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Information Technology & Economic Development: A Case Study of Ireland

Dive into Ireland's emergent information economy through socio-cultural analysis, examining public policy impact and societal manifestations. This case study investigates the influence of culture on economic components.

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Information Technology & Economic Development: A Case Study of Ireland

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  1. Information Technology & Economic Development: A Case Study of Ireland Eileen M. Trauth, PhD 2008 Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Gender Studies Associate Dean for Diversity, Outreach & International Engagement Director, Center for the Information Society College of Information Sciences & Technology The Pennsylvania State University etrauth@ist.psu.edu http://cis.ist.psu.edu

  2. Agenda • Conceptualization of information economy • Research design: model, questions & methodology • Case study of Ireland’s emergent information economy Athens University of Economics & Business 2

  3. The Information Economy Information Society Information Economy Secondary Information Sector Primary Information Sector HW, SW, systems/services Content IT people Athens University of Economics & Business 3

  4. Developing the Components of the Information Economy • Technological Infrastructure • impact of technological convergence on telecommunications policy • Organizational Infrastructure • the evolution of the information resource • Human Infrastructure • end user/IS professional skills and knowledge Athens University of Economics & Business 4

  5. Information Economy:Research Interest Investigating the role of socio-cultural context in the development of a sustainable information economy Socio-cultural factors examined simultaneously at societal and organizational levels of analysis Athens University of Economics & Business 5

  6. Research Model:Influence-Impact Model of Technology-Society Interaction Irish Society Irish Society Irish Information Economy Culture Culture Multinational Sector Economy Economy Indigenous Sector Infrastructure Infrastructure Public Policy Influence Impact Public Policy Athens University of Economics & Business 6

  7. Research Questions How does the socio-cultural context within which the information economy exists help to shape its structure? How are the effects of an information economy manifested in a society? Athens University of Economics & Business 7

  8. Research Challenges Linking public policy to the evolution of an information economy Examining cultural influence in a tangible way Linking culture to the characteristics of an information economy Athens University of Economics & Business 8

  9. Methodology Ethnographic investigation of Ireland’s emerging information economy at both societal and organizational levels of analysis. • Societal (government, education) • Organizational (HW, SW, systems/services sectors) • Multinational firms • Indigenous firms Athens University of Economics & Business 9

  10. Data Collection: Interviews(Fulbright 1989-1990)* Formal and ad hoc interviews with workers and managers in (American and Irish) firms in Irish information sector Formal interviews with representatives of government & industrial policy agencies Ad hoc interviews with members of society ______ * Dublin City University Athens University of Economics & Business 10

  11. Data Collection: Participant Observation Participant observation in information sector firms (micro) (1989-1993) Participant observation in Irish society (macro) (1989-1999) Athens University of Economics & Business 11

  12. Data Collection: Document Analysis Public policy documents about industrial & information policy Cultural & historical literature Contemporary news Athens University of Economics & Business 12

  13. Data Analysis & Interpretation Grounded Theory: open coding Interpretation (reflexive) Triangulation literature research communities (global IS, internat’l business) Member checking return visits Irish studies research community Athens University of Economics & Business 13

  14. Findings 1. Identification of relevant socio-cultural characteristics 2. Fitting the information economy to the culture 3. The role of public policy in evolution of the information economy 4. Generalizable implications for the information age Athens University of Economics & Business 14

  15. Findings-1: Socio-cultural Characteristics The Workers young educated middle class male family-oriented Athens University of Economics & Business 15

  16. Findings-1: Socio-cultural Characteristics The Workplace social interconnected interpersonal post-colonial religious Athens University of Economics & Business 16

  17. Findings-1: Socio-cultural Characteristics The Workplace productive (‘live to work’ vs ‘work to live’) late remote (island mentality, circumspect, confident collective (tribe, recognition) Athens University of Economics & Business 17

  18. Findings-1: Socio-cultural Characteristics The Workplace anti-authoritarian non-hierarchical non-union Athens University of Economics & Business 18

  19. Findings-2: Fitting the Information Economy to the Culture young/productive - flexible, enthusiastic, inexperienced educated - well-rounded, skilled, able to learn religious/interpersonal/cooperative - caring, helpful, vision of the whole Athens University of Economics & Business 19

  20. Findings-2: Fitting the Information Economy to the Culture non-industrial/non-hierarchical/late - output vs. input orientation anti-authoritarian - questioning, creative Athens University of Economics & Business 20

  21. Findings-2: Fitting the Information Economy to the Culture Supporting entrepreneurship and risk - fear of failure, self-confidence, begrudging Building wealth - nonmaterialistic, family priorities Athens University of Economics & Business 21

  22. Findings-2: Fitting the Information Economy to the Culture Removing labor force barriers - gender, age, social class Remaining Irish - cultural identity, cross-cultural work environment Athens University of Economics & Business 22

  23. Findings-3: Influence of Public Policy Evolutionary Approach Environmental Scanning Adaptive Response Unintentional Athens University of Economics & Business 23

  24. Findings-3: Influence of Public Policy Stages of Evolution crisis response: radical change industrialization by invitation multinational IT firms recognition of an information economy Athens University of Economics & Business 24

  25. Findings-3: Influence of Public Policy Environmental Scanning recognize potential of IT sector develop societal infrastructures (education, telecom, trans.) migrate toward ‘suitable’ IT sub-sectors Athens University of Economics & Business 25

  26. Findings-3: Influence of Public Policy Adaptive Response 1971: computer manufacturing as ‘clean industry’ 1982: refine foreign investment scheme 1992: migrate toward software Athens University of Economics & Business 26

  27. Findings-3: Influence of Public Policy Unintentional industrial (not post-industrial) jobs not a coherent IT sector responding to crises incorporating changes into vision Athens University of Economics & Business 27

  28. Findings-4: Generalizable Implications for the Information Age Need to understand the characteristics of information work • - facilitating information work • - ensuring a supply of qualified information workers • - managing the information workplace Athens University of Economics & Business 28

  29. Findings-4: Generalizable Implications for the Information Age Need to leverage socio-cultural characteristics - recognizing the influence of cultural context - exploiting distinctive characteristics - overcoming barriers Athens University of Economics & Business 29

  30. Findings-4: Generalizable Implications for the Information Age Need to adapt the vision along the way - reconfiguring industrial and information policy - adjusting the business climate Athens University of Economics & Business 30

  31. Follow-on Research Understanding the nature of information work (the creative economy) Overcoming barriers to underrepresented groups (gender, race, ethnicity, age, social class) Development of the IT labor force (education, professional development) Impact of the information economy on society (culture, economy, infrastructure, policy) Athens University of Economics & Business 31

  32. Ireland 2003 + Methodology • 2003-2006 Science Foundation Ireland, Walton Visitor Award (Univ. Limerick) - ethnographic investigation - comparative study of gender • 2005-2007: regional case study of sustainable knowledge economy - PhD student (Ben Yeo) Athens University of Economics & Business

  33. Ireland 2003 +Impact of Information Economy on Irish Society • Culture • gender • materialism • Economy • sustaining wealth • Infrastructure • telecommunications • transportation • educational institutions • Policy • immigration • discrimination Athens University of Economics & Business

  34. Eileen M. Trauth, 2000.The Culture of an Information Economy: Influences & Impacts in the Republic of Ireland. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Other publications: http://cis.ist.psu.edu Athens University of Economics & Business

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