There is a considerable amount of network economy activity at the London School of Economics and associated organisations that we wish to share with all who are interested; this is the purpose of our blog. Linked to this page you will find news about our activities, announcements of upcoming forums and reports on past meetings, reflections on recent events that we are somehow involved with, and other material that we believe will be of interest to our readers. Most importantly, however, is the opportunity to use this blog as a medium for serious discussion and debate, and it is our specific ambition to stimulate wide-ranging involvement.
The LSE Network Economy Forum is a means by which we bridge the main interest groups with the goal of further serious discussion about the digital world. Our contribution is three-fold. One is to provide a commercially and politically neutral space for debate and the exchange of ideas. Another is to generate materials that interpret new research and introduce to the wider community evidence and ideas from academic studies of the internet, information and communications technologies, governance of the digital realm, and related topics. The third is to establish dialogue that informs our specific areas of research and stimulates discussions that might generate new studies, both applied and of the “blue sky” variety.
Our core group, organized as “LSE Tech”, is proud of our varied backgrounds and differing experiences, ranging from commercial and professional experiences in regulators, telecoms network operators, software and IT companies, government bodies, consultancies, and crucially, academic work. By field of study, we span various social sciences including history, economics and sociology as well as a variety of engineering disciplines. We are mainly linked to the LSE Department of Management but our friends and associates range widely insofar as they encompass former students, academic collaborators and other contributors to our endeavours.
We strive to bring together appropriate individuals from five main constituencies in a variety of gatherings, either as invited attendees at our workshops or open invitations to our occasional conferences and seminars. These constituencies are business planners and strategy specialists from telecom network operators and from internet businesses, regulators and policy makers from national regulatory authorities as well as the European Union, ICT investment specialists from within the financial services industry, representatives of consumer groups and users, and academics who have an interest in sharing with these other groups.
We invite you to contribute to our blog. Please read our guidelines and editorial policy and send us your contributions. We also welcome comments on published blogs that can enhance the debate and build constructive dialogues. We look forward to your participation!
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Dr Jonathan Liebenau is a Reader in Technology Management in the LSE Department of Management. He focuses on information and communication technology in the economy. He has worked in academic administration, technology policy, and the economic history of science-based industry and is the author or editor of several books and over 70 other major publications and has provided research and consultancy services to companies and government agencies, including: Dell, BT, IBM, Microsoft, Tata Consultancy Services, Nortel, Lloyd Thompson, Nokia, ETNO and to the UK Office of Science & Innovation, the Department of Business Innovation & Skills, and the Home Office.
