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Objective(s): The aim of this paper was to report on qualitative survey responses provided by older Australian adults regarding their preferences for Internet‐based services and content. Methods: Two qualitative questions ('What type of Internet‐based mental health and well‐being (1) services, and (2) content would be of most interest to you?') from a broader survey investigating the mental and physical health of older Australians were thematically analysed for commonly occurring themes. Eighty‐nine participants aged 65 years or older (mean age = 71 years, SD = 5.30) responded to at least one qualitative question. Participants were primarily female (60%, n = 53), born in Australia (65%, n = 58), in a relationship (58%, n = 52), living in the community (79%, n = 70) and relatively well educated, with the majority having completed a university degree (38%, n = 34). Results: Themes indicated that participants were most interested in Facebook‐style services (n = 17), chat groups (n = 16) and email‐based services (n = 4) designed specifically for older adults (n = 14). However, some concerns were raised regarding the trustworthiness of Internet‐based services, with the largest proportion of participants (n = 22) noting that they were unlikely to use Internet‐ or social media‐based services. The primary content‐related themes were mental fitness (n = 34), grief and loss (n = 20), health information (n = 13), socialisation (n = 11) and physical fitness (n = 10). Conclusions: Participants indicated interest in tailor‐made Facebook‐style services for older adults that allow them to communicate with their peers and create new social networks and incorporate content relating to strategies for working on mental and physical fitness, information on coping with grief and loss, as well as health information. These findings can be used by organisations to develop Internet‐based services and content for older Australian adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For care planning and support, under-detection and late diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a great challenge. Models of Patient-Engagement for Alzheimer's Disease (MOPEAD) is an EU-funded project aiming at testing different strategies to improve this situation.Objective: To make a cost-consequence analysis of MOPEAD.Methods: Four screening strategies were tested in five countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden): 1) a web-approach; 2) Open-House initiative; 3) in primary care; and 4) by diabetes specialists. Persons-at-risk of AD in all strategies were offered referral to a hospital-based specialist. The primary health-economic outcome was the cost per true-positive case (TP) of AD from the screened population.Results: Of 2,847 screened persons, 1,121 screened positive (39%), 402 were evaluated at memory clinics (14%), and 236 got an AD diagnosis (8%). The cost per TP of those screened was €3,115 with the web-approach, €2,722 with the Open-House, €1,530 in primary care, and €1,190 by diabetes specialists. Sensitivity analyses that more likely reflect the real-world situation confirmed the results. The number-needed-to-screen was 30 with the web-approach, 8 with the Open-House and primary care, and 6 with the diabetes specialists.There were country differences in terms of screening rates, referrals to memory clinics, staff-types involved, and costs per TP.Conclusion: In primary care and by the diabetes specialist, the costs per TP/screened population were lowest, but the capacity of such settings to identify cases with AD-risk must be discussed. Hence new diagnostic strategies such as web-solutions and Open-House initiatives may be valuable after modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine whether Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) member in vitro fertilization (IVF) centers adhere to the Society's new advertising policy, updated in January 2018, and evaluate other services advertised by region, insurance mandate and university affiliation status. Historically, a large percentage of IVF clinics have not adhered to SART guidelines for IVF clinic website advertising and have had variability in how financial incentives and other noncore fertility services are advertised.Design: Cross-sectional study.Setting: Not applicable.Patient(s): None.Intervention(s): None.Main Outcome Measure(s): Adherence of SART participating websites to objective criteria from the 2018 SART advertising guidelines.Result(s): All 361 SART participating clinic websites were evaluated. Approximately one third of clinics reported success rate statistics directly on their websites, but only 52.6% of those clinics reported current statistics. Similarly, only 67.5% of SART member clinics included the required disclaimer statement regarding their outcome statistics. Only 10.5% of websites were wholly compliant with SART guidelines regarding presentation of supplemental data. There were no significant differences between academic and nonacademic centers, programs in mandated versus nonmandated states, or East versus West Coast clinics in any of these areas.Conclusion(s): Many of the SART member websites failed to adhere to core guidelines surrounding reporting IVF clinic success rates. Consideration for additional education and streamlining as well as simplifying success rate advertising guidelines is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I present two models for exploring the impact of the emergence and diffusion of the internet on vertical and horizontal firm boundaries. I argue that the effect of the emergence and diffusion of the internet on a firm's boundaries is a function of the firm's determinants of costs, moderated by the information dependence and tacitness of the firm's value-adding activities and the organizational technology that underpins the firm's primary activities. Contrary to previous research, the models suggest that the emergence and diffusion of the internet should also expand some firm boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decade, specifically the last three years have been difficult for traditional retailers. Increased market fragmentation and both local and global competition characterized the initial period of the decade. In the last three years, the threat of the Internet has increased the competitive pressure that retailers face. Although the bricks versus clicks battle has largely been won by brick stores, and the etailing market (click only) has imploded, the threat to firms from the Internet has not declined. Some traditional retailers (bricks) have created an Internet presence (clicks and bricks) that has led to enhanced interest regarding the Internet by retailers who have not joined the Internet revolution. The central question that this paper seeks to answer is whether the preference or choice of bricks over dicks is due to the consumer's ability to physically examine the merchandise, or is a result of the service salespeople offer. The results suggest that the role of salespeople may be limited in customers' choice of store format. This article discusses strategies to elevate the role of salespeople in stores are then discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Success in cyberspace markets will be influenced by whether firms can develop unique organisational processes as the basis for supporting market performance. This perspective suggests that the adoption of a ‘resource-based’ view of the firm may provide the basis for assessing the ability of an organisation to exploit the Internet as a path through which to enhance market performance. A competency model has been developed to define areas of capability that may influence the execution of an Internet marketing strategy. Proposed competencies include positioning, funding, innovation, workforce management, productivity, service quality and information management. Following qualitative validation of the model, a survey was undertaken amongst small UK manufacturing firms. Results of the survey indicate that the identified competencies within the model are perceived as critical for achieving market performance and that firms which exhibit these key competencies are able to achieve a higher level of sales growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Investigacion & Educacion en Enfermeria is the property of Universidad de Antioquia, Facultad de Enfermeria 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.)

Objectives: Overprescribing of antibiotics by general practitioners (GPs) is seen as a major driver of antibiotic resistance. Training in communication skills and C-reactive protein (CRP) testing both appear effective in reducing such prescribing. This study assesses the cost-effectiveness (compared with usual care) of: (i) training GPs in the use of CRP testing; (ii) training GPs in communication skills; and (iii) training GPs in both CRP testing and communication skills.Methods: Economic analyses [cost-utility analysis (CUA) accounting for the cost of antibiotic resistance and cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA)] were both conducted from a healthcare perspective with a time horizon of 28 days alongside a multinational, cluster, randomized, factorial controlled trial in patients with respiratory tract infections in five European countries. The primary outcome measures were QALYs and percentage reduction in antibiotic prescribing. Hierarchical modelling was used to estimate an incremental cost per QALY gained and an incremental cost per percentage reduction in antibiotic prescribing.Results: Overall, the results of both the CUA and CEA showed that training in communication skills is the most cost-effective option. However, excluding the cost of antibiotic resistance in the CUA resulted in usual care being the most cost-effective option. Country-specific results from the CUA showed that training in communication skills was cost-effective in Belgium, UK and Netherlands whilst training in CRP was cost-effective in Poland.Conclusions: Internet-based training in communication skills is a cost-effective intervention to reduce antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections in primary care if the cost of antibiotic resistance is accounted for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of Internet use on economic growth and the extent to which educational inequality modulates this impact for a panel data set of 94 countries between 1995 and 2010. We obtain a positive and significant impact of Internet use on economic growth and a negative influence of educational inequality on the Internet’s impact on growth. When we disaggregate by income levels, the results indicate that Internet use is positively associated with economic growth for middle- and high-income countries. Educational inequality influences the impact of Internet use on economic growth only for middle- and low-income countries, although with the opposite sign. For middle-income countries, the impact is negative, while the impact is positive for low-income economies. The research provides evidence for the first time about how inequalities in education may limit the positive economic outcomes and benefits derived from the use of information and communication technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 2000s, China and Russia emerged as outspoken actors with global ambitions. To communicate their status aspirations, both countries introduced a range of nation-branding institutions and initiatives. Global Internet governance – the design and administration of Internet technology and related policymaking – is among the domains where China and Russia have asserted their national brands. The Chinese and Russian governments co-advance the brand narrative of ‘Internet sovereignty’ in opposition to perceived technological and governance hegemony of the United States. Given the power that private online intermediaries wield in the political economy of the Internet, national digital media champions, China’s Baidu and Russia’s Yandex, have been integral to their countries’ Internet branding efforts. The article examines how China and Russia have forged a public–private relationship with respective digital media champions in the context of building and branding an Internet sovereignty agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Despite phenomenal technological progress and exponential growth in computing power, economic growth remains comparative sluggish. In this paper, we investigate two core issues: (1) is there really no connection between ICT and national economic growth? and (2) what factors moderate the ICT–growth relationship? We apply meta‐regression analysis to 466 estimates drawn from 59 econometric studies that explore the Solow or Productivity Paradox that there is little impact of ICT on economic growth and productivity. We explore the differential impact of ICT on developed and developing countries and the differential impact of different types of ICT: landlines, cell phones, computer technology and Internet access. After accommodating potential econometric misspecification bias and publication selection bias, we detect evidence that ICT has indeed contributed positively to economic growth, at least on average. Both developed and developing countries benefit from landline and cell technologies, with cell technologies’ growth effect approximately twice as strong as landlines. However, developed countries gain significantly more from computing than do developing countries. In contrast, we find little evidence that the Internet has had a positive impact on growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The purchase of dietary supplements (DS) via the Internet is increasing worldwide as well as in the Czech Republic. Objective The aim of the study is to evaluate the quality of information on DS available on the Internet. Setting Czech websites related to dietary supplements. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out involving the analysis of information placed on the websites related to the 100 top-selling DS in the Czech Republic in 2014, according to IMS Health data. Main outcome measure The following criteria were evaluated: contact for the manufacturer, recommended dosage, information on active substances as well as overall composition, permitted health claims, % of the daily reference intake value (DRIV) for vitamins and minerals, link for online counseling, pregnancy/breastfeeding, allergy information, contraindications, adverse reactions, and supplement-drug interactions (some criteria were evaluated from both points of view). Results A total of 199 web domains and 850 websites were evaluated. From the regulatory point of view, all the criteria were fulfilled by 11.3% of websites. Almost 9% of the websites reported information referring to the treatment, cure, or prevention of a disease. From the clinical point of view, all the criteria were only met by one website. Conclusions The quality of information related to DS available on the Internet in the Czech Republic is quite low. The consumers should consult a specialist when using DS purchased online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of the internet in China has been propelled by the Chinese government’s push to develop the country’s information infrastructure and its tight control over the internet. The most recent stage of internet development in China, however, has been driven by a three-way dynamic between the State, internet companies, and international finance capital. This relationship has yielded three internet giants—Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent—that stand at the apex of the internet economy in China. They also rival their US counterparts like Google, Facebook, and Amazon, on several key measures. We examine annual reports and other financial documents to better understand these three companies’ character as ‘capitalist enterprises’ and the tight nexus that links them to international investment banks, venture capital funds, and other foreign investors. While these processes are now fundamentally shaping ‘the Chinese internet’, they have not yet been adequately explored in the scholarly literature, we argue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Open Science (OS) movement promises nothing less than a revolution in the availability of scientific knowledge around the globe. By removing barriers to online data and encouraging publication in Open Access formats and Open Data archives, OS seeks to expand the role, reach and value of research. The promises of OS imply a set of expectations about what different publics hope to gain from research, how accountability and participation can be enhanced, and what makes science public in the first place. This paper presents empirical material from fieldwork undertaken in (bio)chemistry laboratories in Kenya and South Africa to examine the extent to which these ideals can be realized in a sub-Saharan context. To analyse the challenges African researchers face in making use of freely available data, we draw from Amartya Sen’s Capabilities Approach. His theorisations of ‘conversion factors’ helps to understand how seemingly minor economic and social contingencies can hamper the production and (re-)use of online data. In contrast to initiatives that seek to make more data available, we suggest the need to facilitate a more egalitarian engagement with online data resources. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A growing body of literature is devoted to testing the reality of the 'long-tail' phenomenon. This literature is mostly, if not exclusively, focused on the impact of Internet on the distribution of sales by product. However, the long tail also raises the issue of a possible change in the usual market structure of cultural industries: an oligopoly with a competitive fringe. To our knowledge, no paper addresses the following question: If the long-tail effect does exist, is it of more benefit to small or dominant publishers? The aim of this paper was to address this issue in the context of the French publishing industry. Our main findings are as follows: (1) the market concentration of the French book industry is lower online than offline and (2) the difference in concentration between the two channels of distribution tended to widen over the period 2004-2010. Strategies adopted by leading publishers on the Web do not allow them to maintain the market share obtained with bricks-and-mortar retailers. Furthermore, we show that the market share lost by dominant firms is captured by small publishers online and by medium-sized publishers in conventional stores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review essay amalgamates the economic dynamics found in the rise of the computer industry, as detailed in Martin Campbell-Kelly and Daniel D. Garcia-Swartz,From mainframes to smartphones: A history of the international computer industry(Harvard University Press, 2015), and the metamorphosis of data networks in Shane Greenstein,How the Internet became commercial: Innovation, privatization, and the birth of a new network(Princeton University Press, 2015). These developments have altered the fields of industrial organization and public policy, while shaping the economy of the future. Both books offer deep and illuminating histories that inform our understanding of markets, technology, and government regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a review of advertising market segmentation per media, this article explains the Internet's emergence as a powerful advertising support, building on network externalities and "winner takes all" effects. The combined forces of advertising programming and "big data" are now pushing Internet advertising toward new frontiers by valuing individual data and social graphs, as the two offer a maximum coverage of potential consumers even on the smallest market niches. It is the key to conquering advertisers. For this reason, individual data and social interrelations are the Holy Grail for companies selling advertising space on the Internet. The race to collect, store and handle data is on. Because of increasing returns, only big firms can compete on the "big data" market. This explains why the worldwide market of Internet advertising is highly concentrated and why this concentration is increasing. The article finishes with how these points impact the advertising market and could impact media content dependent on advertising revenues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Internet-based interventions for depression in comparison with usual care. However, evidence on the cost-effectiveness of these interventions when delivered in outpatient clinics is lacking. The aim of this study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of an Internet-based problem-solving guided self-help intervention in comparison with enhanced usual care for outpatients on a waiting list for face-to-face treatment for major depression. After the waiting list period, participants from both groups received the same treatment at outpatient clinics.Methods: An economic evaluation was performed alongside a randomized controlled trial with 12 months follow-up. Outcomes were improvement in depressive symptom severity (measured by CES-D), response to treatment and Quality-Adjusted Life-Years (QALYs). Statistical uncertainty around cost differences and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated using bootstrapping.Results: Mean societal costs for the intervention group were €1579 higher than in usual care, but this was not statistically significant (95% CI - 1395 to 4382). Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves showed that the maximum probability of the intervention being cost-effective in comparison with usual care was 0.57 at a ceiling ratio of €15,000/additional point of improvement in CES-D, and 0.25 and 0.30 for an additional response to treatment and an extra QALY respectively, at a ceiling ratio of €30,000. Sensitivity analysis showed that from a mental healthcare provider perspective the probability of the intervention being cost-effective was 0.68 for a ceiling ratio of 0 €/additional unit of effect for the CES-D score, response to treatment and QALYs. As the ceiling ratio increased this probability decreased, because the mean costs in the intervention group were lower than the mean costs in the usual care group.Limitations: The patients in the intervention group showed low adherence to the Internet-based treatment. It is possible that greater adherence would have led to larger clinical effects.Conclusions: Offering an Internet-based intervention to depressed outpatients on waiting list for face-to-face treatment was not considered cost-effective in comparison with enhanced usual care from a societal perspective. There was a high probability of the intervention being cost-effective in comparison with enhanced usual care from the perspective of the mental healthcare provider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a gravity model framework, this paper examines the relationship between bilateral trade and the degree of Internet adoption in an economy. The study distinguishes between agricultural and non-agricultural commodities while analyzing the effect of the Internet adoption on bilateral exports. The study uses panel data from 2006 to 2010 and uses the fixed-effects method to estimate the gravity equation. Moreover, to correct for the sample selection bias arising from missing trade values, this study uses the Heckman sample selection method. The results suggest that a higher degree of internet adoption stimulates both agricultural and non-agricultural exports, though the impact is stronger for non-agricultural commodities. Furthermore, the study found the degree of Internet adoption in the exporting country to have a more prominent effect than the degree of Internet adoption in the importing country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Problematic alcohol consumption is associated with a high disease burden for affected individuals and has a detrimental impact on companies and society due to direct and indirect health costs. This protocol describes a study design to evaluate the (cost)-effectiveness of a guided and unguided Internet-based self-help intervention for employees called "GET.ON Clever weniger trinken" (be smart - drink less) compared to a waiting list control group.Methods: In a three-arm randomized controlled trial, 528 German adults who are currently members of the workforce will be recruited by occupational health departments of major health insurance companies. Employees aged 18 and older displaying problematic drinking patterns (>21/14 drinks per week and an AUDIT score > 8/6 for men/women) will be randomly assigned to one of three following study conditions: 1. unguided web-based self-help for problematic drinking, 2. adherence-focused guided self-help, and 3. waiting list control. Self-report data will be collected at baseline (T1), 6 weeks (T2), and 6 months (T3) after randomization. The primary outcome will be the reduction of alcohol standard units during the 7 days prior to T2, using the Timeline Followback method. Cost-effectiveness analyses to determine direct and indirect costs will be conducted from the perspectives of employers and the society. Data will be analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis and per protocol.Discussion: There is a need to identify effective low-threshold solutions to improve ill-health and reduce the negative economic consequences due to problematic alcohol drinking in workforces. If the proposed web-based intervention proves both to be efficacious and cost-effective, it may be a useful tool to increase utilization rates of interventions for problematic drinking in occupational settings.Trial Registration: German Register of Clinical Studies (DRKS): DRKS00006105 , date of registration: 2014-07-07. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acountry's human capital and economic productivity increasingly depend on the Internet as a result of its expanding role in providing information and communications. This has prompted a search for ways to increase Internet adoption and narrow its disparity across countries--the global "digital divide." Previous work has focused on demographic, economic, and infrastructure determinants of Internet access that are difficult to change in the short run. Internet content increases adoption and can be changed more quickly; however, the magnitude of its impact, and therefore its effectiveness as a policy and strategy tool, has until now been unknown. Quantifying the role of content is challenging because of feedback (network effects) between content and adoption: more content stimulates adoption, which in turn increases the incentive to create content. We develop a methodology to overcome this endogeneity problem. We find a statistically and economically significant effect, implying that policies promoting content creation can substantially increase adoption. Because it is ubiquitous, Internet content is also useful to effect social change across countries. Content has a greater effect on adoption in countries with more disparate languages, making it a useful tool to overcome linguistic isolation. Our results offer guidance for policymakers on country characteristics that influence adoption's responsiveness to content and for Internet firms on where to expand internationally and how to quantify content investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of the Internet has manifested itself in many ways: the traffic characteristics, the interconnection topologies, and the business relationships among the autonomous components. It is important to understand why (and how) this evolution came about, and how the interplay of these dynamics may affect future evolution and services. We propose a network-aware, macroscopic model that captures the characteristics and interactions of the application and network providers, and show how it leads to a market equilibrium of the ecosystem. By analyzing the driving forces and the dynamics of the market equilibrium, we obtain some fundamental understandings of the cause and effect of the Internet evolution, which explain why some historical and recent evolutions have happened. Furthermore, by projecting the likely future evolutions, our model can help application and network providers to make informed business decisions so as to succeed in this competitive ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This piece is a short rejoinder to César Bolaño’s paper The Political Economy of the Internet and related articles (e.g., Comor, Foley, Huws, Reveley, Rigi and Prey, Robinson) that center around the relevance of Marx’s labor theory of value for understanding social media. I argue that Dallas Smythe’s assessment of advertising was made to distinguish his approach from the one by Baran and Sweezy. Smythe developed the idea of capital’s exploitation of the audience at a time when both feminist and anti-imperialist Marxists challenged the orthodox idea that only white factory workers are exploited. The crucial question is how to conceptualize productive labor. This is a theoretical, normative, and political question. A mathematical example shows the importance of the “crowdsourcing” of value-production on Facebook. I also point out parallels of the contemporary debate to the Soviet question of who is a productive or unproductive worker in the Material Product System. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Internet has various economic functions and is a fundamental part of most economic activities and transactions. In this paper we apply a Dynamic Panel Data approach to study the impact of the Internet on labor productivity using data from 108 countries for the period 1995–2010. The results of the study show that the Internet has positive and statistically significant effects on labor productivity. Assuming other factors stay constant, increasing the number of Internet users by one percent increases GDP per employed person by $8.16–14.6. Educational expenditures as a percentage of GNI, per capita health expenditures, trade and gross capital formation as a percentage of GDP also have positive and statistically significant effects on labor productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Bank has suggested the need to enhance Information and Communication Technology skills in all sectors because a 10% increase in internet connectivity was found to boost GDP growth by 1.38%. Simultaneously, the OECD argued that high internet access rates generate a 2% increase in GDP. Because the internet positively affects economic growth, we investigated the relationship between an economically active population, human capital and technology to evaluate these effects in Mexico. A data series from 1991 to 2010 was analysed in three stages according to the least-squares method. A Cobb–Douglas function under the Solow model was considered. Technology and internet access were found to positively affect top-level students and graduate students and thus contribute to the global innovation index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern societies are in the middle of a strategic, multidimensional competition for money, power, and control over all aspects of the Internet and the Internet economy. This article discusses the increasing pace of discord and the competing interests that are unfolding in the current debate concerning the control and governance of the Internet and its infrastructure. Some countries are more prepared for and committed to winning tactical battles than are others on the road to asserting themselves as an Internet power. Some are acutely aware of what is at stake; the question is whether they will be the master or the victim of these multilayered power struggles as subtle and not-so-subtle connected choices are being made. Understanding this debate requires an appreciation of the entangled economic, technical, regulatory, political, and social interests implicated by the Internet. Those states that are prepared for and understand the many facets of the Internet will likely end up on top. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes and mobilizes a cultural economic framework to study the dynamic formation of digital markets for cultural goods. Adapting Hayek's theory of price to recent developments in the field of cultural sociology, it proposes the idea that an effective price system condenses information dispersed in society, and then enters into a performative process of symbolic communication that is perceived as ‘authentic’ by the consumers. After analyzing ‘artificial’ and ‘authentic’ current strategies aimed at producing digital markets for cultural goods, which are especially sensitive to the symbolic dimension of price, the article suggests the hypothesis that the digital market has been constructed as a zero- or quasi-zero-price economic space, and that it is the offline and material market of cultural products the one that collects the higher revenues derived from the ‘authentic’ generation of value taking place in the digital marketplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the causal relationships between internet, economic growth, government expenditure and inflation in 34 OECD countries during the period 1990 to 2010. Using panel co-integration, empirical results show that they are co-integrated. Moreover, there exists bidirectional causality between internet and economic growth, inflation and economic growth and inflation and internet. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Highlights: [ • ] Internet penetration rate is positively correlated with average happiness. [ • ] The positive influence of Internet use is stronger for low income and young people. [•] Policy that promotes digital literacy is welfare-enhancing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to monitor the use of Information Technologies and the Internet in particular, both at the population level and at company level, including developing regions in the period 2006-2012, using statistical data taken from Eurostat databases and the National Institute of Statistics. Before 2000 we cannot speak of an impact of IT or of any information infrastructure in Romania, and the interest of the population and of the companies was very low. Although Romania has made important steps in providing technological, economic and legislative parameters for the development of the information society, it is still in its infancy and has a long way to go in order to catch up with other EU countries among which Romania ranks last. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study analyzes the effect of distance-shopping channel choice (i.e. the format first used by consumers in a retail transaction) on consumer complaint behavior, with a special focus on the Internet channel. It analyzes 2011 Eurobarometer data using a logistic regression model controlling for sociodemographic and country-specific variables to measure the impact of using the Internet, post/catalog, and telephone channels on complaint behavior. The results indicate that consumers using the Internet channel exhibit the greatest likelihood of complaint behavior when compared to consumers using traditional distance-shopping channels. Implications and suggestions for retailers are discussed, as are the contributions to the consumer complaint behavior literature. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Zeszyty Teoretyczne Rachunkowości is the property of Stowarzyszenie Ksiegowych w Polsce Rada Naukowa 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.)

Abstract: This paper develops an identification strategy to generate unbiased estimates of Internet usage spillovers using a unique data set of US households. This strategy addresses the effects of variables that affect consumers'' decisions but are unobservable to the researcher that lead to biased estimates. The estimator developed here examines changes in household behavior over time and uses county level instrumental variables for county level spillover measures. Multiple potential sources of learning are identified including those from the household''s locality, from educational Internet subsidies, and from universities. There is general support for all sources, but the locality and subsidy results are both more robust and larger. These findings directly address the policy relevance of these spillover sources and they have implications for policies to encourage Internet use as well as for identification strategies for the effects of the Internet on behavior. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The rapid diffusion of Information Technologies (ITs) has noticeably influenced the ability of societies to stimulate economic growth and development. Among these technologies, the Internet stands out due to its contribution to the advancement of education, learning and knowledge. Hence, the commitment of some developing nations like Mexico to the diffusion of the Internet has become a top issue in their policy agendas. However, the country's promotion of this technology has undergone a number of setbacks, mainly due to a misinterpretation of the factors causing the so-called 'digital divide'. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the rationale for governmental intervention regarding the diffusion of the Internet in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the impact of a variety of socio-economic, demographic and regional factors to explain Internet use and the frequency of use by individuals in Spain. We have employed binomial and ordered probit models with a Heckman's two-stage estimation procedure. This allows us to distinguish between different variables and explain both use and the intensity of use, respectively. Internet use is mainly associated with education, age, occupation, employment in service sector, nationality, urban areas and regional GDP per capita. In contrast, frequency of Internet usage is positively related to broadband connection, education, Internet skills, the ways through which Internet skills are acquired, gender, and population size. Knowledge of differences in the determinants of Internet use and its extent of use may help to specify the most suitable policies for each case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The data used in the paper and the sources of information studied, show regaining of the positions and the role of travel agencies in the distribution system of tourism. The main trends and special features of the European on-line tourist market have been analyzed, as well as the state of the electronic commerce in travel agencies in Bulgaria. Alternatives and values-generating strategies for the intermediary business through efficient use of the advantages of ?-commerce have been pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the effects of the Internet on regional price differences. Comparing two Dutch regions, we find that before the rise of the Internet, price differences of used cars between those regions amounted to some 11-15%, controlling for mileage, age, fuel type and engine volume. These price differences have completely disappeared after the rise of the Internet, in particular a website that allows consumers to make detailed comparisons between almost all used cars for sale in the Netherlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last decade the Internet has become an increasingly important source for gathering company related information. We employ Wikipedia editing frequency as an instrument that captures the degree in which the population is engaged with the processing of company-related information. We find that firms whose information is processed by the population more frequently are associated with lower analysts' forecast errors, smaller analysts' forecast dispersions, and significant changes in bid-ask spreads on analysts' recommendation days. These results indicate that information processing over the Internet is related to the degree to which investors and analysts are informed about companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newspapers are operating in increasingly competitive and fragmented markets for audiences and advertising revenues, government media policy and changing audience requirements for news and the ways in which it is presented and delivered. A growing army of bloggers and amateur citizen journalists now delivers—but rarely edits—content for all media platforms, while new media technologies, combined with the changing structure of global news industries, are changing radically the ways in which newspapers and media business functions and struggles for profitability. Our research sought to answer the question of how the Internet is impacting on different value activities in the newspaper industry supply chain. To answer these questions, 15 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted at three regional newspapers in the Manchester area. The findings showed that in spite of initial fear and rejection, the Internet is now firmly embedded in newspaper industry supply chain operations. Firms are now using the Internet as an operant resource and working proactively with consumers to develop various forms of relationship value. We highlight the role of consumers in the creation of news (editorial) content and consumer-driven moves toward a merged media platform of distribution (including television, online, mobile and printed forms). Newspapers will probably survive if they supply an 'elite' service to a leadership news audience. This will be in the form of 'hybrid' content: analysis, interpretation and investigative reporting in a print product that appears less than daily combined with constant updating and reader interaction on the Web. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The internet driven information revolution is frequently cited as one of the key drivers (re-)shaping contemporary consumption. In particular, the internet has been seen as disrupting established conventions in professional services. Popularly, it has been viewed as a liberating medium, a mechanism by which consumers and citizens have been able to challenge the authority of the professional establishment. Yet for consumers, the internet can equally be viewed as generating new uncertainties and challenges in terms of negotiating a new settlement with professionals and reconfiguring the service encounter. The purpose of this paper is to explore experiences of consumers with the use of internet derived information in respect of complex professional services and the impact of such information utilisation on the format of the service encounter. Design/methodology/approach - Empirical data is generated through interviews with professionals (n = 24) and consumer focus groups (n = 10/53). Findings - The paper argues that the multi-faceted nature of the internet creates informational "spaces" which present both opportunities and threats to consumers in renegotiating the service encounter. Balancing the paradoxes created by these informational spaces is at the core of the challenge confronting contemporary service consumers. Irrespective of the nature of that space, the effect is to create a driver for change, challenging the established practices of both consumer and professional to reshape the service encounter. Research limitations/implications - Focus group research does not enable a judgement about the prevalence or distribution of behaviours among consumers. Nevertheless, this paper advances understanding of contemporary consumption practices and provides a new perspective on nature of consumer utilisation of information within the consumption process. Practical implications - It is inevitable that professionals and service organisations will be required to respond to a complex and rapidly evolving set of consumer behaviours and rethink approaches to the delivery of professional services. Originality/value - The paper addresses an emergent phenomenon and provides unique insights into the changing dynamics of consumption practices in the contemporary knowledge economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of the Internet is affecting many nations around the world and forcing changes to business and socioeconomic development plans. It has major implications for the realization of the concept of globalization. The Arab world as developing countries with an economy in transition, has been investing in building its communications infrastructure and adopting the use of the Internet since 1995 as a vital tool for development. This paper will provide a deeper understanding of the key issues surrounding the Internet use in the Arab world with a focus on the challenges faced that relate to a number of social, technological, financial and legal issues. There are a number of suggested solutions and recommendations having to do with collaboration between the governments and the private sectors in each country and between the specialized institutions within the Arabian countries to diffuse the use of the Internet in the Arab world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides new findings about the impacts of Internet adoption and the income inequality on economic growth. Analytical insights are suggested within a framework of a pure-exchange overlapping generations model. A panel data set for 60 countries for the period 1995–2002 has been assembled to test the analytical investigations. The panel estimation shows that the implied effect of Internet adoption on growth is negative for countries with high income inequality because the digital divide hinders economic growth incurred by the Internet. From a policy standpoint, this result implies that the positive impact of Internet on growth will be reinforced by the income redistribution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper examines the spatial distribution of the Internet in the European regions. To achieve this aim, our analysis combines a set of non-parametric techniques proposed in the context of the economic growth literature, with various spatial econometric instruments. The results reveal that regional disparities in Internet adoption are greater than territorial inequalities in gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. In addition, our findings show that the distribution under consideration is characterized by the presence of positive spatial dependence, which implies that physically adjacent regions register a similar degree of Internet adoption. Finally, the analysis carried out allows us to assess the role played by variables such as GDP per capita, unemployment rate, stock of human capital and population density, in explaining the spatial distribution of the Internet in the European Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On May 18, 2006, the second annual Revenue Management and Price Optimization conference was held at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The theme of the conference was on how the Internet is changing traditional revenue management and pricing practices. The conference brought together experts and thought leaders from more than 30 companies spanning airlines, hotels, car rentals, cruise lines, apartment rentals, aircraft manufacturing, retailing, distribution, e-mail marketing, on-line travel, logistics, sports, performing arts, software providers, and others. This paper summarises the key discussions from this conference and synthesises experts' perspectives on near-term opportunities and challenges facing their industries.Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management (2006) 5, 237–247. doi:10.1057/palgrave.rpm.5160042 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - To examine the service performance of a number of internet retailers and to identify differences (if any) in internet retailers' service performance across a series of attributes based on consumers' assessments. Design/methodology/approach - To compare the perceived service performance across internet retailers with respect to several areas: core service performance, web site features, recovery service, consumer satisfaction and intentions. A structured questionnaire was used to gather the data. The internet retailers are two budget airline retailers, a book retailer, and a multi-channel bank. Findings - Internet retailers' service performance was generally at an acceptable level. The variation of their online service performance was dependent on industry factors and the effectiveness of online service management. Consumers' perceptions of the internet retailers' performance were significantly different on several service attributes. However, consumer online service satisfaction levels across internet retailers were similar. Research limitations/implications - Convenience sampling and the limited number of internet retailers do not permit results to be generalised to the larger population. Future investigation with a larger sample could provide a more comprehensive coverage. Practical implications - Provide useful information for internet retailers who plan to improve their service performance. This study indicated that retailers' experience from managing the physical store-based retail service might not contribute towards their online service performance. Originality/value - This paper analyses service performance of different retailers in the same industry or across industries to provide valuable indication of online service performance and attributes that contribute to differential performance levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This research explores the effect of eBusiness on customer satisfaction. It identifies elements of customer satisfaction that prior research has shown to be important. Then, using two case studies in financial institutions, it shows how eBusiness affects each of these elements. All elements were involved in providing information to the customer and in the way it was provided. Of the ten elements investigated, some are shown to have a positive and direct effect on customer satisfaction. Yet, as seen in the literature, some of the elements can potentially, have a negative impact. The company had to prevent those from having an effect. In short, eBusiness can improve customer satisfaction, but many measures have to be taken when using it. In each initiative, clear goals should be defined, every aspect of customer satisfaction must be investigated carefully, strong attention must be paid to the aspects of eBusiness that can detract from customer satisfaction, and the 'traditional' ways of satisfying customers should always be kept in mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet appears to be playing a role in the re-structuring of some traditional business sectors in which some organisations profit and some decline. Travel agencies are being subjected to increased competition from virtual on-line travel agencies. These agencies do not possess the traditional retail outlets but exist predominantly on the Web. In addition, airline companies and travel wholesalers are beginning to market their products directly to the consumer. Despite the threat of disintermediation, the Internet has created opportunities for the travel agency by aiding in providing service to anybody anytime from anywhere. The study presented in the paper is based upon three separate pieces of research on the Australian travel agency sector and provides a macro and micro level view. Together the three research projects provide an in-depth study of key issues related to the travel agency sector. A survey of owners/managers of travel agencies provides information on the diffusion of Web technology and the levels of planning and strategies used by travel agencies when investigating the use of the Web. The second study provides an analysis of travel agency Web sites. The third study reports the results of a survey of travel consultants and their views on the likely impact of the Web on their profession and career prospects. The findings highlight that a significant number of travel agencies have adopted the use of the WWW but most only use a fraction of its business potential. The lack of enterprise-wide strategic planning being conducted by travel agencies suggests that they are underestimating the potential of Web based commerce. The results of the analysis of Web sites found that the majority of agencies had a Yellow Pages or Cyber Brochure model for their Web site. A small percentage of Web sites allowed transactions to be performed but a significant number provided information on a range of destination and service related topics. Many travel consultants believe that the Internet wilt not have a profound influence on their job position. Seventy three percent of travel consultants have not even visited a virtual travel agency Web site. Staff are often pessimistic in relation to their own careers with many admitting that they are not prepared for the changes taking place. Whilst the pessimists forecast a very bleak outlook for travel agencies, those that do re-engineer with a new vision and strategy have the opportunity to be amongst the leaders in the sector. Focusing on becoming information service providers is one option that travel agents can take. However, given the rapid rate of change in electronic commerce and the varying patterns of adoption, it is still not clear how severe the shake out of this important industry sector will be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This column discusses the effect of the Internet and Web on the US economy from the 1990s to the present. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]