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Abstract The emergence of ChatGPT has significantly impacted the field of education. While much of the existing research has predominantly examined the theoretical implications of ChatGPT, there is a notable absence of empirical studies substantiating these claims. As pivotal stakeholders in education and primary users of ChatGPT, exploring the willingness and influencing factors of higher education students to use ChatGPT can offer valuable insights into the real-world needs of student users. This, in turn, can serve as a foundation for empowering education with intelligent technologies in the future. This study focuses specifically on the demographic of students in Chinese higher education who have utilized ChatGPT. Using semi-structured interviews and grounded theory methodology, we aim to comprehensively understand the extent to which students embrace new technologies. Our objective is to elucidate the behavioral inclinations and influencing factors of student users. The findings of this study will contribute practical insights for refining policy frameworks, expanding the dissemination of quality resources, optimizing and upgrading products for an enhanced user experience, and fostering higher-order thinking skills to adeptly navigate evolving technological landscapes. In conclusion, this research endeavors to bridge the gap between theoretical discussions and practical applications.

Purpose: is to identify the main directions of changing the theory of crisis management of companies under the influence of digitalization based on the analysis of technological transformations in the economy and institutional prerequisites.Methods: to achieve the purpose of the study, methods of logical, institutional and statistical analysis of economic phenomena and financial and economic data of industrial and digital companies, economic comparative studies using the provisions of various theories are used. The theoretical basis of the research is the synthesis of the theory of technological revolutions by Perez C., the new institutional economic theory, the concept of scientific research programs by Lakatos I.Results: the formulated hypotheses of the study on the need to change the «protective shell» of the theory of crisis management under the influence of factors of the digital transformation of the institutional economy are proved. The changes are associated with the formation of new subjects – digital companies, the transformation of the nature of crises and anti-crisis tools in the context of the digital revolution. The institutional nature of business crises in the context of technological revolutions has been established, due to the discrepancy between the speed of development of the economic institutions and technologies.Conclusions and Relevance: the digital revolution is having a significant impact on business. Its adaptation to digital technological conditions requires the development of the new and improvement of existing institutions. These changes challenge the theory of management, which must adapt its basis to the new technological needs of the business. Сrisis management plays an important role in this: the rapid development of digital technologies is accompanied by the crisis factors, the nature of most of which is institutional in nature. However, to date, despite the obvious need, the directions of transformation of the theory of crisis management have not been determined at the scientific and theoretical level. According to the results of the study, the key artifacts of the digital economy have been identified that determine the directions of transformation of the theory of crisis management by transforming its «protective shell». The institutional nature of the prerequisites for such a transformation is proved. The results of the study determine the future directions of the development of the theory of crisis management.

Objective: to trace the evolution of humanity and to identify the role of various social institutions in order to understand the existential role of laws aimed at ensuring the coexistence of society in the context of technological innovations.Methods: the author used general scientific and special methods of cognition, which allowed tracing the dialectical development of humanity, social transformations and technological innovations.Results: looking back at the history of humanity, which originated on the African continent (the theory of African descent), the author notes the most important changes in the human way of life and environment, which led to the need to build organized societies and regulate social behavior with the help of legislative norms. Law is seen as part of the evolutionary process that was to emerge in the course of human evolution. The critical importance of law in overcoming the global challenges and existential questions of humanity’s continued coexistence arising in the course of evolution is emphasized. In this regard, the historical significance of the Kurukan Fuga Charter of the Malian Empire is emphasized as one of the oldest constitutions in the world, recognized internationally as an important source of legal and political norms for modern societies, regulating the structure of state power and social behaviour, although preserved largely in oral form. It is argued that social and technological change often served as the impetus for the development of new laws. Humanity has many times intervened in its own biological evolution with the help of technology; now it is an important moment from the viewpoint of law and ethics when technology may interfere in further human evolution. The greatest concern in this regard is the era of rapid development of artificial intelligence, which makes new demands on a human being.Scientific novelty: the article shows the role of the African continent in the origin and development of humanity and socio-legal institutions in the light of modern transformations and the construction of a new social reality.Practical significance: the conducted research creates prerequisites for further development of the theory of anthroposociogenesis and in-depth conceptual historical and legal study of the role of the African continent in the development of humanity and its social institutions.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to examine the concept of artificial intelligence (AI) as an object of civil legal relations, with a specific focus on its status as an inventor. The study aims to define the characteristics of AI as an inventor, including its intangible nature, resemblance to the human brain, autonomy, data collection and processing capabilities, learning ability, and generation of novel results, particularly in the realm of inventions. [Methodology/Approach/Design] The research employs a range of methodologies, including functional and logical analysis, deduction, induction, synthesis, and dogmatic approaches. It highlights the need for legal regulation concerning AI as an inventor, with particular attention given to the legal regime surrounding inventions created by AI. [Findings] Based on the unique aspects of AI as an object of civil legal relations and its capacity to create inventions, the study proposes extending the existing legal and patent framework to address these relations with certain specificities. The conditions for patentability of AI-generated inventions should mirror those for human inventions, as they operate in the same technological field. [Practical Implications] It is not recommended to grant AI the status of a legal entity. Instead, the study suggests indicating in the patent that the invention was created with the assistance of a specific AI, without conferring personal non-property rights to AI itself. Property rights to inventions generated by AI should be legally assigned to the user of the AI, unless agreed upon differently by the parties involved. [Originality/Value] Given the advancements in AI technologies and their ability to create patentable inventions, there is an urgent need for comprehensive and effective legal regulation. Currently, such regulation is lacking at both the national and international levels, underscoring the significance and value of this study.

Aim: The aim of the article is to present the legal aspects of the use of new technologies. Accelerating the progress of civilization through the rapid development of technology is a challenge for both the legislator and entities who, when applying the law, interpret imperfect regulations or have to deal with the lack of regulations on a daily basis. In this publication, the author discusses legal aspects related to the development and implementation of new technologies and answers the question whether the applicable regulations combine the intentions of the creators of the regulations with social and economic needs. Introduction: The essence of all development is the improvement and expansion of human and technological capabilities and potential. Civilizational development is a system of interconnected vessels based on mutual social, cultural and technological interdependencies, and all these spheres of public life are inextricably linked with legal regulations. Without elementary knowledge of regulations, it would be difficult to make rational decisions regarding everyday life, therefore legal standards should include solutions adequate to the needs of citizens and the economy. In case of new technologies, which are subject to continuous and dynamic changes, the traditional norm-setting model known as hard law does not fully achieve its goals, and what is more, the applicable law does not keep up with the development of new technologies. Methodology: he article describes the current state of knowledge in the field of selected aspects of new technology law. The work uses theoretical research methods, including the analysis of applicable regulations and the literature and views of the doctrine, as well as the results of the research work of the author of the publication. Conclusions: Current legal regulations do not keep up with new technologies. The legislative process itself is complicated and very long. The introduction of new regulations and legislative changes requires, among others, inter-ministerial and social arrangements, work in Sejm and Senate committees, voting in Parliament, and finally the signature of the President of the Republic of Poland. The above-mentioned legal activities take time, and new technologies mean variability and dynamism – a constant fight against time. The development of technology is certainly a new challenge for legislators, for whom cooperation with the scientific community and representatives of various technological industries is an opportunity to create regulations that support rather than limit the development of 21st century technologies. Keywords: law of new technologies, technological revolution, security, implementation of innovations

The aim of this article is to present the changes referred to as the “fourth industrial revolution” and the role of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in accelerating the technological revolution in relation to Polish companies. The ongoing economic downturn has different causes and much broader effects than previous crises. Hence the need to analyze trends (megatrends) in the emergence of innovations initiated or significantly accelerated by the pandemic crisis, and consequently, among other things, the intensification of the digital transformation process.

Quantum computing is emerging as a groundbreaking force, promising to redefine the boundaries of technology and business. This paper provides an in-depth examination of the quantum realm, beginning with its fundamental principles and extending to its implications for today’s industries. We discuss how quantum algorithms threaten existing cryptographic measures while also uncovering vast opportunities in sectors like finance, healthcare, and logistics. The narrative then shifts to the evolution of new business models, exemplified by Quantum-as-a-Service (QaaS) and enhanced AI capabilities. Alongside the myriad opportunities, we address the challenges and ethical concerns surrounding the swift rise of quantum technologies. By emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts among businesses, policymakers, and technologists, the article advocates for a balanced and responsible approach to quantum adoption. Through this analytical lens, the article paints a comprehensive picture of the impending quantum era, presenting both its transformative potential and the complexities it brings to our interconnected world.

Background The presence of artificial intelligence (AI) in many areas of social life is becoming widespread. The advantages of AI are being observed in medicine, commerce, automobiles, customer service, agriculture and production in factory settings, among others. Workers first encountered robots in the work environment in the 1960s. Since then, intelligent systems have become much more advanced. The expansion of AI functionality in the work environment exacerbates human health risks. These can be physical (lack of adequate machine control, accidents) or psychological (technostress, fear, automation leading to job exclusion, changes in the labour market, widening social differences). Material and Methods The purpose of this article is to identify, based on selected literature, possible applications of AI and the potential benefits and risks for humans. Results The main area of interest was the contemporary work environment and the health consequences associated with access to smart technologies. A key research area for us was the relationship between AI and increased worker control. Conclusions In the article, the authors emphasize the importance of relevant EU legislation that guarantees respect for the rights of the employed. The authors put forward the thesis that the new reality with the widespread use of AI, requires an analysis of its impact on the human psycho-social and health situation. Thus, a legal framework defining the scope of monitoring and collection of sensitive data is necessary. Med Pr. 2023;74(3):227–33

This paper systematically examines how workplace automation impacts energy poverty from a demand-side perspective, revealing a new challenge for Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) in the context of technological revolution. Our research demonstrates that workplace automation significantly increases household energy poverty. This finding is robust when using the instrumental variable approach to tackle endogeneity, as well as employing different automation and energy poverty measures, placebo tests, and machine learning methods for robustness checks. Automation's impact mechanism is that it reduces people's income and work-related social capital, thus exposing households to higher risks of energy poverty. Moreover, its consequences are more prominent for rural households, less educated people, non-migrants, those without labor contracts, non trade-union members, and out-of-system workers. Thus enhancing human capital, promoting free movement of workers, and providing better labor protection contribute to weakening the adverse impact of the technological shock. Meanwhile, we find that improving the price reasonability, stability, security and accessibility of energy supply can also mitigate the negative effects of workplace automation on household energy consumption. In the dual context of the fourth technological revolution promoting industrial automation as well as the increasing urgency to achieve SDG 7, findings of this paper have important policy implications.

Today, when assessing the development level of each country, the development level of infrastructure is a crucial indicator. Therefore, investment in the development of production infrastructure is a priority and goes ahead of direct investment. Along with labor, capital, natural resources, etc., science and technology are considered essential resources with a significant impact on economic development. Over 35 years of innovation, our country's science and technology have made positive changes with many achievements in research and investigation, creating a scientific basis for formulating strategies and plans for economic development. Socio-economic, environmental protection, science, and technology, in association with production and life, contribute to improving productivity, quality, and efficiency of all branches and fields.

The term industry 4.0 is present in academia, the business sector, and the media. It is associated with a new technological revolution characterized by the interrelation of various technologies, whose main elements are cyber-physical systems, artificial intelligence, and global connectivity. Although there is abundant literature on the subject, most of it is oriented from a technical and business perspective, and it is optimistic in terms of expected advantages. However, this article analyzes the potential for altering the traditional terms of the contradictory capital-labor relationship. Through an extensive literature review, industry 4.0 is described in its historical-economic context, highlighting the trends it drives. While most authors emphasize connectivity and technical interaction, this text emphasizes the distinctive economic aspect of this revolution. It highlights how the involvement of disruptive technologies to achieve high automation represents a clear trend towards the disappearance of salaried employment, with the exception of the minimal occupation of skilled labor and services. The union of this type of technologies represents a qualitative leap due to the elimination of downtime between individual companies and along all production chains. It concludes by showing the radical alteration in labor relations if industry 4.0 expands.

We are told by the powerful that we live in, or are about to live in, a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Seemingly, this revolution is about deep-seated, rapid, digitally powered techno-scientific change. It is the age of smart machines; it is a new information technology (IT) revolution. However, in this article I suggest that examination of the history of technologies that are often held up to be proof of the 4IR, in fact shows that there is no contemporary technological revolution. The research methodology that I employ here is conceptual analysis and a focused review of literature on the history of particular technologies. An industrial revolution, as its three historical instances have demonstrated, is the fundamental transformation of every aspect of industrial society, including its geopolitical, cultural, macro-social, micro-social, economic and technological strata. It certainly entails a technological revolution, but it is more than just that. In this article, I am not concerned with the broader ensemble of socio-economic changes – it seems increasingly clear that the ‘brave new world’ of the 4IR is not really happening – but simply ask the question: is there currently a technological revolution? The answer seems to be that there is not. Significance: The significance of this study is that it challenges the mainstream notion of technological innovation and change, associated with the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’. It has implications for the way we think about technological and scientific revolutions.

The achievements of scientific and technological development of the space sector can be used only if adequate basic conditions for such development are provided, first of all, its proper and effective legal regulatory framework. The dialectical method enables to study processes of science and technology convergence of in the space sector. The scientific novelty is that the concept of technological systems is used as a theoretical basis for changing the emphasis from “scientific and technical” to “scientific and technological” development, which is historically justified. On the basis of the specified concept priority trends in the scientific and technological development of the space sector of Ukraine are listed. It is concluded that scientific and technological development in the space sector as a result of a new scientific and technological paradigm is a multifaceted phenomenon, proposed to be considered as 1) a complex multi-vector phenomenon and the highest socio-cultural value in the development of mankind; 2) direct causal relation with sustainable and inclusive development, general well-being and social progress in general; 3) an intensive factor influencing economic growth, competitiveness and national security of the state.

This article proposes a new concept—state-centered-collaborative-governance—that describes and explains the ICT governance model and its success in Sweden. As the role of the state lies at the center of dispute for the different governance models, this article revisits the historical government’s role in various industrial revolutions as well as tracking the role played by the Swedish government and that of other stakeholders in its ICT trajectory. By drawing attention to Sweden’s ICT success and the governance model best represents its experience, this article argues that (1) because of the nature and impact of the sector, there is no need to shun active state involvement and (2) successful ICT governance can be achieved from state-centered-collaborative governance. As the state-centered-collaborative-governance model bears resemblance with meta-governance—one of the latest governance terms that emerged in the public governance literature, the article compares these two models and discusses the shortcomings of meta-governance. In conclusion, this article proposes that the state-centered- collaborative-governance model be accepted as a “new” governance model and one governance model that can lead to the success of ICT and other sectors.

Without any doubt, the industry, a concept with variable geometry, has undergone profound transformations, especially through what we now call revolutions. The last of these, the fourth, known as 'Industry 4.0', involves a disruption of production processes, induced by the Internet and information processing, transmission and processing technologies. More significant of the effects expected by those who follow his gait we can mention: more flexibility and adaptability; transformation of rigid structures into network-type structures; vertical integration of flexible and reconfigurable production systems; modularization and autonomy of production systems; use of production systems with fractal structure; resource optimization by connecting equipment to the network; the use of artificial intelligence in the control of production systems, in order to make quick optimal decisions; developing and using new business models; the use of 'ap-store' and 'cloud' applications as new concepts in knowledge management. The conclusion of those who promote the new era of industrial evolution is that all these aspects will generate an increase in manufacturing efficiency by optimizing the technological process, reducing waste in the process chain, greater adaptability to customer needs, increasing product quality, and finally reducing manufacturing costs and waiting times for final consumers. These huge challenges posed by the emergence and expansion of the new evolutionary period of the industry by digitizing the entire process for the manufacture of a product, justify the effort of the contemporary world to implement the Industry 4.0 agenda. And, finally, I come back with the natural dilemma: can Romania and, naturally, the South-West Oltenia region be an active part in this qualitative leap of the industry and not only?

Artificial intelligence is profoundly changing human social life, and the integration between artificial intelligence and law continues to deepen. Artificial intelligence has brought new impetus for legal education from three dimensions: providing new technologies, establishing new models, and shaping new paradigms. At present, it is still at the exploratory stage on how to position the goal of cultivating versatile professionals of “artificial intelligence + law,” how to improve the competence of teachers, and how to integrate the curriculum system. As one of the important contents of the paradigm transformation of “New Liberal Arts” education, legal education must also upgrade the concept of cultivating professionals, make full use of the support of big data, artificial intelligence, and other new technologies, clarify the goal of cultivating versatile professionals who “have the ability of legal thinking can use artificial intelligence technology,” bolster the ranks of teachers who not only “understand the technology” but also can “foster a new generation of people with sound values and ethics,” and construct the interdisciplinary, integrated AILE theoretical and practical curriculum systems, for the purpose of responding to the development trend of the transformation of liberal arts education in the new era, and providing intellectual support for cultivating professionals to meet the development needs of the country in the new era.

Security risks arising from accelerating technological advances have become increasingly evident as humanity now stands on the threshold of a new industrial revolution. Not only are technology-driven military reforms and technology races intensifying broader geopolitical competition among major powers, advancing frontiers of scientific inquiry such as cyberspace and outer space are also opening up new domains of potential conflict, making governance of the global commons an increasingly contentious issue. Promoting global science and technology governance to mitigate and reduce the potential security risks presented by the technological revolution has become an increasingly urgent task. However, today’s global efforts at risk control and prevention face significant challenges and constraints, including a fragmented governance architecture, an outdated power politics mentality, and inequitable distribution of technological power. To improve global science and technology governance, the international community should build an inclusive, resilient, and effective platform that is able to accommodate and reflect the interests and aspirations of both developed countries and developing nations, with a focus on addressing major risks accompanying emerging and foundational technologies like information and communications, artificial intelligence, and digital infrastructure.

Many industrial enterprises are forced to deal with the challenges caused by the need for innovative and technological development of the economy, considering modern trends and directions for implementing changes in all spheres of life. This is caused by a change in technological structures, which exacerbates the need to modernize industry and the economy. The main goal of the article is to substantiate the conceptual foundations of the modernization of the Russian economy in the context of technological and social transformation caused by the transition to a new technological order. To achieve the goal, the following tasks were solved: 1) a comparative analysis of the modernization term was carried out; 2) the main concepts of modernization development are grouped and the most fully reflecting this process is highlighted - a complex concept; 3) the classification of the main types of modernization was carried out and the need for its technological component was substantiated; 4) a model for the formation of technological modernization has been developed. The study was carried out using methods of comparative, structural-functional, scientometric and statistical analyzes, systemic and integrated approaches. The bases for the formation of technological modernization of industrial enterprises in the form of an appropriate model are formulated. The carried out substantive analysis showed that at present, in connection with the transition of many countries to a new technological mode, domestic industrial enterprises need to carry out technological modernization in order to increase their strategic technological competitiveness.

Review of the book by Milovidov V. D. Simmetry of delusions. Uncertainty factors of the global financial market under the technological revolution / V. D. Milovidov; predisl. M.E. Fradkov. Moscow, Magistr, 2019. 336 p. (In Russian).

In the face of the ubiquitous Web 4.0 revolution and diminishing funds for education, it is necessary to disseminate knowledge about crowdfunding. The awareness of the possibility to finance science and education from the croudfunding resources is crucial for the development of this market in Poland. Hence, the following questions arise: What role crowdfunding plays in education and for education? How does education need to adapt to take advantage of this growing pool of available financial resources? To answer those questions we used descriptive analysis and PEST analysis. The conducted surveys, the analysis of literature on the subject and statistical data of the crowdfunding market let us observe that crowdfunding is growing in importance, but there still exists a huge gap in the financing system for science and education, especially in Poland

This paper examines how AI at work impacts on-the-job learning, shedding light on workers’ reactions to the groundbreaking AI technology. Based on theoretical analysis, six hypotheses are proposed regarding three aspects of AI’s influence on on-the-job learning. Empirical results demonstrate that AI significantly inhibits people’s on-the-job learning and this conclusion holds true in a series of robustness and endogeneity checks. The impact mechanism is that AI makes workers more pessimistic about the future, leading to burnout and less motivation for on-the-job learning. In addition, AI’s replacement, mismatch, and deskilling effects decrease people’s income while extending working hours, reducing their available financial resources and disposable time for further learning. Moreover, it has been found that AI’s impact on on-the-job learning is more prominent for older, female and less-educated employees, as well as those without labor contracts and with less job autonomy and work experience. In regions with more intense human–AI competition, more labor-management conflicts, and poorer labor protection, the inhibitory effect of AI on further learning is more pronounced. In the context of the fourth technological revolution driving forward the intelligent transformation, findings of this paper have important implications for enterprises to better understand employee behaviors and to promote them to acquire new skills to achieve better human–AI teaming.

Abstract: Review of the book by Milovidov V. D. Simmetry of delusions. Uncertainty factors of the global financial market under the technological revolution. Moscow, Magistr, 2019. 336 p. (In Russian).Author declares the absence of conflict of interests.

In today’s economy, technological leadership is the only way to overcome the gap and dependence on developed countries. The purpose of the paper is to show the necessity, conditions and results of the reindustrialization in Russia based on the latest technological advantages. The methodological basis of the research is the theories and concepts of technological development. The author applies general scientific methods of observation and collection of facts, analysis and synthesis, logical and retrospective analysis. The shifts in the material conditions of production highlight a qualitative increase in knowledge-intensity of production. The structure and the substance of human needs and the forms of production organization are also changing. This tendency can result in the displacement of human from material production. The criteria of economic rationality will be receding into the background, since they do not prevent man-made environmental degradation and do not ensure meeting the real, but not imaginary or pretended needs. Economy, therefore, will be replaced by noonomy that is a non-economic mode of organization of production activity. People from the outside will regulate production as the external sphere for them. Since human is eliminated the production process, social relationships will no longer be determined by human participation in production activities. The research results are of value when developing the fundamentals of new technological revolution and conceiving the role of reindustrialization in this context.

Today technological communities often consider lack of funding and ideas for establishment of startups as the biggest hitch for launching and development of innovative startups for the moment. But that seems to be unsound as the statistics says that there are plenty of financial institutions, venture funds, business angel investors as well as incoming offers from startups showing that there is a host of ideas. One of the most significant tasks in the international technology community is the development of technology entrepreneurs who are able to approach the establishment of their technological startups insightfully. As a rule, such entrepreneurs launching startups are focused on the process of design and development of a unique device, software and other products which they find outstanding, and only after that such issues as: who needs this product and how this product is going to be built into the manufacturing chain are considered by them. A technology entrepreneur with strong technology skills should direct his efforts to the market and end user. In the USA, Israel, Canada and European countries, this function is performed by the inventor, developer, scientist. Therefore fostering of skills of technology entrepreneurship is a very significant factor which allows inventors, developers and scientists to get basic knowledge of entrepreneurial activities and realize their own ideas at early stages.

The article suggests an original uniquely designed model based on the entropic approach and the method determining the synergizing effect from the convergence of information spaces in the context of the digital economy. The model includes a 3D-modeling-built surface characterizing the reduction of the entropy of information systems clusters in the regional information space, which occurs in the process of network convergence. This model defines the entropy changes for the information systems clusters with the most typical parameters based on “The State Information System Registry of St. Petersburg” in terms of the number of modules, general typology, and functional purpose. Moreover, the model considers ranges of specific indicators characterizing the real regional information systems of St. Petersburg. We have concluded that the synergetic effects of convergence in the context of the digital economy lead to a reduction in the regional information space entropy. We have discovered that the increasing number of the converged clusters of information spaces leads to a stable entropy decrease in them. These features allow numerically describing the discovered convergence effects and estimating the effect of digital structural transformations of the economic system on the information space of a region in terms of its management efficiency. We have concluded that increasing the number of information systems involved in the digital convergence processes causes a more considerable entropy reduction and, consequently, a more significant increase in the effectiveness of regional system management. The research has revealed a relevant area of cross-disciplinary research, which consists in the emergence of a whole class of new neural network in the modern digital neural network economy. This research is of practical significance in developing new management algorithms and making effective managerial decisions in the conditions of large-scale digitalization and networking of regional and national management.

Purpose: the purpose of the article is to identify the main tools for the development of the digital economy of Russia. The article explores the priorities and the main tools for the development of Russia's digital economy, as well as problems that hamper the acceleration of these processes. Approaches to the definition of a digitization index, as well as regulatory and legal aspects of the regulation of the digital economy, are considered. The substantiation of the account of foreign experience in the decision of the revealed problems is given. "Digital privatization', "digital leap", "self-digitalization"and "digital reinvestment".Methods: during the research, the main sources of the initial data were the data of consulting agencies, foreign static bureaus, fundamental and applied works of authoritative scientists in the field of digital economy. The research is based on theoretical methods of scientific knowledge, in particular, the use of methods of synthesis and deduction, as well as methods of empirical cognition, which have revealed many problems of the development of the digital economy and the tools that help to solve them.Results: an analysis of the challenges of the economic and technological order in Russia has been carried out and the role of digitalization in these processes has been revealed. Based on a comparison of the indicators of the new technological revolution of Russia with the countries leaders in this field, it was revealed that the share of the digital economy in Russia today is about 4% in the country's GDP, and in the future up to 10% of GDP growth in Russia and for this it is necessary that the Government of the Russian Federation continued the development of digital services, co-financing of promising projects and increasing digital literacy of the population. Instruments for the development of Russia's digital economy, such as digital privatization, digital leap, self-digitalization, and digital reinvestment, were proposed.Conclusions and Relevance: the tools proposed in this study for the development of the digital economy make it possible to intensify the processes of building up the economic potential for a technological breakthrough. Subsequently, they will be transformed into a set of recommendations for practice and government authorities and allow them to change some laws in the field of high technology and innovation support, as well as to adjust the directions of strategic development of economic institutions and forecast models of economic development.

Global changes in the modern world cannot be adequately described on the basis of neoliberal thinking and require a new approach. It can be formed on the basis of the cyclical-wave characterization of the development of mankind. The hypothesis about the wave-like development of the world economy with a certain cyclicity lies at the heart of thisresearch. The authors determined the economic basis of the formation, development and change of these waves (technological ways and technical revolutions). These changes reflect in the cyclical fluctuations of the world economy.The mechanism of these fluctuations is described by the theory of “large cycles of the economic conjuncture” by N. Kondratiev. The authors propose a methodology and methodological tools for analyzing and forecasting cyclic-wave processes in the economic development. The study has concluded that it is the regularities of K-cycles that allow one to correctly assess the ongoing processes in the world economy, to forecast possible variants of their development. The authors came to the conclusion that the development of the world economic structure is necessarily accompanied by a cyclical shift in the instruments of capital accumulation (material and financial expansion). These processes are reflected in the periodic replacement of scientific paradigms of economic development and management. The state always takes an active part in the phase of the dominance of productive capital, and the ideological paradigm is of a directing nature. While in the phase of domination of financial capital the liberal paradigm becomes dominant. We have substantiated the thesis about the transition from the American to the Asian systemic cycle of capital accumulation, which would inevitably lead in the middle of the 21st century to the shift of the center of the world economy from the West to the East. The paper concludes that the world is facing a change from the Monopolistic world economic structure to the Integrated world economic structure. The authors formulated the main contradiction of our present day — the confrontation of the dying Industrial Civilization in the face of the cumulative West and the emerging Information Society. The authors analyzed the main tendencies, problems and possible alternatives to the development of the world economy. It can ensure the development and adoption of political decisions for the most painless transition of Russia to the emerging forms and institutions of the global economy.

Globalization and the Fourth Technological revolution as its driving force challenge the humanities. The growing unfitness between a highly complex, mobile and risky globalization process and current short-term and monodisciplinary approach to the study of it is still characteristic to the majority of humanities. The article is grounded on the review of works of leading world theorists in modernization (Z. Bauman, U. Beck, M. Castells, M. Fisher-Kowalski, A. Giddens, J. Urry), on the author’s personal experience in running a set of international and domestic research projects, including multilevel studies of urban structures, socio-ecological and disaster issues, and the study of social movements in Russia and abroad. Compilation chronic of socioecological conflicts, building graphs of disposition of forces involved, semi-structured in-depth interviews, and including observation have been used. The major research findings are the following. First, the humanities should follow the above global space-time changes. Second, a mass digital transformation of public life is going on and the study of facts is gradually replaced by the study of dramatized facts produced and spread by media. Third, a new object of study, the sociobiotechnical systems (the SBT-systems) have emerged in which social, biological and technical structures and processes are highly integrated by various metabolic processes. Fourth, an existing social order (on all levels) is critically lags behind and therefore is replacing by temporal agreements, road-maps, etc. Fifth, a global information network is potentially all-embracing and all-penetrating risk which destroys the very essence of a man’s privacy. Sixth, metabolic processes are a double-sided phenomenon, physical-chemical and social as such. Seventh, all above processes challenge the established forms of social researches. Their organizational structure should fit to multisided and nonlinear processes of the SBT-system evolution combining top-down and bottom-up approaches. Eight, the ‘technological innovation—social life—the humanities’ interactions should be studied at all levels of the SBT-system functioning and evolution.

The paper lays out the position of Financial University experts on the issues set forth in the Development Strategy of Russia for the period of 2018-2024 named “Creating the Future: People, Technology, the State.” This program was prepared by the Center for Strategic Research. The experts at Financial University share the view of the Strategy authors that the increase in productivity, the introduction of new technologies, the modernization of existing industries and opening new advanced productions along with human capital investments, given the efficient state management, are the drivers of the modern economy. At the same time, the paper draws attention to a number of shortcomings and disparities in the Strategy presented.

Information warfare represents a real non-conventional threat which in the context of the technological revolution of telecommunications and modern electronics has found its place as an instrument of prevention of classical warfare, but does not exclude conventional warfare, fought with the means of organized defense. The globalization of information and the needs of information protection of society at a global scale are the necessities of the moment, demanding a collective approach.

The concept of knowledge-based economy is a new model of economic development. In this article I am analyzing the defining elements of the knowledge economy in Europe and Romania, in terms of the technological revolution, the labor market and income distribution. In order to perform this analysis, I will use the following economic indicators: the scientific research spending, the number of patents and the Gini index. To effectively compare the economic indicators that define the knowledge economy in the EU and in our country, I will test a series of econometric equations that describe the correlations between the Gini indexes and the determinant factors of the technological progress. Due to the complexity of interactions there will be used autoregressive tools. The comparison of the different forms of econometric estimation will take into consideration the results of similar studies in the literature, respectively the specific conditions in Romania. There will be analyzed the implications of new technologies on labor market and the income dynamics in the Romanian economy. On the other hand, there will be taken into account the impact of the current global economic crisis on the economic indicators analyzed. The conclusions of the analysis will be reported to the requirements of the EU’s strategic programs, in particular the “Europe 2020”.

Theresa Morris, Hans Jonas’s Ethic of Responsibility: From Ontology to Ecology, Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, SUNY Series in Environmental Philosophy and Ethics, 2013, 236 p.

In the current global economic environment, competition is becoming acute and complex, and rapid technological changes are shortening product lifecycles and the capacity of a company to generate new goods and services, or to improve them and distribute them as quickly as possible to markets. Changes of technological nature have been so rapid lately that one can talk of a new technological revolution if we take into account the waves of technological development which are based on the spectacular progresses in informatics, telecommunications, robotics, fiber optics, fine chemical products and in aerospatial industry.

World economy is experiencing some important transformations, mainly due to the rapid evolution of the informational and communication technologies. In the last years, new technologies flooded the production processes. They have allowed the improvement of the processing and use of the economic information and the general accelaration of the economic flows. The technological revolution is presented in all its trade forms, either the wholesale trade or the retail trade. The technical progress interferes with the economic activity through the re-engineering of the production lines, the revolution in the field of building materials and store, shopping center, malls and industrial hall building, the considerably shorter time period these are being built and they become available for the commercial activity, the revolution in the field of supply, merchandise storage and manipulation, the appearance of different types of intelligent machineries and equipment, merchandise storage software improving the way the client is served at the counter. The industrial revolution determines a reorganization of the economic activity, a resetting of the trade economic activity by directing the trader towards the client using new commercial techniques and strategies.

The strength and weakness of nanotechnologies are considered. The strength of nanotechnologies lay in three main aspects. First, in the possibility of building products more efficient than the ones we know nowadays. Second, in the possibility of making multifunctional products. Third, in reducing and substituting the amount of raw material in several industrial sectors; and even meliorating the environment. But changes do not came without unintended consequences. And there is where the weaknesses of nanotechnology appear. Also in this case three main aspects should be considered. Firstly, the fact that matter when manipulated in nanoscale has unknown toxicological properties. Secondly, is the question of whose health will be affected by these technologies. Thirdly, is the fact that employment and division of labor will change significantly, at regional, national and international scale.

Within the framework of the Information Society, the technological revolution has led to the emergence of new business structures and the establishment of a market network. Electronic commerce has experienced in recent years an important development, surpassing all forecasts and initial planning, demonstrating their potential. However, uncontrolled, uneven and arbitrary growth could trigger at the lack of protection for consumers and users and the emergence of new forms of exclusion. The mistrust that conducting business transactions continues to arouse in the Web should make us think beyond their potential, in the paradoxes of the network. In this regard, the actions of the authorities appears to be necessary in regulating the legal framework for action, as in the implementation of intervention plans for the development of such trade as a generator of quality and in terms of social welfare equality.

O trabalho examina o movimento intelectual que envolveu a reflexão científica nas ciências sociais a partir dos anos 1960 e suas vinculações com as transformações que, na mesma época, agitam as relações econômicas e políticas no plano mundial, com seu foco principal apontado para os Estados Unidos. Duas das expressões mais significativas desse movimento são localizadas em questões relativas à identificação de uma crise institucional na democracia americana e com a verificação do processo de reavaliação do papel da Sociologia, seja desde o ponto de vista institucional, seja como instrumento de explicação da realidade social do país e do mundo. A crise política americana é visualizada como tendo por pano de fundo a reorganização do poder econômico do país, resultante do desenvolvimento tecnológico e do processo de globalização. A partir da constatação de que os fundamentos da democracia americana parecem estar ameaçados por mudanças comportamentais e estruturais internas, desenvolve-se no país considerável quantidade de pesquisas e estudos abordando diferentes perspectivas da atuação das grandes corporações. Como contraponto à percepção da degradação da comunidade política interna, esse esforço é marcadamente orientado para a identificação dos compromissos do circuito empresarial com o comportamento cívico e com a democracia, quer na afirmação da ética nos negócios, quer na perspectiva do desenvolvimento de uma política social mais compatível com as estratégias corporativas. Este é o contexto em que a noção de capital social adquire o sentido de articulador principal das disputas políticas e teóricas em torno do desenvolvimento econômico e das transformações verificadas na atividade industrial resultantes da expansão de novas tecnologias e de seus efeitos em termos da necessidade de redimensionamento do direito de propriedade intelectual.This work examines the intellectual movement that dominated the scientific thought in the social sciences from the 1960s onwards, and its connection with the changes in the world's economic and political relations since then, emphasizing the United States. Two of the most significant manifestations of this movement are found in questions related to the identification of an institutional crisis in American democracy and the need for a process to re-evaluate the role of sociology, both from the institutional point of view, and as a tool to explain the social reality of the country and the world. The reorganization of America's economic power, as a result of the technological development and the globalization process, provides the background for the political crisis in the United States. When it becomes evident that the foundations of the American democracy are threatened by changes in its internal structure and behavior, it is possible to detect the development of a considerable amount of research and studies dealing with different perspectives of the large corporations' activities. As a counterpoint to the apparent deterioration of the internal political community, this effort intends to identify the commitments of the business circuit with the civic behavior and democracy, whether in the assertion of ethics in business, or in the perspective of the development of a social policy more compatible with the corporate strategies. It is in this context that the concept of social capital becomes the main articulator of political and theoretical disputes on the subject of the economic development and the changes verified in the industrial sector resulting from the expansion of new technologies and their effects regarding the need for a redimensioning of the intellectual property right.