growing challenges of the dynamics of industry, regulation and technology.Social implications – While MVNOs continue to flourish in some markets, their diffusion in other regions is often very limited and continues to drastically decrease.Originality/value – The results suggest a sustainable ecosystem of MVNO and propose an appropriate policy to promote MVNO diffusion.

Abstract: With the objective of reducing costs per information bit in optical communication networks, per fibre capacities and optical transparent transmission lengths have been stepped up by the introduction of new technology in recent years. The innovation of the erbium-doped fibre amplifier (EDFA) at the beginning of the nineties facilitated long distances to be bridged without electro-optical conversion. Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology allowed a lot of wavelength channels to be simultaneously transmitted over one fibre and to be amplified by one EDFA with high bandwidth, offering a huge network capacity. At this time, the modulation format of choice was the simple “on-off keying” (OOK), and there was no need for increasing spectral efficiency. The internet traffic growth during the nineties required increasing transmission rates. In that context, the transmission impairments of the optical fibre had to be counteracted and the application of differential binary phased shift keying (DBPSK) became an issue, providing for a higher robustness against nonlinear effects [1]. Moreover, the transmission behaviour of binary intensity modulation was optimized by using alternative optical pulse shapes such as return to zero (RZ) and by employing schemes with auxiliary phase coding, such as optical duobinary, which exhibits a higher tolerance against chromatic dispersion (CD). The capacity-distance product was further enhanced by applying optical dispersion compensation, Raman amplification and advanced optical fibres, as well as through electronic means, such as forward error correction (FEC) and the adaptive compensation of CD and polarization mode dispersion (PMD).

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to present a dialogue‐based systems framework using two cases in the liberalization of Philippine telecoms.Design/methodology/approach – Through a meta‐analysis of government data, academic research and policy studies about Philippine telecoms, the paper presents a holistic view of the role of political, business, and social sectors in policy making and implementation.Findings – The paper shows how intra‐ and inter‐sector dialogues have resulted in the liberalization and growth of the industry. Conversely, it shows how paucities among such dialogues have had consequences in terms of unutilized capacity and in an oversight about the medium of choice in promoting universal access. Moreover, the paper shows how policy is a product of local traditions and global policy trends.Social implications – The paper reinforces calls for states to consider technological innovation and adoption in addressing universal service goals. The Philippines also serves as a case study for other developi...