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The need for lifelong learning is increasing as humanity transforms the planet into a global village. The growing number of people using the electronic infrastructure is creating new practices in which learning and work are intertwined. Professional educators must build the collective intelligence required for a knowledge-based society, and in that regard, electronic networks can be very useful. (Author/TD)

Context and background The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into businesses has become increasingly widespread in recent years, particularly in developed countries, fundamentally reshaping the landscape of entrepreneurship and innovation. AI presents numerous opportunities for small businesses, including those involved in cross-border trade. It has the potential to transform various aspects of business operations, such as customer interactions, marketing research, understanding consumer behavior, optimizing routes, and forecasting sales and marketing trends. Additionally, AI can contribute to the formalization of business processes, and assist these businesses in adapting more effectively to the ever-changing dynamics of the market. However, the successful implementation of AI necessitates a meticulous assessment of AI applications to ensure alignment with the objectives and resources of each individual small business. Goal and Objectives: The primary focus of this paper is to explore the potential of Artificial Intelligence in enhancing Africa's cross-border trade. The paper will address the following research questions: What are the effective applications of artificial intelligence in cross-border informal trade in Africa, and what are the limitations? What does the future hold for African countries in terms of utilizing artificial intelligence for cross-border trade? How can African informal cross-border traders and their stakeholders benefit from incorporating artificial intelligence in their activities? Methodology: The research is purely empirical research based on observation and measurement of phenomena, as directly experienced by the researcher. Results: AI can be effectively applied by Informal Cross-Border Traders (ICBT) to enhance their businesses and enhance competitiveness. There are several AI applications accessible to ICBT within their operational context. Although the adoption and utilization of AI in Africa are still in their infancy, there is considerable promise for the future. Africans must address the challenges hindering the adoption and utilization of AI, as technology is advancing rapidly, and opportunities await those who embrace it.

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Copyright of Educação Matemática Pesquisa is the property of Pontificia Universidade Catolica de Sao Paulo, Programa de Estudos Pos-Grad. em Educacao Matematica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Digital signature solutions are rapidly replacing classic signatures and have the potential to dominate signature-related processes. The concept of a digital signature is based on the transition from paper to electronic documentation and the automation of workflow systems, by reducing the processing time of documents. The digital signature offers the possibility to identify a person who has signed an electronic document. The main benefits of this technology include increased efficiency, lower costs, and increased customer satisfaction. Digital signatures must be clearly distinguished from ordinary authentication processes. While authentication is only used to verify the identity of end- users, digital signatures also ensure data integrity. The paper analyzed the importance and main arguments, challenges, and strategies for the implementation of the digital signature, as well as the role of the Information Technology and Cyber Security Service-STISC in the implementation of the digital signature in the Republic of Moldova.

Copyright of Annals of Telecommunications is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Annals of Telecommunications is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Information Technology (IT) Sector is known for its fast paced and dynamic work environment, which often leads to role conflict among IT professionals. This paper presents a bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review of the phenomenon of role conflict in the IT sector. The study analyses a total 77 academic papers published till 2022, indexed in Scopus and Web of Science database. The bibliometric analysis identifies the most influential authors, journals and keywords related to the topic of role conflict in the IT sector. The systematic literature review identifies and synthesizes the major themes, theoretical perspectives and research method used in the literature on role conflict in the IT sector. The findings suggests that role conflict in the IT sector is a complex phenomenon that can result from a variety of factors including conflicting expectations, unclear job responsibilities, and organisational, and environmental factors that contribute to role conflict, as well as the strategies that can be used to manage and reduce it. The study concludes with recommendations for future research and practical implications for organisations seeking to mitigate the negative effects of role conflict on their employees and performance.

Science and technology are developing continuously, and oilfield exploitation has gradually realized informatization and automation. In order to meet the needs of the oilfield mining automation system and to better monitor the data in the oilfield mining process, the computer big data information technology application system has become an indispensable part of the oilfield mining operation enterprise. In this paper At the beginning, the status quo of the oilfield mining automation system is analyzed. In this paper, the role of the computer big data information technology automation system in oilfield mining is analyzed. This paper discusses the key points of the development and design of the automation system system. The ultimate purpose of this paper is to provide certain ideas for oilfield mining automation.

Due to the application of new technologies, computers as the new medium of our society have opened a new dimension of teaching languages. Information systems allow for leaving the classroom virtually, finding authentic and topical teaching resources in the target language. The present study shows how teachers can incorporate the internet in teaching foreign languages for specific purposes and aims to outline a new language learning project applying blended learning at the University of Debrecen, Hungary. The project is aiming at reaching language competence levels expected by the job market, and also developing a language teaching program which is adjusted to the new learning routines of the students. This article gives a detailed presentation of a training programme developed in French for students majoring in tourism and hospitality BA education at the University of Debrecen. The curriculum is designed to improve written and oral communication skills in situations arising in the context of tourism. Thus a wide range of topics most important in the world of work and vocabulary development (writing a CV, finding a job, tourism internships, the hotel and the restaurant industry, etc.) are included. The article also presents how job interviews and meetings in foreign languages and other everyday situations can be included in the curriculum. Special attention is paid to motivating students with online materials and introducing internet resources for language practice and information acquisition in order to make language learning more enjoyable. Since Hungarian undergraduate students need to pass a B2 level exam in one or two foreign languages in order to receive a degree, this paper also sets out to present the students' specific language needs. Thus, we demonstrate that our aim is to adjust the course to learners' needs and provide the most suitable materials in order to achieve set goals: to cover the exam requirements and at the same time prepare learners for their future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological changes are “the main engine of capitalism and evolution” (A. Toffler), “the fundamental driving force in transformation of an economy” (C. Freeman). The paper proposes a theoretical investigation of information and communication technologies evolution and their impact on the globalization of economy. It defines terms like globalization - with special attention focused on its economical dimension, technological change, and information and communication technologies.

In the contemporary circumstances, intellectual capital has become the engine of the economic, social and cultural development. Mobilization and utilization of intellectual resources in enterprises create value, thus transforming and accelerating development of national economies towards the knowledge and innovation based economies. Due to these reasons, the most developed economies increase investments in education, information technologies and stimulate innovativeness. On the other hand, less developed countries do not have possibilities for significant investments in creating and employing national intellectual potential. This is reflected in their economic growth rates, as in the case of the Southeastern European (SEE) countries. In that regard, the paper investigates the impact of education, information technologies and innovations, as determinants of national intellectual capital development, on the economic growth in the SEE countries. The aim of this paper is to identify the contribution of the key intellectual capital determinants to the economic growth and development in the SEE countries and propose measures whose implementation lead to further development towards knowledge and innovation economies. The results of correlation analysis revealed positive and statistically significant correlation between GDP per capita and employed measures of national intellectual capital. The research has shown that increase in high-technology export, number of R&D researchers and mobile phone subscribers has a positive and significant impact on economic growth. The authors advise intensified cooperation between business community and institutes and universities to achieve synergetic effects in generating and utilising national intellectual potential.

The introduction of digital technologies in educational institutions has gained significant momentum worldwide as societies recognize the central role of education in preparing individuals for a technology-driven world. This paper explores the concept of 'school digital capacity', which encompasses various factors critical to the effective integration of technology into teaching and learning practices. Educational leadership emerges as a cornerstone of this capacity, with leaders playing a critical role in shaping the digital landscape of their institutions. Using a mixed-methods approach, this research explores the perceptions of educational leaders in the context of a large-scale digital education reform project. Key findings highlight the importance of leadership and a coherent digital strategy in improving digital efficacy and teacher engagement with technology. However, challenges are evident, including a lack of clear strategies, inadequate human resource allocation, limited knowledge of digital education and insufficient professional development opportunities. The study highlights the need for improved training programmes for educational leaders to equip them with the necessary digital skills and strategic acumen. Collaborative networks between schools and increased support from ministries of education are recommended to facilitate effective digital integration and capacity development.

Summary - Public support for cultural industries (movies, music, publishing) raises renewed issues. This is due on the one hand to a new context, defined by globalization, digitalization, the omnipresence of ICTs and liberalization. On the other hand, whereas public support is an accepted idea in these industries, its pernicious effects make it harder to legitimate. The paper focuses on the case of the French movie industry. It shows that public policies in this industry are caught in an inflationist spiral, and that their results can't be legitimated after the fact. To resolve the dilemma of public policies in cultural industries, the paper proposes a renewed theoretical corpus, which includes the concepts of economy of creation and information economy..

Copyright of Vie et Sciences de l'Entreprise is the property of ANDESE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper analyses the relationship between convenience stores (konbini) and individualisation in contemporary Japanese society. As a retail form, konbini provide convenience in the form of a time and space which not only their goods, but also their organization type and information technologies make possible. They thus give birth to a new style of consumption, networked consumption. Social life that has "individuals" as its main unit will expand by relying on the "consumption networks" formed by konbini. We point out that the circulation of individuals and networks produced by these modern Japanese convenience stores defines the outer edges and interior of the society called Japanese, by referring to the two "outsides" of America and Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: The digitalization of the global economy is the most common phenomenon in the 21st century. Most Public sector organizations have already started their journeys towards digitalization, and many of them have dealt with their contemporary challenges with success. At the center of these transformations are metrics and indicators used for evaluating digital progress. Already existing measures focus on numerical measures of the presence of digital technology in the public sector (output measures), but do not evaluate the quality of the digitalized public sector (outcome measures). Purpose of the article: This paper attempts to evaluate metrics and indicators used for measuring the digital progress in the public sector. Methods: Three particular aspects of digitalization in the top five leading countries (Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, and Malta) were examined: I. success rate of public sector IT projects (measured by how often projects are scrapped); II. The price comparability between the public sector and private sector IT projects; and III. The relative modernity of government IT systems (compared to private sector systems). Findings & Value added: The findings of this paper present key metrics and indicators that can be used to evaluate public sector digital progress. Policymakers will need to redefine digitalization goals and areas of investments, while researchers can contribute more insights to the individual impact of these metrics and indicators on the development of a digital public sector. To this end, the paper contributes to a better understanding of the essential metrics and indicators to measure digitalization progress in the public sector.

This paper is centred around the development of a smart city information system. Smart cities use the framework of information and communications technologies to create, deploy and promote practices that address urban challenges and create, connect and enable sustainable infrastructure. This definition focuses on network deployment, transport, ICT investment, human and social capital to support sustainable community goals and quality of life by involving users of certain technologies and community-based applications in social participation. In this paper, we show that a multi-disciplinary approach is needed to address these issues, combining expertise from distributed systems, software and services engineering, network and data management and processing, crowdsourcing, sensor and update methods, social computing, as well as the collective intelligence.

Copyright of Annals of Telecommunications is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Annals of Telecommunications is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The hermeticism and aphoristic style of Marshall McLuhan probably affected the scientific reception of his work. Nevertheless, the writings of the Canadian author still continue to attract both criticisms and praise. In this paper, we provide a brief account of his contribution. After reviewing some of the ideas of thinkers to whom McLuhan himself is indebted, we address the posterity of his writings and evoke the most recurrent criticisms of his work. The paper ends by mentioning how McLuhan imported approaches mobilized in literary theory in the 1930s into media analysis and by calling on Harold Innis’ approach to complement that of McLuhan.

This paper deals with the phenomenon of workplace cyber bullying. It aims at extending a literature review with data collected from an empirical enquiry. We ask how the communication features of electronic mail redefine bullying in the workplace. Middle managers who claimed to be victims of bullying were interviewed. Grounded theory data analysis indicates a complementarity between face-to-face bullying and bullying via email. The sociotechnical features of email help redefine the main characteristics of workplace bullying: the intention to harm the target, the intensity and repetition of negative acts and power imbalances. The noxious use of emails also enables cyber violence committed by groups and mobbing phenomena. Additionally, the study shed light upon the discrimination and exclusion of victims regarded as “non-compliant” with their organization’s culture.

The measurable enthusiasm for remote tracking applications demonstrates that parental monitoring has been deeply affected by the rise of digital tools and platforms. Among the new monitoring methods made available to parents over the past decade, tracking children’s geographical location arguably remains one of the most controversial. Based on a qualitative methodology, this research paper provides an empirical contribution showing the social consequences of geolocating young people within the family circle. It illustrates how technical devices are challenging the relationship of trust between safety-conscious parents and teenagers whose voice is obscured by spatial tracking considered as revealing the truth.

Due to the fact that Ukraine is the part of the European space, important questions concerning the quality of education have arisen and thus new requirements for the teaching methods and approaches in higher technical educational institutions appear. To improve the quality of education, foreign languages teachers of technical universities are developing new teaching methods. It is very important for educators to use information technologies due to the social and educational informatization. One of the most innovative technologies in contemporary education is podcasting. The suggested paper is devoted to the analysis of podcasting as an innovative technology in the field of foreign language teaching and learning. This paper analyses the application features of the podcasting technology in the learning process. The basic concepts related to the podcasting technology (podcasting, audiocast, vodcast) are defined. The detailed process of audiocast creation is outlined. The main features of the software for audiocast creation are given. The advantages (listening sub-skills formation; listening skills development; the individualized learning intensification; creating conditions for refreshing knowledge and students’ skills reinforcement in the classroom and extracurricular time; multimedia and interactivity; creativity stimulation; usability) and disadvantages (potential abstracting from studying process; audiocast selection problems) of using audiocasts in the educational process are considered.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had and will have, profound effects on adult education (Boeren, Roumell & Roessger, 2020; Kapplinger & Lichte, 2020) and online learning practices. The impact was unprecedented and led to the largest and quickest transformation of pedagogic practice ever seen in contemporary universities (Brammer & Clark, 2020). Although it is too soon for a full assessment, the first step is to gain insight into an understanding of the macro trends taking shape inside and outside the walls of institutions and then explore how these trends may affect the future. Against this background, a question arises: How is the COVID-19 pandemic shaping the future of adult online learning in higher education? Drawing on adult education and higher education scholarly and practitioner literature published over the last year, the purpose of this paper is threefold: (i) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, to identify and analyze emerging trends that could shape the future of adult online education in higher education, (ii) to analyze these trends over a longer time span in the literature, and (iii) to explore the possible futures of adult education and online learning in higher education.

In this paper, we propose a reflection from a position of allies on the issues of decolonization of information and data sovereignty. Given the increasing use of digital data by a plurality of actors, we aim to contribute to the reflections on digital governance by linking the latter to a number of informational issues that First Peoples in Canada are facing. We present various observations that we believe would support the idea that First Peoples’ digital strategies that are based on traditional epistemologies and informational control structures would make it possible to implement a decolonized governance of the digital data that concerns them. As such, it would then reflect the digital agency of First Peoples.

The mediation of love and sexuality has often relied on dating advice. This paper analyses a corpus of dating guides concerning the popular app Tinder. Our analysis suggests that the practice of algorithmic blackboxing, that is, characterizing algorithms as black boxes, is central to these guides that rely on the alleged opacity of Tinder’s algorithms to praise certain products, advice, or services that aim to facilitate matchmaking. The practice of algorithmic blackboxing primarily encourages users to hack Tinder. In this context, the notion of hack stresses the importance for users to modulate their behaviours in ways that make them more algorithmically recognisable, especially in relation to their gender. Thus, we suggest that Tinder’s algorithms participate in reproducing a speculative dating economy.

The radical changes that occurred as a result of the acceleration of the globalization process have generated significant changes in the field of information technology and communication business. That's why people opened new perspectives to make more modern means of communication and to offer an ample access to information for all those interested in this field. This paper deals with aspects concerning the diversity of ways of global communication through new technologies, emphasizing the use of digital communication in the field of business. It discusses the benefits and challenges of using effective communication systems to the global world of business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By analyzing references to the information society in the French popular/community education sector, this paper examines what is generated, but also revealed by the myth of the information society and the practices that are linked to it , but also what the appropriation of this project in this sector reveals about this project itself. By questioning how it is appropriated, this paper discusses the several dimensions of the information society (ideological, political, technical, etc.) and highlights the new challenges faced by actors who are committed to the empowerment of citizens. The genealogical approach to these issues allows us to situate contemporary references to the information society within the tradition of media appropriation rooted in the 19th century which characterizes the French popular/community education sector. Thus, this paper aims at highlighting the continuities and the ruptures that the use of the reference to the information society translates.

This paper reviews the conceptual and institutional developments of technology assessment (TA) since 25 years, when the first TA institutions were created in Europe, with a particular emphasis on the place of ICT in this evolution. The first generation of TA relies on the concept of technological options, deals with an integrated evaluation of the various social impacts and draws scenarios for society. Anticipation of future changes and democratisation of the political decision making process are at the core of TA activities. In the nineties, a second generation of TA emerges, based on constructive TA and participative TA. This second generation is influenced by the constructivist approach in the sociology of sciences and aims at a social shaping of technology. While ICT were one of the preferred topics of the first TA generation, their place in the second generation appears to be less central. The paper proposes some hypotheses that may explain this change.

Since the 2000s, the emergence of new players from the communication industries has provoked profound upheavals within the music industries. This paper examines the challenges faced by musicians in developing communication skills on the Internet and digital social networks. Their deployment of rationale for action similar to those used in community management highlights new challenges for the dissemination and promotion of musical activities. An empirical analysis of musicians’ discourse and practices in France and the United Kingdom suggests that the communication practices of the musicians encourage them to adopt an entrepreneurial stance regarding their visibility. This stance is controversial in more than one respect.

Since 2013, YouTube has been considered the “top destination” for music listening in France. Launched by three employees from PayPal in 2005 as editor of a website for hosting and publishing videos, the company has developed a technical system and a business model that monetises published music on the website by linking “on demand” listening with an advertising control system. Based on a media survey including YouTube.com, the YouTube blog and the study of patents, this paper uses a socio-semiotic approach to analyse technical, semiotic and symbolic mediations which support the commercial valuation of music in a generalist media apparatus initially designed for video. It first analyses how a range of techno-semiotic objects convert a multiplicity of signs into financial value. It then shows how reference to a specific audience measurement, the “view”, is a disputed standard among music market agents. Finally, it explores the anthropological aspects of media economics and consumption behaviour that support the acceptance of this measure of activity. Between Youtube’s claims to best represent web users’ musical interests and practices to attract them and seduce brands, and a technical system designed to calculate the monetary value of music without reference to musical form or practice, mediating the value of music on YouTube appears contradictory.

Based on the author’s numerous previous works on the transition from analog to digital music, this paper discusses the notion of the “digital shift”: indeed, in comparison with the analog era of cultural production, digital technologies and their generalization seem to have broken down a number of economic, practical and symbolic barriers. In particular, they seem to encourage an increase in the number of artists by reducing the costs of entering the art market and maximizing the possibilities of access to fame through social networks. They appear to heighten the social well-being of audiences by improving access to a larger number and variety of pieces. They may erase the hierarchy of artistic works by favouring the aesthetics of hybridization and decontextualization. So how can this paradigm shift be integrated into the framework of art theory and art history? How can we think about the anthropological scope of the transformations induced by technical mutations?

The challenge facing society is to identify a way to meet customer needs in an innovative way, and Artificial Intelligence helps us achieve this innovation through creative ways. In this paper, we aim to study, from simple to complex, the overview of artificial intelligence technologies, the opportunities generated by their creation and implementation but also the consequences generated by it in the activity of all companies/corporations/and institutions regardless of work done. The subject is deepened by a case study on the process of transformation of an institution in the banking financial system that will allow us to highlight the origins, content, execution and consequences of the transformation process generated by the adoption of artificial intelligence.

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Copyright of Criminologie is the property of Presses de l'Universite de Montreal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With the emergence of new technologies, banks and financial services around the globe are taking advantage. The rapid development of information technology, internet connectivity, and smartphones has influenced the banking and financial services sector. The combination of financial technology (FinTech) and blockchain is deliberately transforming digital banking services. This study explores the intervention of FinTech and blockchain technologies in digital banking and financial services. The present study shows that FinTech and blockchain have a strong influence on the digitalization trends. The research focuses on processes of modernization in banking and financial services in addition to particular focus on the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]