[ecrea] PhD summer school on the Political Economy of ICT

The sixth PhD summer school on 'The Political Economy of Information and 
Communication Technologies'

*Dates*: 16-21 August 2011

*Place*: Skagen, Denmark

*Organizer*: Center for Communication, Media and Information 
technologies (CMI), Aalborg University, Denmark

*Deadline for registration*: 15 May 2011

*Information and registration*: http://phdsummerschool.nordict.aau.dk


 Topic: New architectures and value configurations

During the past couple of decades, telecommunications, IT and the media 
have gone through fundamental
changes technologically, economically and politically resulting in new 
challenges and crossroads. Convergence of telecommunications, IT and the 
media has reached a stage where entirely new value configurations are 
taking shape. The role of users is also changing with the widespread 
growth of social networks and other user centered and user generated 
applications.

Among the outstanding developments is the increasing focus on platforms 
not only in a technological sense of the concept but also market-wise. 
Multi-sided platforms have a long history but have gained prominence 
with the use of ICT in different business areas. Cloud computing is 
another important development trend. Cloud computing is not only a 'hot 
topic' but raises a range of technological, business-oriented and 
regulatory issues so far only little explored in-depth. Furthermore, the 
media have witnessed serious challenges regarding their traditional 
business models and content. This applies to the written media as well 
as video and audio media.

Such developments raise questions regarding technological architectures 
as well as value configurations and content and services. The summer 
school puts focus on these interlinked developments examining the 
relationships between network issues and business, content and service 
issues. Attendants to the course will be PhD students with a technology 
background as well as students with a business or media background.


Specific topics included:

. Convergence of telecommunications, IT and the media

. New technology architectures

. Changing value configurations

. Multi-sided platforms

. Cloud computing

. Social media

. New media business models

. The interrelationships between technology, market developments and 
regulations

The summer school is organized in cooperation with CTIF (Centre for 
TeleInFrastructure), the CAMMP project (Converged Advanced Mobile Media 
Platform), and is part of the activities of the Mobile and Wireless 
Cluster CWMC  (Copenhagen Wireless and Mobile Consortium) located at CMI.


 Aims and objectives

The aim of the course is to refine the level of knowledge of the 
participating Ph.D. students on the economic and political structures 
and mechanisms affecting technology development in the information and 
communication technology (ICT) area. It also considers the impact of 
implementation and application of ICTs on the economy and broader social 
developments. It is a course in the political economy of technology 
development with a disciplinary point of departure in economics and 
social science. This theme is explored at a company (micro), sectoral 
(meso) and/or societal (macro) level. This will depend on the specific 
topics chosen in the course. The course targets Ph.D. students with a 
technology background combined with an economics and/or social science 
approach and students with an economics and /or social science 
background focusing on technology development.


 Lecturers

William H. Melody, Professor, CMI, Aalborg University

Robert Picard, Professor, IMA, Jönköping International Business School

Ramjee Prasad, Professor, CTIF/AAU

Knud Erik Skouby, Professor, CMI

Anders Henten, Professor, CMI

Reza Tadayoni, Associate Professor, CMI


 More Information

For more information please refer to the course web site: 
http://phdsummerschool.nordict.aau.dk/

Or contact Reza Tadayoni or Anders Henten.

Center for Communication, Media and Information Technologies
Aalborg University
Lautrupvang 1A,
DK-2750 Ballerup,  Denmark

Phones:
+45 9940 2510 (Reza Tadayoni)
+45 9940 2512 (Anders Henten)

E-mails:
(Tadayoni /at/ cmi.aau.dk) <mailto:(Henten /at/ cmi.aau.dk)> (Reza Tadayoni)

(Henten /at/ cmi.aau.dk) <mailto:(Henten /at/ cmi.aau.dk)> (Anders Henten)