bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ethical issues in open source software
Authors: Grodzinsky F S , Miller K , Wolf M J
Published: June 2010

In this essay we argue that the current social and ethical structure in the Open Source Software (OSS) Community stem from its roots in academia. The individual developers experience a level of autonomy similar to that of a faculty member. Furthermore, we assert that the Open Source Software Community’s social structure demands benevolent leadership. We argue that it is difficult to pass off low quality open source software as high quality software and that the Open Source development model offers strong accountability. Finally, we argue that Open Source Software introduces ethical challenges for universities and the software development community.
The future of ppen source software: Let the market decide
Authors: Spinello R A
Published: June 2010

According to its supporters open source software is more secure and reliable than proprietary code, and even tends to foster more innovation. Its technical superiority can be linked to the ongoing peer review process which typifies the open source model. In addition, programs such as Linux offer a potential challenge to the hegemony of Microsoft. Open source holds out the possibility of restraining platform leaders such as Microsoft from acting opportunistically. Some even argue that the open source code model is ethically superior to the proprietary model because of its transparency. Given these economic and social benefits, should government policy makers intervene, by tilting the playing field to open source programs? Would such government intervention truly be welfare‐enhancing? Before answering that question we note that some of the presumed technical and economic benefits of open source software are open to question. At the same time, the claims of moral superiority or social desirability are inflated and discount
incentives necessary for software development. But even if this software were technically and morally superior, there is still no basis for government intervention. Our position is simple: the invisible hand of the market and not the visible hand of government should decide the fate of open source code. There is no identifiable market failure for the government to fix nor is there any plausible policy justification for giving open source software preferential treatment.
Bringing oversight review in line with online research
Authors: Lilley Stephen
Published: June 2010

The purpose of an oversight structure or institution is to protect human subjects from research that would pose unacceptable dangers or deny human rights. Review boards provide an independent assessment of research proposals. This additional level of scrutiny is meant to provide an additional level of protection for human subjects. However, oversight of human subject research, as currently carried out in the bureaucratic, rule‐based, clinically‐biased American system, is too cumbersome with regard to online research. In addition, it is not conducive to the training of ethical Internet researchers. Internet research differs from traditional human subject research in many ways, and the oversight rules governing traditional research do not easily relate to the complexities of conducting research online. Online researchers do not oppose the foundational principles of non‐maleficence (avoiding harm) and autonomy, nor do they reject the ideals of informed consent and confidentiality, nevertheless, they face practical dilemmas in attempting to follow these principles and apply these ideals in the various Internet domains. The current oversight system is ill‐equipped to assist. A conservative response to this problem of fit might entail adjustments to the oversight system that, in the case of the American system, would entail modifications to the Common Rule and Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). I will argue in this paper, instead, that re‐structuring is needed to allow more oversight authority for Internet researchers. I will utilize Consequentialism and Virtue Ethics in making this case.
Limits on surveillance: Frictions, fragilities and failures in the operation of camera surveillance
Authors: Dubbeld Lynsey
Published: June 2010

Public video surveillance tends to be discussed in either utopian or dystopian terms: proponents maintain that camera surveillance is the perfect tool in the fight against crime, while critics argue that the use of security cameras is central to the development of a panoptic, Orwellian surveillance society. This paper provides an alternative, more nuanced view. On the basis of an empirical case study, the paper explores how camera surveillance applications do not simply augment surveillance capacities, but rather have to deal with considerable uncertainties in the process of producing a continuous, effective, all‐seeing gaze. The case study shows that the actions of human operators and the operation of camera technologies each place limits on the execution of electronic visual surveillance, instead of efficiently enhancing the powers of the surveilling gaze. The analysis suggests that the effects of video surveillance are rather ambivalent and uncertain, thus showing that public camera systems are not simply beneficial or malign.
Is the party over? Innovation and music on the web
Authors: Coles A M , Harris Lisa , Davis R
Published: June 2010

This paper examines the current position of copyright for the music industry in the light of innovation and diffusion of technologies which enable audio file sharing amongst web users. We note that there currently appears to be conflicting assessments between the major corporations and the many small firms in Europe with regard to the business potential for online music. In particular, we show that the convergence of technologies together with the emergence of particular practices of ‘net culture’ have posed a number of marketing opportunities and threats for industry incumbents. The role of the Napster program, as well as subsequent innovations in peer‐to‐peer software, is examined together with the responses that have been made by different sections of industry.
Online communities versus offline communities in the Arab/Muslim world
Authors: Al‐Saggaf Yeslam , Begg Mohamed M
Published: June 2010

There is a major transformation taking place in the Arab and Muslim worlds. People in these nations are poised on the edge of a significant new social landscape. Called the Internet, this new frontier not only includes the creation of new forms of private communication, like electronic mail and chat, but also webbased forums, which for the first time enables public discussion between males and females in conservative societies. This paper has been written as a result of an ethnographic study conducted in Saudi Arabia during the period 2001‐2002. The purpose of the study was to understand how online communities in Saudi Arabia are affecting people. The results of the study indicate that while participants to a large extent used online communities in accordance with their cultural values, norms and traditions, the communication medium and the features associated with it, such as the anonymity and lack of social cues, have affected them considerably. For example, many participants became more flexible in their thinking, more aware of the diverse nature of people within their society, less inhibited about the opposite gender, and more self‐confident. On the other hand, participants neglected their family commitments, became less shy and some became confused about some aspects of their culture and religion. These findings and their implications for the Arab and Muslim worlds will be highlighted in this paper.
Ethical aspects of facial recognition systems in public places
Authors: Brey Philip
Published: June 2010

This essay examines ethical aspects of the use of facial recognition technology for surveillance purposes in public and semipublic areas, focusing particularly on the balance between security and privacy and civil liberties. As a case study, the FaceIt facial recognition engine of Identix Corporation will be analyzed, as well as its use in “Smart” video surveillance (CCTV) systems in city centers and airports. The ethical analysis will be based on a careful analysis of current facial recognition technology, of its use in Smart CCTV systems, and of the arguments used by proponents and
opponents of such systems. It will be argued that Smart CCTV, which integrates video surveillance technology and biometric technology, faces ethical problems of error, function creep and privacy. In a concluding section on policy, it will be discussed whether such problems outweigh the security value of Smart CCTV in public places.
The moral framework of cyberspace
Authors: Remmele Bernd
Published: June 2010

Morality, resp. moral communication, undergoes substantial changes when it is computer‐mediated, i.e. cyberspace provides a different moral infrastructure. Firstly, there are different conditions regarding the transaction costs that frame the relation between moral motivation and the expectation of the success of a moral act. Secondly, there is the transformation of ownership and property, which are the basic content of moral actions and communications. The personal accountability of one’s and somebody else’s own (property) is altered; a special ethic of virtual ownership is developing, which finds its expression in the manifold production of public goods in virtual networks. This development is reflected in the dialectics of digital commons and anti‐commons. Thirdly, there is the ludic structure of cyberspace. The medial conditions of cyberspace are analogous to the basic principles of play. Playing as a self‐motivated action is a reason for moral behaviour in cyberspace, especially for the production of public goods.
Gender bias in internet employment: A study of career advancement opportunities for women in the field of ICT
Authors: Gumbus Andra , Grodzinsky Frances
Published: June 2010

Women as individuals experience subtle discrimination regarding career development opportunities as evidenced by research on the Glass Ceiling. This paper looks at the ramifications of technology, specifically the Internet, and how it affects women’s career opportunities.
Goverment and ICT standards: An electronic voting case study
Authors: Kitcat Jason
Published: June 2010

This paper examines and illustrates the process of setting technical intercommunication standards through a case‐study taken from the electronic voting industry. It begins by addressing the large number of types of standards and the many ways in which they are created. The tensions between the speed to market, stakeholder involvement, the mode of production and the legitimacy of a standard are explored. The modes of standards production are then presented in a linear model. The preceding discussion sets the context for a case which presents attempts to standardise the large number of competing electronic voting solutions. The importance of which actors back and influence a standard’s development up to successful adoption is exposed. The vital role government can play in preventing a standards market failure is raised and recommendations are offered on how governments can improve their contributions to standardisation.
Online privacy: Explaining the nature and special features of the right to seek protection
Authors: Mitliaga Varvara Z.
Published: June 2010

This article attempts to explain and analyse the nature and characteristic features of a person’s privacy in the on‐line environment in order to assess how these features shape the need for protection. Since the internet has invaded our everyday lives, individual privacy is exposed in different ways in cyberspace. It is important to note that the Internet lacks the traditional characteristics of a ‘physical’ space, but the interests and inherent values protected by privacy remain the same in cyberspace. The article discusses the factors that shape a different nature of online privacy compared to its off line counterpart. Online privacy may not be a novel right, but it is definitely one exposed to a whole new environment which has
its own special need for protection.
A moral analysis of the ‘RIAA v. Verizon’ case
Authors: Spinello Richard A.
Published: June 2010

The RIAA v. Verizon case offers an opportunity to analyze the scope of an Internet service provider’s responsibility to help deter copyright infringement. In this case, the RIAA served Verizon with a subpoena requesting the identity of two users who were making available copyrighted recordings for downloading on peer‐to‐peer networks. The main axis of discussion is whether or not Verizon has a moral obligation to reveal the names of these individuals. Should Verizon cooperate with the RIAA or should it seek to shield the identity of these users in order to protect their anonymity and privacy? A secondary theme concerns Verizon’s prospective responsibility to curtail infringement. We will argue that Verizon and other ISPs have a limited obligation to assist copyright holders by disclosing the identity of infringers, but we contend that any prospective responsibility is constrained by law and technological capability.
Possible lessons from a recent technology (Nuclear) for an emerging (Ubiquitous Embedded Systems) technology
Authors: LePoire David J.
Published: June 2010

Information Technology (IT) has ushered in not only large societal opportunities but also large uncertain ‐ ties and risks. Future developments, like ubiquitous networked embedded systems, are technologies society may face. Such technologies offer larger opportunities and uncertainties because of their ability to widely distribute power through their small, inexpensive, and ubiquitous characteristics. Many interpretations of how these technologies may develop have been postulated, ranging from the conservative Precautionary Principle, to uncontrolled development leading to “singularity.” With so much uncertainty and so many predictions about the benefits and consequences of these technologies, it is important to raise ethical questions, determine potential scenarios, and try to identify appropriate decision points and stakeholders. Rather than going along an unknown path, perhaps lessons could be learned from recently deployed technologies, such as nuclear technology, that were controversial but offered similarly large potential benefits and risks. The experience of nuclear technology development, with its various successes and failures, is recalled and compared with potential scenarios in the development of networked embedded systems
A social contract theory critique of professional codes of ethics
Authors: McGraw David K.
Published: June 2010

This paper considers whether professional codes of ethics are enforceable, legitimate, and just. In analyzing codes of ethics in this way, one must consider whether they exist to benefit members of the profession, or society as a whole. The analysis shifts dramatically based on this question, as codes of ethics are typically created by members of the profession, not by representatives of the larger population, and where they are enforced, they are only enforced among members of the profession. However, professional codes of ethics have an impact on those outside the profession, or the larger society outside the smaller community that created them.
Digitial memory
Authors: Mitra Ananda
Published: June 2010

The increasing availability and popularity of ways to capture personal memories using technologies such as digital cameras is beginning to alter the way in which personal memory images are produced, retained and circulated. Unlike the analog technologies, it is now possible to create an immediately available presence on the Internet. When examined from the perspective of voice, this phenomenon expands the potential of creating personal history narratives that could be collated together to produce a non‐institutional history of an era. This paper explores the ways in which the digital technologies can facilitate the production of such histories and what the technologies could do the sense of presence of an individual in the realm of the virtual.
Proposal for an accessible conception of cyberspace
Authors: Gleason David H. , Friedman Lawrence
Published: June 2010

This paper addresses the knowledge required for individuals to evaluate Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) decisions that relate to the organization and management of cyberspace, and to hold accountable the parties responsible for those decisions, whether the responsible party is a government actor, market actor or private individual. The authors argue that the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, with certain modifications, should serve as a primary educational tool in helping individuals to gain the understanding of ICT necessary to protect public interests related to cyberspace.
The role of control and other factors in the electronic surveillance workplace
Authors: Chen Jengchung V. , Park Yangil
Published: June 2010

Many office workers use computers and the Internet not only to get their daily jobs done but also to deal with their personal businesses. Therefore employers nowadays monitor their employees electronically to prevent the misuse of the company resources. The use of electronic monitoring in organizations causes issues of trust and privacy. This study is dedicated to developing a conceptual model on the two issues under electronic monitoring. Control, considered as the essence of the definition of privacy as well as the foundation of the control model in the theory of procedural justice, plays an important role to people’s privacy concerns and trust. People’s perceived‐self, as essential in the group‐value model in the theory of procedural justice and in the cultural studies, also plays an important role to people’s privacy concerns and trust. This study presents research hypotheses on trust and privacy under electronic surveillance based on the two models of the theory of procedural justice, social identity theory, and cultural studies.
Management and leadership decisions in the information age
Authors: Rausch Erwin
Published: June 2010

This paper suggests guidelines that are likely to significantly enhance a large proportion of those decisions that impact on the quality of management and leadership. Their use is illustrated with an analysis of a scenario that involves the development of a program for scanning data to reduce IT input costs. The case also raises an ethical issue. The guidelines are conceptually similar to the way the scientific and applied disciplines provide actionable foundations for theories. They can help those managers, who embrace them, acquire greater competence as managers and as leaders.
Secondary liability in the post Napster era: Ethical observations on MGM v. Grokster
Authors: Spinello Richard A.
Published: June 2010

The principal theme of this paper is secondary liability ‐ to what extent should we hold those who cooperate in wrongdoing and illicit behavior accountable? We probe this question by considering a lawsuit filed by the entertainment industry against the file‐swapping services of Grokster and StreamCast. Our focus is on the legal and moral implications of this case. We argue that the courts, which have so far ruled in favor of the defendants, have misapplied the socalled Sony precedent for two reasons. The business model of these companies depends on copyright infringement with advertising (and revenue) volume directly proportionate to the level of that infringement. Also, Sony’s safe harbor should not apply if there is active inducement of infringement. The key ethical question is the extent to which technological innovators must design and write their code to deal with infringement ex ante. We argue that purveyors of peerto‐ peer technology are formal cooperators in wrongdoing if they deliberately configure their system to enable the illicit copying of copyrighted music and movie files. We also consider the conditions for unjustifiable material cooperation,
and propose these conditions as a normative standard especially relevant for software vendors.
Exploring ethical approaches to evaluate future technology scenarios
Authors: LePoire David J.
Published: June 2010

The integration of technology into the workplace has resulted in a long trend of changing working conditions, from agriculture to today’s growing “knowledge economy.” This latest development depends on information technology, which may continue to evolve through eventual convergence with nanotechnology and biotechnology. Knowledge work places more emphasis on an expanded skill set, as opposed to the smaller set of specialized skills typically needed in an industrial economy. Future technological progress might lead to further enhancement of human potential or to even greater inequality (individual and national) in income distribution, generating even larger pressures toward the divisions in society. This is illustrated by recently proposed scenarios of accelerated and logistic growth of technological progress. In an attempt to understand these dynamics, a simple model is constructed to clarify a possible relationship between technology and social systems. The model, based on the technology maturation process, focuses on the delay in social systems in responding to a technological change. Examples of current problems of technology and social issues are reviewed in the model’s context. Some potential approaches to framing these problems from an ethical viewpoint are reviewed, including applying Rawlsian concepts of fairness and the “veil of ignorance” and applying a simple discount rate to balance perceived future risks, technological solutions, and uncertainty.
Some ideas on constitutive ethics for information and communication technologies
Authors: Grundy Frances
Published: June 2010

Kramer and Kramarae have identified four sets of masculine gendered ideas that are used in conceptualising the Internet: anarchy, frontier, democracy and community. These are constitutive ideas as opposed to regulative ones; in other words they constitute the Internet. I suggest two alternative constitutive ideas, but not necessarily ‘feminine’ ones, that might be used as constituent parts of the Internet. These are reflexivity, or examining what we are about, and pluralism. The more widespread adoption of these two principles as constitutive ethics would have a profound effect on teaching and practice of using not just the Internet, but developing and using ICT more generally.
Internet research from a gender perspective Searching for differentiated use patterns
Authors: Winker Gabriele
Published: June 2010

The current scientific and political discussion on the under‐representation of women within the Internet once again associates women with disinterest in technology in an essentialist manner. Gender‐specific attributions are unquestioningly transferred to the new media, and it is assumed that women behave in unfailing conformity with existing gender stereotypes. The intention of this paper is to show that gender research has to perform differentiated empirical studies of actual Internet use. Gender studies can then make a concrete contribution to the task of overcoming the genderdifferentiated inequalities in the access to and the use of the Internet. I shall begin by briefly outlining the dilemma of gender studies in the technical area. In the second section I shall describe the reasons for the gender‐differentiated Internet access data, using quantitative Internet studies from the USA, calling for a de‐dramatisation of difference in this context. In the third section, I will overcome the dichotomous view of the digital divide and present a research framework for differentiated study of differing use habits and use requirements. This section illustrates that such an approach does not make the gender category superfluous, but challenges gender studies to present context‐related studies, in which individual behaviour may be interpreted in the context of gender symbols and structures. My fourth step will be to explain how the new possibilities of online research can and should be used to gain further understanding in the sense of differentiated study designs. Finally, I will finish with a short outlook where I am calling for an equal representation of all societal groups in the Internet and therefore for an empowerment particularly of women.
Helpless machines and true loving care givers: a feminist critique of recent trends in human‐robot interaction
Authors: Weber Jutta
Published: June 2010

In recent developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and especially in robotics we can observe a tendency towards building intelligent artefacts that are meant to be social, to have ‘human social’ characteristics like emotions, the ability to conduct dialogue, to learn, to develop personality, character traits, and social competencies. Care, entertainment, pet and educational robots are conceptualised as friendly, understanding partners and credible assistants which communicate ‘naturally’ with users, show emotions and support them in everyday life. Social robots are often designed to interact physically, affectively and socially with humans in order to learn from them. To achieve this goal, roboticists often
model the human‐robot interaction on early caregiver‐infant interactions. In this paper I want to analyse prominent visions of these ‘socio‐emotional’ machines as well as early prototypes and commercial products with regard to the human‐machine interface. By means of this I will ask how feminist critiques of technology could be applied to the field of social robotics in which concepts like sociality or emotion are crucial elements while, at the same time, these concepts play an important role in feminist critiques of technology.
Intelligent ambience between Heaven and Hell: A salvation?
Authors: Crutzen Cecile K. M.
Published: June 2010

Questioning gender is about taking an active, critical role in the technological design of our daily behaviour. It is a deconstruction of the oppositions that exist in the discourses of Ambient Intelligence designers, the ICT industry and computer scientists. What underlies the assumption that Ambient Intelligence will, by disappearing into our environment, bring humans both an easy and entertaining life? The gender perspective can uncover power relations within the promotion and realisation of Ambient Intelligence that satisfy an obvious wish for a technological heaven. The deconstruction of the promise of progress and a better life reveals what is overvalued, what is undervalued and what is ignored. This paper is a deconstruction of the view, currently prevalent in the discourses of Ambient Intelligence; a view of humans and the way they live. A view that will influence the way women and men will be allowed to construct their lives.
Perception and interpretation of internet information: accessibility, validity and trust
Authors: Bouwhuis Don G
Published: June 2010

The way in which humans deal with physical objects has been formed by extensive interaction and, according to the theory of embodied cognition, has led to conceptualization and interpretation that is grounded in physical interaction of the body with elements in the environment. Digital objects are immaterial and cannot show similar external properties as physical objects, and further, they are representational in nature. Specific problems related to their immaterial nature are those of permanence, location, and ownership. In this paper the differences between material and immaterial objects are analyzed with respect to human interaction. Three issues are highlighted: the lack of transparency of digital document handling, security of digital information and accessibility of digital information. It is concluded that the importance of the distinction between direct physical objects and immaterial objects has been vastly underestimated, at the cost of usability, trust and security.
Designing trust with software agents: A case study
Authors: Bernaer Stijn , Meganck Martin , Vanden Berghe Greet , De Causmaecker Patrick
Published: June 2010

In this paper, we will address privacy and trust issues that arise in more advanced software systems. Though a lot of information is currently available in electronic form, not all of it should widely be accessible to everybody. The involved parties need full control on how their data are used and who has access. If the system consists of autonomous software agents, this problem requires extra attention and new working principles. We illustrate this in the case of a communication platform for multimodal transport. The major aim of the communication platform is to enhance exchanging information and to ultimately improve organisation/collaboration within the transport sector. A better informed view of the transport sector will facilitate better considered decisions for users of the communication platform. The software system merits credibility by accurately modelling all the relevant real world interactions of potential users of the system. We opted for a connectivity solution in which software agents act as representatives of the parties involved. All agents
can be equipped with human‐like skills and qualities such as intelligence, autonomy, and the ability to cooperate, coordinate and negotiate. We demonstrate how cooperation between parties can be achieved while respecting their sensitivity concerning information.
Unreliable information on the internet: a challenging dilemma for the law
Authors: Schellekens Maurice , Prins Corien
Published: June 2010

This paper examines what role the law can and should play with regard to unreliable information available on fast communication networks, such as the Internet. Users of electronic information find it increasingly difficult to assess its reliability. The traditional structures for assessing reliability are lacking or function inadequately. Clear social norms have not yet been developed. As regards the law, traditionally liability law is the first legal guard against undesirable societal developments. We conclude however, that liability law is an inadequate remedy for unreliable information. Self‐regulatory
initiatives such as trust mark seals for websites providing reliable information offer a more promising perspective, although these also have their limitations, especially in the sphere of enforcement and legitimacy. In this paper, self‐regulation is nonetheless hailed as an important instrument because it provides an indispensable test‐bed for more concrete legal norms derived from reliability criteria for information. Even if self‐regulation may not completely materialise, discussion about self‐regulation could be a stepping stone to the development of pertinent social norms.
Ethical attributes in computing and computing education: An exploratory study
Authors: Dark Melissa , Harter Nathan , Ludlow Gram , Falk Courtney
Published: June 2010

There is an ongoing concern about workplace ethics. Many voices say that our educational system ought to do something about it, but they do not agree about how to do this. By the time students reach post‐secondary education, they will have already developed a general moral sense. The concern is whether their moral sense is sufficient for ethical situations in the workplace. If not, post‐secondary education is expected to close the gap. In order to do this, educators need information about what is missing. Educators can set clear, work‐related objectives and use classroom activities
to reach those objectives based on an identification of these gaps.
Karaoke for social and cultural change
Authors: Arora Payal
Published: June 2010

This account demonstrates the key challenges faced in producing engaging educational content for information and communication technologies (ICT) deployed in rural India. The ‘Stills in Sync’ (SIS) project aims to enhance literacy through the revival and proliferation of popular regional folksongs with social awareness themes in rural India. This product entails the use of the Same Language Subtitling (SLS) karaoke feature that won the Worldbank Development Marketplace award in 2002 and the ‘Tech Laureate’ honor from the Technology Museum of Innovation in 2003. This case study highlights the struggles faced in the production process as we sought to negotiate localism with scalability. The paper is meant to stimulate discussion and further research on the process of digitalizing cultural and educational content in muliple languages for literacy gains and empowerment. I attempt to give three‐dimensionality to current buzzwords in education content creation using ICT: localism, relevance and engagement.
Dynamic traditions: why globalization does not mean homogenization
Authors: Volkman Richard
Published: June 2010

In light of the relation between culture and markets, an analysis of cultural evolution reveals that globalization will not lead to the homogenization of world cultures.
Developing ethical awareness in information systems practice: A Foucaultavian view
Authors: Córdoba José‐Rodrigo
Published: June 2010

The aim of this paper is to provide insights into how information (IS) practitioners can develop further their awareness on ethical issues. In the context of the paper, awareness means able to identify and deal with issues of ethics in activities of information systems planning, development and use. The paper begins by presenting two areas which IS practitioners can initially explore to develop their ethical awareness. These areas are: (1) IS Methodologies and (2) Codes. The first area emphasises ethical awareness by using methodologies. The second element aims to encourage ethical awareness by following principles. In both areas, self‐reflection is identified as a key element for awareness. Using
Foucault’s ideas on power and ethics, a critical understanding of ethical awareness based on self‐reflection is presented to complement ethical awareness developments. This understanding is defined in terms of two elements of inquiry: (a) Power relations analysis and (b) ways of being ethical. With these two elements, the paper argues that IS practitioners can exert their critical thinking and create their own ethics, while still following IS methodologies and codes.
Child pornography and deception on the internet: some ethical considerations
Authors: Weckert John , Dalgarno Barney
Published: June 2010

Technology facilitates certain behaviours. This underlies the argument that the Internet may not be as benign as we might like to think. It is argued in this paper, through examination of the case of the capture of a large number of people on charges of possession of child pornography, that the Internet constitutes a kind of unintentional entrapment. Some consequences of this are explored.
Let’s agree to differ: varying interpretations of online privacy policies
Authors: McRobb Steve
Published: June 2010

During the period of growth of e‐commerce, e‐business and online life in general, trust has been identified by a number of authors as a key factor, the absence of which can act as a powerful disincentive to an individual’s engagement in a transaction. This has encouraged a great deal of research into the various facets of trust in an online environment, both theoretical and empirical. One of the many recommendations for business practice that have emerged from this research is the suggestion that online businesses should publish on their website a privacy policy that explains clearly
the use that will be made of any personal information collected on the site, the third parties to whom it may be disclosed, and the circumstances under which disclosure may occur. A number of surveys have been conducted that highlight the rather patchy adoption of this recommendation in various countries. We now know, for example, that by no means all online organisations publish an online privacy policy, and that many of those that do exist display a range of
serious shortcomings, including poor visibility on the site, incomplete coverage of the main issues of concern and poor readability. However, previous discussion of privacy policies has tended to assume that any particular policy can provide value to its readers by informing them of the privacy practices of its host organisation, and thus also to its publishers through encouraging customers and clients to trust them more than they otherwise would. This assumption is expected to be valid where the policy meets certain criteria, which are either established on the basis of theoretical considerations,
or are derived from a kind of best‐in‐breed comparative exercise. This paper seeks to address the question how far privacy policies can ever achieve the goal of providing clear information to website visitors about the privacy practices of an organisation. It reports on an empirical study that was conducted between November 2005 and April 2006 using two groups of University students as subjects. The subjects were asked to read three privacy policies, selected in advance by the author, and to complete a short questionnaire on what the subject thought each policy had to say about certain key privacy issues. The results reveal that there is surprisingly little agreement about what a policy actually means. This has significant implications both for policy writers and their managers, and also for those who are considering entering into a transaction with the host website. There is a need for further research to investigate this question in more detail, but it is clear from these findings that we know less than we thought we did about the ways in which people interpret the notices that they read on websites.
The Internet and Export Marketing from a Middle Eastern Perspective
Authors: Ahmed Zafar U. , Julian Craig C. , Baalbaki Imad B. , Hadidian Tamar V.
Published: June 2010

This study explores the role of the Internet in export marketing. The data was gathered based on a survey of 61 Lebanese manufacturing firms engaged in exporting. The findings indicate a positive relationship between Website ownership, average annual sales volume and export. The findings further indicate that the main reason for owning a corporate Website was to attract clients outside of Lebanon. The second and third top reasons for owning a corporate Website turned out to be improving the company’s image and advertising, respectively. Finally, the findings indicate a positive relationship between Website ownership and engaging in export, share of exports over total sales and the number of countries to which the firm exports.
The Application of Niven’s Balanced Scorecard in a Not‐For‐Profit Organization in Hong Kong: What Are the Factors for Success?
Authors: Kwokwah Yeung Allen , Connell Julia
Published: June 2010

In 2003 Niven modified Kaplan and Norton’s (1992; 1993; 1996; 2000; 2004) balanced scorecard (BSC) framework, claiming that his redesigned model was more suited to non‐profit organizations than was Kaplan and Norton’s. Since the redesigned BSC is a very recent innovation, it has not, to date, been tested in Hong Kong. Hence, this study set out to examine the extent to which Niven’s BSC model could be applied in a non‐profit organization in Hong Kong to assist with the mapping and tracking of their business strategies. Key issues were; the shifting of KPI measurements from input to outcomes, inadequate frontline training and a disproportionate amount of time spent on planning rather than on the execution of strategy.
Trade Orientation and Mutual Productivity Spillovers between Foreign and Local Firms in China
Authors: Wei Yingqi , Liu Xiaming , Wang Chengang
Published: June 2010

This paper argues that multinational firms can benefit from indigenous knowledge diffusion in a host developing country so that there can be two‐way productivity spillovers between foreign and local firms even in the developing world. This new argument is confirmed by a very large firm‐level data set from the Chinese manufacturing sector. After grouping firms based on their trade orientation, we find that foreign firms have a positive impact on local‐market‐oriented Chinese firms. When the degree of foreign presence is sufficiently high, there will be negative productivity effects on export‐oriented Chinese firms. On the other hand, local Chinese firms have a positive impact on export‐oriented foreign invested firms. After dividing foreign firms according to their sources, we find that the beneficial spillovers between OECD and local Chinese firms are much greater than those between Hong Kong/Macao/Taiwan and local Chinese firms.
Managing the Strengths of Ties for Internationalization:Lessons from Four Rapidly Internationalized Chinese SMEs
Authors: Kwan Tang Yee
Published: June 2010

This study aims at providing exploratory insights into the initiative and capabilities of Chinese SMEs to develop and utilize diverse networks to support internationalization. Such network development and utilization efforts are fundamental to the analysis and explanation of Chinese firms’ internationalization patterns and outcomes. Extending from the existing network studies in the Chinese context that generally put emphasis on strong‐tie and ethnic‐oriented networks, this paper investigates and explains explicitly the use and effects of both strong‐ and weak‐tie networks in the international development of Chinese SMEs. Indepth case studies on four rapidly internationalized Chinese SMEs are conducted. The case findings demonstrate that weak‐tie networks are essential to the firms’ business development in foreign markets; and were proactively developed and utilized in the course of the firms’ development. The cases also provide alternative perspectives to the beliefs and values underpinning strong‐tie networks presumed in existing literature. The findings draw attention to the changing business values and approaches of the Chinese firms aiming at developing internationally. Managerial implications concerning the significant influence of effective networking on internationalization are pinpointed.
An Interview with Chuck Geschke and John Warnock, Founders and Chairmen of Adobe Systems
Authors: Chen Roger , Li Zhan
Published: June 2010

An Interview with Chuck Geschke and John Warnock, Founders and Chairmen of Adobe Systems. Geschke and Warnock discuss their Asian operations, particularly focusing on their experiences in Japan. They also discuss competition, regulation, threats and policies relating to doing business in Asia.
Southeast Asian Culture, Human Development, and Business Competitiveness
Authors: LaVan Helen , Murphy Patrick J.
Published: June 2010

Competition and entrepreneurship are driving forces in the development of economic systems. They create jobs, new opportunities to generate value, and lead to the fulfillment of personal career and life goals. As such, it is important to understand the basic economic and cultural factors that influence these activities in developing economies. We undertook a series of analyses in an examination of a heterogeneous sample of economic zones in Southeast Asia. Results illustrate relations between national culture, human development, and business and growth competitiveness. Implications hold that human development and power distance are enablers of entrepreneurial activities in these cultural and national settings. Our contribution is instrumental to development of public policy and regulatory guidelines for facilitating entrepreneurial activity in the developing economies of Southeast Asia.
Multinational Enterprises, Foreign Direct Investment and Trade in China: the Chain of Causality in 1980‐2003
Authors: Zhang Jianhong , Jacobs Jan P.A.M. , van Witteloostuijn Arjen
Published: June 2010

Multinational enterprises (MNEs) play a dominant role in the international business (IB) literature. Traditionally, by far the majority of IB studies deal with issues at the micro level of the individual MNE, or at the meso level of a sample of individual MNEs in industries. This paper focuses on the impact of MNE behavior through foreign direct investment (FDI) on a country’s international trade, and vice versa. In so doing, this study responds to a recent plea for more macro‐level studies in IB into the effect of MNE behavior on the macroeconomic performance of countries as a whole, particularly developing and emerging economies. In the current study, we focus on the largest developing or emerging economy of all: China. Applying sophisticated econometric techniques, we unravel the causality and direction of FDI‐trade linkages for the Chinese economy in the 1980‐2003 period.
Political Risk and ADR Returns: Diversification in the Indian Sub‐Continent
Authors: Dania Akash , Verma Rahul
Published: June 2010

Terrorism, an important component of Political risk as a possible determinant of ADRs (American Depository Receipts) returns have received little attention in academic literature. To address this issue and examine whether political risk is a major determinant of ADR returns of emerging market countries, this paper empirically examines market valuation of Indian ADRs around acts of terrorism. Using a sample of 52 such events in the sample period Jan 2003‐Dec 2003 we empirically analyze returns of Indian ADRs. The results from our study indicate a marginally negative significant effect, failing to indicate that event of terrorist attacks severely affect the Indian ADRs listed on the US stock market. This may be explained by a combined effect of; (a) the optimism of US investors towards emerging markets, and (b) market participants becoming more resilient and making informed choices around the “general” events of terrorism.
Are Share Price Reactions To Rights Offerings Sensitive To Different Economic Conditions?
Authors: Ariff M. , Khan Walayet A. , Kent Baker H.
Published: June 2010

This study examines short‐term stock price reactions to announcements of equity rights offerings in Singapore between 1983 and 2003 and investigates whether economic factors lead to different price reactions. The results show that the cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) associated with rights issues differ significantly across economic conditions at the time of issuance. Rights issues typically result in significantly large positive CARs during periods of economic growth but small positive but insignificant CARs during economic downturns. The CARs vary positively with Tobin’s q‐ratios, which indicate the availability of positive net present value investment opportunities of the firms issuing the rights. Our major finding is that the price reaction of Singapore firms to equity rights offerings is sensitive to economic conditions at the time of the rights issues.
An Empirical Assessment on China’s Optimal Foreign Exchange Reserve: 1985‐2004
Authors: Chen Desheng , Li Chunqing , Xu Xianjie , Lei Jiasu
Published: June 2010

This paper analysises China’s optimal scale of foreign reserve during 1985‐2004 with single ratio and synthesis ratio. The single ratio analysis shows that China’s foreign reserve to import ratio has exceeded 40 per cent after foreign exchange rate united in 1994. The foreign reserve to money supply ratio is high as 23.8 per cent, and will exceed 25 per cent of international alertness in 2005. The foreign reserve to debt ratio largely exceeded 30 per cent of international alertness. The current account balance to GDP ratio and the current account balance plus FDI to GDP ratio is out of international alertness in most years. The synthesis ratio analysis show that China’s real foreign exchange reserve exceeded foreign exchange demand of debt, FDI and import during 1996‐2004, and the exceeded ratio is close to 90 per cent in 2004. This paper also discusses influence of capital flight after 1995 and international hot money after 2002 to China’s optimal scale of foreign exchange.