Digitization promises to reshape fiscal policy by transforming how governments collect, process, share, and act on information. More and higher-quality information can improve not only policy design for tax and spending, but also systems for their management, including tax administration and compliance, delivery of public services, administration of social programs, public financial management, and more. Countries must chart their own paths to effectively balance the potential benefits against the risks and challenges, including institutional and capacity constraints, privacy concerns, and new avenues for fraud and evasion. Support for this book and the conference on which it is based was provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation “Click Download on the top right corner for your free copy..."
From Occupy to Uncut, from the Arab Spring to the Slutwalk movement, few questions about recent activism raise as much controversy as the role of the internet. This book suggests that the internet is a tool, not a cause, of social change. It has profoundly affected the way people communicate, making it easier to find the truth, to learn from activists on the other side of the world, to co-ordinate campaigns without hierarchy and to expose governments and corporations to public ridicule. But it has also helped those same governments and corporations to spy on activists, to disrupt campaigns and to create illusions of popular support. Focused on the real-life experiences of activists rather than theory or abstract statistics, Digital Revolutions asks how the internet has affected activism, how it has allowed movements to go global more quickly and what the future holds for corporations and social movements that are doing battle online. Symon Hill has campaigned on the arms trade, religious liberty, same-sex marriage, disability rights, and economic injustice. He has worked with the Campaign Against Arms Trade and the Fellowship of Reconciliation, and was a founding member of Christianity Uncut. He has trained hundreds of activists in campaigning skills and media engagement. In February 2012 he was dragged by police from the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral during the eviction of Occupy London Stock Exchange. He is associate director of the Ekklesia think tank and associate tutor at the Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre. He writes for The Guardian, Morningstar, The Friend, and Third Way. His first book was The No-Nonsense Guide to Religion.
"This volume argues that recent technological developments are reconfiguring the cultural, economic, social, and political spheres of Cuba's Revolutionary project in unprecedented ways"--
World-renowned economist Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, explains that we have an opportunity to shape the fourth industrial revolution, which will fundamentally alter how we live and work. Schwab argues that this revolution is different in scale, scope and complexity from any that have come before. Characterized by a range of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds, the developments are affecting all disciplines, economies, industries and governments, and even challenging ideas about what it means to be human. Artificial intelligence is already all around us, from supercomputers, drones and virtual assistants to 3D printing, DNA sequencing, smart thermostats, wearable sensors and microchips smaller than a grain of sand. But this is just the beginning: nanomaterials 200 times stronger than steel and a million times thinner than a strand of hair and the first transplant of a 3D printed liver are already in development. Imagine “smart factories” in which global systems of manufacturing are coordinated virtually, or implantable mobile phones made of biosynthetic materials. The fourth industrial revolution, says Schwab, is more significant, and its ramifications more profound, than in any prior period of human history. He outlines the key technologies driving this revolution and discusses the major impacts expected on government, business, civil society and individuals. Schwab also offers bold ideas on how to harness these changes and shape a better future—one in which technology empowers people rather than replaces them; progress serves society rather than disrupts it; and in which innovators respect moral and ethical boundaries rather than cross them. We all have the opportunity to contribute to developing new frameworks that advance progress.
That's the promise, and peril, of the third digital revolution, where anyone will be able to make (almost) anything Two digital revolutions -- computing and communication -- have radically transformed our economy and lives. A third digital revolution is here: fabrication. Today's 3D printers are only the start of a trend, accelerating exponentially, to turn data into objects: Neil Gershenfeld and his collaborators ultimately aim to create a universal replicator straight out of Star Trek. While digital fabrication promises us self-sufficient cities and the ability to make (almost) anything, it could also lead to massive inequality. The first two digital revolutions caught most of the world flat-footed, thanks to Designing Reality that won't be true this time.
This surprising study of online political mobilization shows that money and organizational sophistication influence politics online as much as off, and casts doubt on the democratizing power of digital activism. The internet has been hailed as a leveling force that is reshaping activism. From the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street to Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, digital activism seemed cheap, fast, and open to all. Now this celebratory narrative finds itself competing with an increasingly sinister story as platforms like Facebook and Twitter—once the darlings of digital democracy—are on the defensive for their role in promoting fake news. While hashtag activism captures headlines, conservative digital activism is proving more effective on the ground. In this sharp-eyed and counterintuitive study, Jen Schradie shows how the web has become another weapon in the arsenal of the powerful. She zeroes in on workers’ rights advocacy in North Carolina and finds a case study with broad implications. North Carolina’s hard-right turn in the early 2010s should have alerted political analysts to the web’s antidemocratic potential: amid booming online organizing, one of the country’s most closely contested states elected the most conservative government in North Carolina’s history. The Revolution That Wasn’t identifies the reasons behind this previously undiagnosed digital-activism gap. Large hierarchical political organizations with professional staff can amplify their digital impact, while horizontally organized volunteer groups tend to be less effective at translating online goodwill into meaningful action. Not only does technology fail to level the playing field, it tilts it further, so that only the most sophisticated and well-funded players can compete.
This book aims to inform the non-IT specialist about the technological revolution that is taking place and, specifically, how the digital component of it is affecting our lives. It is hoped that this information will fill possible information gaps in readers’ mental model, enabling them to make better-informed decisions. This book can also be used as a textbook in a stand-alone introductory course to the digital revolution and its effects on society. The course could be used in both bachelor and master degree programs in business management, healthcare management, sociology, or any other non-IT programs. Chapter 1. This chapter, although the longest, is a brief review of the interactions between technology, economy, and politics. The subject is a much neglected one, and I believe that understanding of these interactions is vital for understanding the underlying causes of some of our most important pressing issues. The chapter discusses the interactions between technologies, economy, and politics, examining the effect of technologies on economic development and political ideologies. Chapter 2. This chapter deals with technological revolutions in general and the digital revolution in particular. I shall discuss the components of the digital economy. These being: knowledge, digitisation, virtualisation, molecularization, integration/internetworking, disintermediation, convergence, innovation, sharing economy, immediacy, and discordant. In addition, we shall examine the disruptors that are changing the face of competition in the marketplace. Chapter 3. This chapter deals with digital transformation, i.e., the process of using digital technology in all areas of business, changing the way the businesses operate and deliver value to their customers. We shall examine models for dealing with digital transformation. Chapter 4. We shall examine one of the most important developments of the 21st century, namely the advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI). We shall look at how the human brain works and what is intelligence. We shall look at the artificial neural networks, machine learning, and deep learning. We shall also look at the deployment of AI in various fields such as healthcare, finance, Natural Language Processing (NPL), news media, and warfare. Chapter 5. This chapter deals with one of the most controversial and yet promising developments in finance and distributed secure databases, namely cryptocurrencies and blockchains. This subject is divided into two parts — the first part deals with the cryptocurrencies, and their viability as currencies. One of the most popular cryptocurrencies, the Bitcoin, will be examined in depth. The second part is somewhat technical and deals with the inner workings of the blockchains. As with cryptocurrencies, many see a bright future for the blockchains, especially in the form of smart contracts. Many believe that blockchains will be of great value in areas such as finance, handling contracts, healthcare and more. Blockchain promises to bring disintermediation to many industries and thereby reduce costs. Chapter 6. Technological revolutions tend to disrupt the lives of many middle-aged and older workers. New technologies give birth to new industries, destroying the old industries in the process. New technologies often require special skills that the old industry workers do not possess. The laid-off workers of the old industries can seldom find jobs in new industries since the new industries often rely on new technologies and skills that the old-industry workers do not possess. These workers need training, something that the prospective employers do not provide. Also, the new technologies, including AI, are automating many tasks, reducing the need for human workers. This chapter discusses the issue of automation and its effect on employment. Additionally, the type of jobs that are in danger of automation is discussed as well. Chapter 7. While chapter six discussed the employment situation, chapter seven considers the type of education required by the new industries. Also, the weaknesses of the existing educational system are considered, and alternative systems are proposed. Chapter 8. History tells us that whenever there has been a technological revolution, it has been accompanied by a shift in power, both nationally and internationally. The global shift of power has seldom been a peaceful affair. It often has resulted in major wars and global reorientation. This chapter discusses the possibility of the global shift of power. Currently, there are not that many countries or entities that can be considered as contenders. Of the three, Russia, European Union, and China, only one, China, is considered to have any chance of wresting power from the United States. The technological, economic and military power of China is compared and contrasted with the United States’.
Digital is far-reaching and ubiquitous - everything you know is about to change. We are living in the fourth age of humanity. First, we became human. Then we became civilized. The third age saw the creation of commerce. Now, we are becoming digital. Technology has changed the way we communicate, trade, and transact, with repercussions extending far beyond our personal spheres. Digital Human is a visionary roadmap for the future, a timely guide on how to navigate the world of finance as we create the next generation of humanity. It explores the digital evolution's impact and offers clear insights on thriving in this new era. Human and business relationships are evolving, and existing businesses must undergo substantial transformative changes to compete with the smaller, "lighter," and more agile companies that are able to quickly maneuver to match shifting consumer demands. A lack of online presence has become unthinkable, as consumer preferences continue to trend heavily toward online business and transactions—is your company equipped to thrive in this new era? While there is no definitive guide to this new reality, this insightful resource provides the starting point and roadmap to digital success in the financial services arena, covering aspects such as: Digital is not merely a “bolting on” of technology to produce results faster and cheaper, but a complete rethinking of common business practices and notions of efficiency and customer engagement Rethinking business starts with the customer - new business models are constructed entirely around this single, guiding principle A digital business model is all about connectivity, with front-office apps tied in to both back-office analytics and marketplaces with many players and segments Businesses must open their operations to this marketplace of players through APIs, necessitating a conversion of many core systems Central business and technology systems must change to adapt to new market entrants and new technologies that range from AI for back-office analytics to Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) for global operations Leaders must rethink their businesses to be fit for the future digital age, and this comprehensive resource shines a spotlight on the key elements to this transformation.
Revolutions in Communication offers a new approach to media history, presenting an encyclopedic look at the way technological change has linked social and ideological communities. Using key figures in history to benchmark the chronology of technical innovation, Kovarik's exhaustive scholarship narrates the story of revolutions in printing, electronic communication and digital information, while drawing parallels between the past and present. Updated to reflect new research that has surfaced these past few years, Revolutions in Communication continues to provide students and teachers with the most readable history of communications, while including enough international perspective to get the most accurate sense of the field. The supplemental reading materials on the companion website include slideshows, podcasts and video demonstration plans in order to facilitate further reading.
Learn to apply new digital design technologies at your own firm with this practical and insightful resource Digital Sketching: Computer-Aided Conceptual Design delivers a comprehensive and insightful examination of how architects and other design professionals can best use digital design technology to become better designers. Celebrated professional, professor, and author John Bacus provides readers with practical and timely information on emerging digital design technologies and their effect on professional practice. By focusing on the big picture, this rigorous survey of conceptual design technology offers professionals realistic strategies for reclaiming time for design in the ever increasing speed of project delivery. This book helps architects (and others like them) learn to use digital sketching techniques to be better designers, right from the project’s very first sketch. As part of the groundbreaking Practical Revolutions series of books, Digital Sketching furthers the conversation of the practical deployment of emerging technologies in the building industries. This book provides readers with the information they need to evaluate digital design technology and decide whether or not to adopt and integrate it into their own processes. Readers will receive: An accelerated and accessible introduction to a highly technical topic Practical and applicable guidance on how to adapt a firm’s business to adopt new technology without losing the benefit of existing intuition, skill, and experience. Real world implementations of specific techniques in the form of illuminating case studies that include results and lessons learned Perfect for professional architectural designers, Digital Sketching also belongs on the bookshelves of interior designers, landscape architects, urban planners, contractors, and specialty fabricators of every kind. A disciplined sketching practice, especially through the digital methods discussed in this book, is a transformational benefit to anyone who designs and builds for a living.
