This book contains an Open Access chapter The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted economies and society globally. In addressing the crisis, the Internet proved incredibly important in enabling many to shift physical work, education, and social activities online and facilitating the tracking of the progress of the pandemic. Beyond the Pandemic? is the first edited collection to concentrate on the dynamic and complex relationship between the Internet and the role it played in responding to the pandemic. Covid-19 accelerated the digital economy transformation, changing the way work, education, and social engagement is organized, potentially permanently. The collection of international scholars who contributed to this volume offer insightful perspectives on how the Internet ecosystem responded and was changed as a consequence of Covid-19; the sectoral consequences of shifting activity online that the Internet enabled for many, but not for all; and the implications for regulatory policies. Given how central digital technologies are to all aspects of business, society, and government, Beyond the Pandemic? is integral to the exploration of the sectoral consequences of the Internet for business managers, policymakers and researchers engaged in planning and study for the digital economy future and planning for future pandemics.

This book includes papers that shed some light on the study of income distribution from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. It explores the propositions that the income gap is growing in developing countries and the poor are becoming relatively poorer in an absolute sense.

Far from transferring resources from the rich to the poor, as intended, the New International Economic Order (NIEO)-if fully implemented-is more likely to transfer them from the poor to the rich. Thus assert the authors, who present their analysis of trade and investment data in support of their conclusions. The NIEO, a program adopted by the United Nations, proposes increased prices of primary products, tariff preferences for exports of less developed countries to the industrial world, a code of conduct for multinational corporations, international monetary reform, debt forgiveness or rescheduling for the third world, plus a number of other provisions designed to help third world countries. But, the authors contend, all these provisions will further enrich the already rich within the third world, while adding to the poverty of the already poor. Higher prices for primary products would benefit the rich producers at the expense of the poor who buy them. Debt rescheduling would help only those rich enough to incur debt in the first place; because aid is available in finite quantities, this help might be at the expense of the poor. Likewise, trade preferences would also help the rich, who are the major exporters. The NIEO has been widely acclaimed in industrialized as well as in third world countries; this book demonstrates how the effects of the NIEO could well be the opposite from what is widely believed.

Far from transferring resources from the rich to the poor, as intended, the New International Economic Order (NIEO)-if fully implemented-is more likely to transfer them from the poor to the rich. Thus assert the authors, who present their analysis of trade and investment data in support of their conclusions. The NIEO, a program adopted by the United Nations, proposes increased prices of primary products, tariff preferences for exports of less developed countries to the industrial world, a code of conduct for multinational corporations, international monetary reform, debt forgiveness or rescheduling for the third world, plus a number of other provisions designed to help third world countries. But, the authors contend, all these provisions will further enrich the already rich within the third world, while adding to the poverty of the already poor. Higher prices for primary products would benefit the rich producers at the expense of the poor who buy them. Debt rescheduling would help only those rich enough to incur debt in the first place; because aid is available in finite quantities, this help might be at the expense of the poor. Likewise, trade preferences would also help the rich, who are the major exporters. The NIEO has been widely acclaimed in industrialized as well as in third world countries; this book demonstrates how the effects of the NIEO could well be the opposite from what is widely believed.

The increasing inequality and poverty that seem inevitably to accompany economic growth in developing countries have become more and more evident in recent years. The search for development paths that lead to growth with equality-all too difficult to find-is now an area of central concern for development economists. One result of their concern is this volume, in which internationally known representatives of a range of disciplines address themselves to ways in which growth with equity might be successfully achieved. The book begins with both empirical and theoretical background to the development issues involved, and with an overview of the experience of the international development assistance community. focuses on operational definitions of the poor that will permit analytical, policy-oriented research to lead to useful conclusions. Specific concern is expressed for small-business owners, women, peasants, and recent migrants from rural to urban areas. The basic question, of course, is what can be done about poverty and inequality. includes suggestions for specific measures and provides a comprehensive comparison across a wide range of policy options. The book does not solve the problem, but it does point to directions that promise a reasonably high probability of success. And throughout, suggestions are made for the kind of interdisciplinary research required to raise that probability even further.