Many IT projects fail to deliver the benefits to the business that were promised. Yet IT managers and staff work hard to meet the needs of the business: Systems are put in place; network operations are reliable and stable. The cause is usually a misalignment of IT with the business. In this book, Bennet Lientz and Lee Larssen present over 200 specific, practical guidelines and steps that show how to: align IT and the business, develop methods that make IT more proactive in helping the business, more effectively manage vendors, avoid negative surprises, ensure that more projects are completed on time and within budget, among other things. The techniques in this book have been implemented in over 60 organizations around the world and in over 20 different industries, and the authors include several examples in each chapter to illustrate their points. Follow these proven recommendations to manage IT as a business that adds value to the company.

This book describes the lifecycle of media in the context of the media ecology, presenting a general theoretical framework and a series of methodological procedures to support the construction of an eco-evolutionary approach to media change. Focusing on a series of processes - emergence, competition, dominance, hybridization, adaptation, extinction - this book goes beyond a chronological approach to propose a reticulated and multi-layered conception of media evolution. If media evolution is a network, what are the relationships between "media species" like? What happens when a new media emerges into the media ecology? How do new media influence the old ones? Can media become extinct? How do media adapt when the social and economic context changes? How can media evolution be analysed? What kinds of quantitative and qualitative techniques can be applied in media evolution research? By presenting an innovative research approach and theoretical framework to media studies, this book will be of keen interest to scholars and graduate students of new media, media history and theory, philosophy of technology, mass communication, and organisational studies.

Taking an inside look at the underlying processes behind telecommunications service development, this text shows the reader how to build a successful service within an organization, and better organize and manage the service delivery effort. Written by a seasoned telecommunications expert with 20 years of professional experience, this text identifies and describes the two critical phases of telecommunications product development - the product and service delivery levels - and shows how they work together to form a communications service.

Communications and personal information that are posted online are usually accessible to a vast number of people. Yet when personal data exist online, they may be searched, reproduced and mined by advertisers, merchants, service providers or even stalkers. Many users know what may happen to their information, while at the same time they act as though their data are private or intimate. They expect their privacy will not be infringed while they willingly share personal information with the world via social network sites, blogs, and in online communities.

The chapters collected by Trepte and Reinecke address questions arising from this disparity that has often been referred to as the privacy paradox. Works by renowned researchers from various disciplines including psychology, communication, sociology, and information science, offer new theoretical models on the functioning of online intimacy and public accessibility, and propose novel ideas on the how and why of online privacy.

The contributing authors offer intriguing solutions for some of the most pressing issues and problems in the field of online privacy. They investigate how users abandon privacy to enhance social capital and to generate different kinds of benefits. They argue that trust and authenticity characterize the uses of social network sites. They explore how privacy needs affect users' virtual identities. Ethical issues of privacy online are discussed as well as its gratifications and users' concerns. The contributors of this volume focus on the privacy needs and behaviors of a variety of different groups of social media users such as young adults, older users, and genders. They also examine privacy in the context of particular online services such as social network sites, mobile internet access, online journalism, blogs, and micro-blogs.

In sum, this book offers researchers and students working on issues related to internet communication not only a thorough and up-to-date treatment of online privacy and the social web. It also presents a glimpse of the future by exploring emergent issues concerning new technological applications and by suggesting theory-based research agendas that can guide inquiry beyond the current forms of social technologies.

This volume features contributions from a conference held in Lusaka, Zambia, to explore the role and prospects of broadband in Africa as a video platform with emphasis on the strategies and building blocks for deployment and advancement.

While it may seem that such networks and their applications are not a realistic scenario for developing countries, it would be short-sighted and economically dangerous to ignore the emerging trends. The pace of introduction of next-generation networks in industrialized countries is rapid and the developing world will not be able to stand aside.The risks of falling behind are great and in any country there will be elements of business and society who wish to forge ahead. Policymakers and network architects need to be prepared.Media companies and broadcasters, in particular, must be alert to the new developments as should be medical and educational institutions. The availability of advanced high-speed business application tools in a country will affect its participation in international transactions and its economic growth.

This volume features contributions from industry leaders, policymakers and scholars, representing a variety of perspectives, including technology and infrastructure management, economic development, marketing, education and health.The authors collectively discuss how broadband deployment as a platform with sufficient speed for video may be encouraged by public policy and regulation and how investment in broadband for this and related purposes can improve the quality of life and experience in Sub Saharan Africa in media and data, while being a financeable, commercially sound business."

A "revolution" is taking place in the development of global information and communications technologies. In slightly more than a decade, the World Wide Web has gone from the idea of an obscure English scientist to a consumer-oriented technology system with an expected one billion users by 2005. The technologies that enable this to happen are advancing rapidly, which is leading to both an unprecedented number of start-up companies and a host of innovative new alliances between companies. The growth has been so rapid and unexpected that little research and analysis has yet been done on what impact this transformation has had or will have on the ability of companies to meet the global sustainability challenge. As environmental strategy has traditionally been portrayed in terms of risk cutting and resource efficiency, there is a danger that critical business issues such as information technology, R&D and e-commerce development are examined in isolation from the wider sustainable business perspective. An important objective of the book is to explore, document and raise awareness of sustainability concerns arising from the emerging global information economy. The information economy is defined in the broadest sense possible, including software, hardware, telecommunication - traditional and wireless - and advanced communication technologies. Some of the key issues and questions that are examined include:Case studies on how and to what degree sustainability concerns are being integrated into the business model of electronic, telecommunication and dot.com firms. The relationship between the diffusion of information and communication technologies and the energy and resource intensity of companies. The role of information and communication technologies in the shaping of policies for sustainability, its impacts on sustainable or unsustainable lifestyles and its implications for the interaction between companies and other actors. Corporations and the global digital divide. The Ecology of the New Economy will be of interest to academics, governments, businesses, and non-governmental groups who are trying to understand the linkages and relationship between the two of our greatest global challenges: the information revolution and environmental sustainability.

"Media Firms" presents studies applying the company level approach to media and communication firms. It explores differences among missions, strategies, organizational choices, and other business decisions. Reviewing economic factors and pressures on media and communications companies, this book seeks to improve understanding of how these elements affect market and company structures, operations, and performance of firms.
The chapters, written by leading scholars worldwide, were selected from papers on the theme of media firms presented at the 5th World Media Economics Conference hosted by the Turku School of Economics and Business Administration and "The Journal of Media Economics."
The collected studies provide:
*an overview of economic and related managerial issues affecting the structures of markets in which firms compete;
*the operations of media and communications firms; and
*their financial performance.
As a result, it expands the discussion of economic issues traditionally associated with the field due to narrowed focus of initial books in media economics. It is hoped that this book will induce additional avenues of inquiry regarding such issues.

This volume provides rich insight into the nature and practice of media management. Contributions assess the degree to which management of media firms requires a unique set of skills, highlighting similarities and differences of media firms compared with other industries in terms of management practices, HR development and operational aspects. Success and limitations of research on media management theory is evaluated, both drawing on management theory and examining insights from other disciplines. Dimensions for future research are considered along with practical implications for media managers and corporate structures. The book serves as a valuable reference for researchers, advanced students and practitioners in media industries.

The Harry Potter books are some of the bestselling books of all time. In this fascinating study, Susan Gunelius analyzes every aspect of the brand phenomenon that is Harry Potter. Delving into price wars, box office revenue, and brand values, amongst other things, this is the story of the most incredible brand success there has ever been and is the perfect case study for academics, professionals and students alike.

Prior to 2000, it was a criminal offence to sell hardcore pornography in Britain. Despite this, there was a thriving alternative economy producing and distributing such material "under the counter" of Soho's bookshops and via mail-order. British entrepreneurs circumvented obscenity laws to satisfy the demand for uncensored adult films and profit from their enterprise, with the corrupt Obscene Publications Squad permitting them to trade. By the late 1960s, Britain had developed an international reputation for producing 'rollers', short films distributed on 8mm, which were smuggled out of Britain for sale in Western Europe. Following an expose by Britain's tabloid press, a crackdown on police corruption and several high-profile obscenity trials, the trade was all but decimated, with pornography smuggled in from Europe dominating the market. Under the Counter is the first book of its kind to investigate Britain's trade in illicit pornographic 8mm film. Drawing on extensive archival research, including the use of legal records, police files, media reportage, and interviews with those who were involved in the business, Under the Counter tells the story of Britain's trade in 8mm hardcore pornographic films and its regulation, incorporating ideas from cultural studies, political economy, history and criminology. Under the Counter is a scholarly monograph that will be of interest to researchers across a wide range of disciplines and will be of use to students at undergraduate, Masters level and PhD. The book will be of particular relevance to students and researchers interested in the study of pornography, sexual cultures, illicit media enterprise and entrepreneurship, but also those with an interest in film production and distribution, particularly within a British context. The theoretical frameworks that underpin the book mean that researchers with an interest in the creative industries will be able to make use of it and the book makes a contribution to media and cultural history. It is suitable for use on university courses relating to these specific areas, specifically media and communication, film studies, creative industries, and potentially on criminology or socio-legal studies, given the books attention to obscenity law and regulation of illicit practices.

In the fifteenth century the printing press was the 'new technology'. The first ever information revolution began with the advent of the printed book, enabling Renaissance scholars to formulate new ways of organising and disseminating knowledge.
As early as 1500 there were already 20 million books in circulation in Europe. How did this rapid explosion of ideas impact upon the evolution of new disciplines?
The Renaissance Computer looks at the fascinating development of new methods of information storage and retrieval which took place at the very beginning of print culture. And it asks some crucial questions about the intellectual conditions of our own digital age. A dazzling array of leading experts in Renaissance culture explore topics of urgent significance today, including:
* the contribution of knowledge technologies to state formulation and national identity * the effect of multimedia, orality and memory on education * the importance of the visual display of information and how search engines reflect and direct ways of thinking.

In the fifteenth century the printing press was the 'new technology'. The first ever information revolution began with the advent of the printed book, enabling Renaissance scholars to formulate new ways of organising and disseminating knowledge.
As early as 1500 there were already 20 million books in circulation in Europe. How did this rapid explosion of ideas impact upon the evolution of new disciplines?
The Renaissance Computer looks at the fascinating development of new methods of information storage and retrieval which took place at the very beginning of print culture. And it asks some crucial questions about the intellectual conditions of our own digital age. A dazzling array of leading experts in Renaissance culture explore topics of urgent significance today, including:
* the contribution of knowledge technologies to state formulation and national identity
*the effect of multimedia, orality and memory on education
*the importance of the visual display of information and how search engines reflect and direct ways of thinking.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203463307

"The 1996 Telecommunications Act was an attempt to increase competition among telecommunications providers in the United States by reducing regulatory barriers to market entry. This competition was expected to drive innovation in the telecommunications sector and reap economic benefits for both American consumers and telecommunications providers. The legislation, however, had a markedly different impact. While many of the more aggressive providers enjoyed sharp short-term rises in stock market values, they soon faced sudden collapse, leaving consumers with little or no long-term benefit. In Competition and Chaos, Robert W. Crandall analyzes the impact of the 1996 act on economic welfare in the United States and how the act and its antecedents affected the major telecommunications providers. He argues that the act was far too stringent, inviting the Federal Communications Commission and state regulators to micromanage competitive entry into local telecommunications markets. Combined with the bursting of the dot.com and telecom stock market bubbles, this aggressive policy invited new and existing firms to invest billions of dollars unwisely, leading to the 2001-02 collapse of equity values throughout the sector. New entrants into the market invested more than $50 billion in unproductive assets that were quickly wiped out through massive failures. The 1996 act allowed the independent long-distance companies, such as MCI and AT&T, to live a few years longer. But today they are a threatened species, caught in a downward spiral of declining prices and substantial losses. The industry is preparing for an intense battle for market share among three sets of carriers: the wireless companies, the local telephone carriers, and the cable television businesses. Each has its own particular advantage in one of the three major segments of the market-voice, data, and video-but none is assured a clear path to dominance. Although the telecom stock market collapse is now history and the survivors are investing once again, Crandall concludes that the regulators have failed to adapt to the chaos to which they contributed. "

This set collects together for the first time rare and scattered material on the history of pre-cinema. It includes articles on stereoscopic photography; the use of kaleidoscopes; optical illusions; theatre design; magic lanterns and mirrors; shadow theatre, and much more. The articles are taken from sources such as The Magazine of Science, The Art Journal, The British Journal of Photography, Scientific American, American Journal of Science and Arts, and The Mirror.

What is 'cultural work'? How are we to understand the 'art-commerce relation'? "The Politics of Cultural Work" answers these questions through a wide-ranging study of labour in the cultural industries. It critically evaluates how various sociological traditions - including critical theory, governmentality and liberal-democratic approaches - have sought to theorize the creative cultural worker, in art, music, media and design-based occupations. It evaluates whether the cultural worker should be seen as a creative, autonomous subject - or as a mere victim of the 'culture industry'

This comprehensive book covers relevant issues on how media companies are currently embracing innovation, the levels at which they are doing so, and how innovation can help media companies to meet their development needs in the future.The primary focus of this study is the relationship between management and innovation in the media industry. The book evaluates the importance and the role of innovation within the media industry and helps identify and evaluate the drivers of innovation. The contributors demonstrate and build upon an understanding of the issues and strategies that bind media firms to new processes and technologies and offer clear guidelines on how media companies can accelerate growth through effective internal and external collaboration. Management and Innovation in the Media Industry highlights those issues that influence strategies, organizational structures, media content management and public interest within media firms. This unique study offers both new theoretical and empirical insights on decision making aspects of innovation relevant for those executives and policy makers operating within the media or related industries. It will be of great interest to academics and students in the fields of communication and journalism as well as innovation management.

This companion brings together scholars working at the intersection of media and class, with a focus on how understandings of class are changing in contemporary global media contexts. From the memes of and about working-class supporters of billionaire "populists", to well-publicized and critiqued philanthropic efforts to bring communication technologies into developing country contexts, to the behind-the-scenes work of migrant tech workers, class is undergoing change both in and through media. Diverse and thoughtfully curated contributions unpack how media industries, digital technologies, everyday media practices-and media studies itself-feed into and comment upon broader, interdisciplinary discussions. They cover a wide range of topics, such as economic inequality, workplace stratification, the sharing economy, democracy and journalism, globalization, and mobility/migration. Outward-looking, intersectional, and highly contemporary, The Routledge Companion to Media and Class is a must-read for students and researchers interested in the intersections between media, class, sociology, technology, and a changing world.

This book details the exploratory stages of a research study that produced a framework for entrepreneurial endeavour and enterprise. It presents an unfolding discussion, throughout its chapters, regarding the entrepreneurial nature potential within us all, and the modes by which those involved in such activity, and associated innovative discoveries, can be informed by the skills and experience already in their possession. The book also provides, through its structure, a tool by which the entrepreneur, innovator, educator, student or those yet-to-be involved in the entrepreneurial arena can plan for the yet-to-be known eventualities of such endeavour. The parabolic scramble framework is backgrounded across the discussion of entrepreneurship and the necessity to deal with the tangible and intangibility of any venture, as well as other considered aspects that the entrepreneurial journey engenders.

After thirty years of broadcasting in Britain under a public monopoly, the Television Act of 1954 introduced a controversial new force called Independent Television (ITV) which was a plural structure combining private enterprise and public control. Its income came from advertising. This volume, the first of three recording the history of Independent Television, describes the campaign to end the BBC's monopoly in television and tells of the vicissitudes of the early years of ITV, how it survived to become an accepted part of the fabric of British life. The book draws on much previously unpublished information to reveal the inside story of the problems which were encountered and the people principally involved in them. It tells how ITV's programmes captured a major share of the television audience and also how its rapid growth and the way the network was conducted led to a divergence from some of the ideals of its founding fathers. Whilst enjoying great popularity with the audience in general, ITV encountered criticism among people concerned about both 'excessive' profits and the social impact of the medium. The book sets the record straight on a number of questions on which judgements have been based more often on legend than on fact. The story ends on the eve of the Pilkington Report of 1962, which was to advocate 'organic change' in the whole system of Independent Television. The second volume will contain a detailed review of this report, describe the passage of the second Television Act of 1963 and go on to tell what happened to ITV after the arrival of Lord Hill of Luton, the former radio doctor and Postmaster-General, as Chairman of the ITA in the summer of 1963.

In its more than seventy years of existence, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has emerged as one of the most important and controversial agencies in the United States government. As an independent regulatory commission, the FCC possesses an expansive legislative mandate to formulate a national communications policy. Using its authority, the FCC has done such far-reaching things as setting rates for long distance telephone service, creating rules and standards for broadcast programming, writing regulations for providers of cable television and information services, and, in recent decades, introducing competition in virtually every sector of the communications industry. As the FCC has gone about implementing its statutory mandate, it has frequently been the target of criticism by interest groups and members of Congress. Even these critics, however, would have a hard time imagining how a task as complicated as the formulation of a national telecommunications policy could be accomplished without the expertise and full time attention of an agency such as the FCC. The first work to integrate detailed information on the FCC as an organization--its politics, key policy initiatives, and legal issues--offers students, researchers, and general readers alike easy access to an array of topics related to the FCC. Chapters discuss the agency's origins, organization, programs, controversies, notable people, and significant court cases. Topics include the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Michael Powell, Verizon Communications Inc. v. FCC, the Fairness Doctrine, telephone-cable competition, and indecency. A comprehensive annotated bibliography lists sources for further research.

The first of January 1998 was the deadline for market liberalisation within the European Union, which together with the passing of the USA Telecommunications Act, has served to open up major markets in the Telecommunications Industry. This book examines the changes that have been occuring in the industry in recent years, seeking to impose a coherent structure upon a rapidly changing environment. It includes case studies of the UK, Germany and the USA.

From the legendary journalist and creator of "Gonzo" journalism Hunter S. Thompson comes the bestselling critical look at Nixon and McGovern's 1972 presidential election.
Forty years after its original publication, "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 "remains a cornerstone of American political journalism and one of the bestselling campaign books of all time. Hunter S. Thompson's searing account of the battle for the 1972 presidency--from the Democratic primaries to the eventual showdown between George McGovern and Richard Nixon--is infused with the characteristic wit, intensity, and emotional engagement that made Thompson "the flamboyant apostle and avatar of gonzo journalism" ("The New York Times"). Hilarious, terrifying, insightful, and compulsively readable, "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 "is an epic political adventure that captures the feel of the American democratic process better than any other book ever written.