Political Processes and Technological Changes in the Global Environment: Government and Telecommunications Reform

Author: Li Mingzhi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-11-01
Features: This book explores the driving forces behind the regulatory reforms in the telecommunications sector over the past 20 years. It primarily discusses the following three aspects: 1. The privatization and fair competition issues in emerging liberalized markets; 2. Regulatory reforms as a political process, with a focus on institutional building during phases of fundamental changes in the political and economic landscape. When the power of existing stakeholders shifts or when new participants gain sufficient authority, political constraints also evolve. 3. Technology as a catalyst for regulatory transformation. The case studies in this book revolve around three themes. The chapters in the preface elaborate on the main debates surrounding current regulatory reforms, primarily concerning the telecommunications sector, but also include examples from the broader liberalization of public utility sectors. It attempts to provide a brief commentary on the relationships between the different issues discussed in the book and to establish a common framework for the subsequent chapters. The book originated from a research project aimed at comparing the liberalization processes of EU member states. The inclusion of case studies from EU candidate countries and Asia would significantly enhance the book's value, a point that has become increasingly clear. Therefore, the case studies allow us to draw conclusions from a geographically diverse sample.