National Information Infrastructure Initiatives: Vision and Policy Design [Paperback]

Brian Kahin (Editor), Ernest J. Wilson III (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Information Infrastructure Project at Harvard University | Publication Date: December 1, 1996

Despite the global nature of the Information Revolution, most policies for information infrastructure are developed at the national level. These national policies reflect local economic, social, historical, and political circumstances and exhibit remarkable differences in vision, policy design, and implementation strategy. In general, they reflect the reality that private sector will play the leading role in developing the new infrastructure.National Information Infrastructure Initiatives includes a dozen case studies analyzing how national-level policy initiatives address the challenge of information technology, interactive content, and new applications, as well as the "information superhighway." These contributions examine the interplay of issues in different sectors, including telecommunications, broadcasting, publishing, and information technology. The national cases are supplemented with studies of regional and international initiatives that push and pull on national policies.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The information revolution may be taking place on a global basis, but most policy regarding technology and computing is made on the national level. National policies vary wildly due to specific cultural, economic, and historic factors, not to mention the ever-present political maneuvering. Through a dozen case studies, this book analyzes how policy initiatives interact with information technology, especially now that the global Internet plays such a prominent role. It also looks at how traditional media such as broadcasting and publishing intersect with new media, and how policy adapted from older media can be like the proverbial square peg in a round hole. Each national case study contains substudies that look at how regional and international issues can shape national policy. The book is the outcome of work done at the Harvard Information Infrastructure Project.

About the Author

Ernest J. Wilson III is Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication and holds the Walter H. Annenberg Chair in Communication at the University of Southern California. He is also a senior fellow at the USC Center on Public Diplomacy and an adjunct fellow at the Pacific Council on International Policy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 648 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press (December 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262611252
• ISBN-13: 978-0262611251
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,981,751 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)