Connectivity

Abstract

The concept ‘connectivity’ is most widely used in communication technology, referring to the linkage between electronics, computers, computer systems and the people who use them, but it is also a heuristic concept with great utility in the broader discipline of Communication and beyond. This article traces the concept from its theoretical origins in information science to the core position that it holds in all traditions of the Communication discipline. It assesses the physiological, psychological and sociological dimensions of connectivity and considers the application of the concept as an instrument for understanding and resolving the problems, issues and opportunities of the world around us. The article ends with some insights into the practical utility of the concept in the spheres of social and institutional development, productivity, performance and the generation of competitive advantage.     

Digital Britain – the final report

The final Digital Britain report was published in June as to set out the Government's final proposals and updating an interim version that has been published in January this year. This article builds upon an earlier article in [2009] 25 CLSR 263, which analysed the interim report in depth. The intention is not to repeat that earlier analysis, but rather update it and draw the reader's attention to those key areas of change.     

Nowhere to go? Why do some civil wars generate more refugees than others?

Civil wars greatly vary in the number of refugees they generate, ranging from zero to over six millions in a given conflict. Work on this variation has largely focused on “push” factors – deleterious attributes of the home country that lead to refugee flows, such as violence and repression. Yet, few have studied the importance of “pull” factors – attractive features of the potential host countries. Here we show in particular the importance of the expected quality of life in possible destinations. Using data on civil wars from 1951 to 2008, we find that the proximity of democratic and wealthy potential hosts accounts for much of the variation in the number of refugees. Out-of-sample validation methods show that these “pull” factors account for nearly as much predictive power as all the main variables previously identified in the literature combined.     

交通系统可靠性研究综述

交通运输网络可靠性对于交通运输这一生命线系统是否良性循环、发展的重要性研究已日益为业内所重视。在此基础上对连通可靠性、出行时间可靠性、容量可靠性、畅通可靠性等交通系统性能评价指标及其相互关系的正确、客观分析对于路网可靠与否显得至关重要。而交通运输网络实战应用中亟待解决的几组关键性技术问题则将直接影响研究成果对于路网的实用程度。     

Spearheading Maritime Initiatives

正Waterway connectivity and fishery cooperation drive Fuzhou’s efforts to become a strategic hub along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road To become a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road hub,Fuzhou,capital of southeast China’s Fujian Province,is focusing on trade cooperation,traffic connectivity and people-to-people exchanges,starting with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN).Gradual y the cooperation and exchanges are expected to extend to Europe,North America,Africa and Oceania.     

Pushing for Closer Links

正China and ASEAN team up to create a more dynamic and interconnected region China pledged more than$20 billion in loans to support the construction of Southeast Asia’s connectivity on November 13.The offer,announced by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the Ninth     

APEC Beijing Meetings:Implications on Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

正The APEC Beijing 2014 closed on November 11,2014 at Yanqihu,Huairou District,Beijing.It was a fruitful APEC year.As the host of APEC 2014,China has worked hand in hand with other members for nearly a year,and signed the Beijing Programme,which set a new milestone in the history of APEC.     

An Asia-Pacific Full of Hope

正The APEC meetings held in Beijing in November produced good results.The meetings outlined a blueprint to enhance physical,institutional and people-to-people connectivity in the AsiaPacific region by 2025.To achieve this goal,China will contribute US$40 billion towards setting up a Silk Road fund,providing investment and financial support for infrastructure construction,     

Why societies need public goods

The most distinctive features of public goods are usually understood to be the difficulty of excluding potential beneficiaries and the fact that one appropriator’s benefits do not diminish the amount of benefits left for others. Yet, because of these properties (non-excludability and non-rivalry), public goods cause market failures and contribute to problems of collective action. This article aims to portray public goods in a different light. Following a recent reassessment of public goods in political philosophy, this contribution argues that public goods are particularly suitable for sustaining a well-ordered society. Public goods contribute to social inclusion, they support the generation of the public, and they strengthen a shared sense of citizenship. This article scrutinizes these functions of public goods and offers a discussion of the interventionist thesis which states that governments should sustain public goods.     

A Network Perspective on Negotiation: What Is New and Why It Matters

The resources that individual negotiators need to solve their problems are not available in a single, concentrated form, and they are certainly not available only within an isolated dyad itself. Instead, the necessary resources are widely dispersed among many actors within networks of business relationships. The best deal is unlikely to be fixed or predetermined, but is rather the outcome of long and time‐consuming negotiations that will then affect further negotiations. In this article, I describe a network perspective on negotiation that considers the relevance and impact of three phenomena that I call (1) vast connectivity, (2) multiple constitutions, and (3) ongoing consent. I further illustrate the applicability of these three factors using examples of real‐life negotiations.