Telecommunications Politics: Ownership and Control of the Information Highway in Developing Countries

ISBN-13: 9780805817539 / Angielski / Miękka / 1995 / 368 str.

Bella Mody;Johannes M. Bauer;Joseph D. Straubhaar

Opis

This volume brings together scholars and policymakers to address the issue of telecommunications policy in developing countries. It elaborates on the position that economics and technology determine the framework for discussion, but politics makes the decision. Politics, in this case, refers to the dynamics of the power structure generated by the historical and contemporary context of state, social, economic, and cultural forces. The chapter authors address the system of information transportation -- the telecommunications sector in developing countries ranging from low-income countries with overburdened, rural roads in south Asia and Africa trying to catch up to digitalized fibre-optic superhighways in middle income countries such as Singapore.

The organization of the book reflects a contextually situated intellectual viewpoint. The first part presents a historical and conceptual introduction to changes in the organization of telecommunications. The second part analyzes the major external and internal forces that have influenced the process of private sector participation in telecommunications. The third part offers ten comparative country case studies that provide evidence of the diverse conditions, goals, and processes of the realignment of public and private tasks in the telecommunications industry. Finally, contributors address the issue of regulation from differing positions -- a pragmatic, "how-to-cope" discussion for developing country decision makers.

The diverse perspectives in this volume should provide help to developing countries in their struggle with proposals received from international banks, private investors, interested "big powers," and their consulting firms.

Recenzje

"...a good book with interesting global dimensions and perspectives on the politics of financing telecommunications."
—Media Development

Spis treści

Contents: A.B. Bande, Foreword. Preface. Part I:Increasing Private Sector Participation. J.D. Straubhaar, From PTT to Private: Liberalization and Privatization in Eastern Europe and the Third World. D.R. Headrick, Public-Private Relations in International Telecommunications Before World War II. Part II:Major Political Forces. G. Urey, Telecommunications and Global Capitalism. S. Bagchi-Sen, P. Das, Foreign Direct Investment by the U.S. Bells. G. Urey, Infrastructure for Global Financial Integration: The Role of the World Bank. E. Barrera, The Role of Domestic Capital in Latin America. M. Jussawalla, Telecommunications Privatization and Capital Formation in the ASEAN. B. Mody, L-S. Tsui, The Changing Role of the State. Part III:Case Studies. A.B. Wolf, G. Sussman, Privatization of Telecommunications: Lessons From the Philippines. J.D. Straubhaar, P.K. McCormick, J.M. Bauer, C. Campbell, Telecommunications Restructuring: The Experience of Eight Countries. Part IV:The Role of Regulation. W.H. Melody, Privatization and Developing Countries. J.M. Bauer, Alternatives to Private Ownership. N. Sinha, Regulatory Reform: An Institutional Perspective. H.M. Trebing, Privatization and the Public Interest: Is Reconciliation Through Regulation Possible?

O autorze

Johannes M. Bauer, Bella Mody, Joe Straubhaar