ICT & Biotech Resources

In an information age where the knowledge-based economy is king, no area is exempt from the pervasive nature of information and communications technologies (ICT). Although research linking the two fields of international economics and ICT remains at its infancy, this effort will attempt to provide an eclectic mix of important ICT-related sites as well as links to some key institutions.

National & Extranational Government Bodies

• Business Software Alliance
• International Telecommunications Union
• Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers
• InterNIC
• World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
• National Centre for Genome Resources
• National Human Genome Research Institute

Research Resources

• Information Economics Resources
  Hal Varian's brainchild contains a vast array of links related to information economics, as well as some of his pioneering work in the field. Another useful site in the same vein is Danny Quah's contribution on the Weightless Economy.
• Economics of Networks
  Closely related to the information economy are Nicholas Economides' highly-acclaimed site and Yi-Nung Yang's Research on Network Economics. The issue of path dependence and lock-in effects is explored in Stan Liebowitz's Path Dependence site.
• Telecom Information Resources on the Internet
  This massive site houses in the excess of 8,000 links on Internet sources of information on all aspects of telecommunications, such as various aspects relating to the Internet, networks, telecommunication policies and the like. Maintained by Jeffery MacKie-Mason.
• Information Technology Landscape in Nations
  Detailed, in-depth country reports on all major countries in the world, with write ups on a large range of headings, including telecommunications infrastructure, ICT policy, Internet activities, ICT human resources, together with analysis. A tremendous resource.
• APDIP Internet Governance Information Service
  This is managed by an initiative of the UNDP. A large database of news briefings in the area of Internet governance, with a focus on the Asia-Pacific. Well organised, with keys on issues addressed. The site also provides a collection of mailing lists that might be of interest.
• Research Index
  Research Index is a digital library of scientific (currently only computer science) literature that is freely accessible. It also aids in cross-linking and finding of related literature to the document that you might possess.
• Center for Research in Electronic Commerce
  This site collects a range of e-commerce related research published by the Center, on topics such as online advertising, identity and reputation, prediction markets, and field experiments. The Center, together with Cisco, also used to publish a range of very useful indicators on measuring the Internet Economy; the closest current alternative is provided by Caslon Analytics.
• The World Paper
  The World Paper researches on various international affairs-related issues. Of late, research produced has had a strong ICT-orientation. In particular, the Information Society Index is a highly-regarded indicator of country progress in the information economy.
• International Telecommunications Websites
  Although this is not annotated, the list is a good collection of resources on the international telecommunications scene, well categorised into key areas such as development issues, satellite information, and submarine cable information. It also has a listing sorted by country.
• ComputerWorld
  ComputerWorld is a good resource for many ICT-related news, especially breaking news. The site also provides in-depth research into many issues, including government/policy issues as well as more technologically-oriented issues.
• Science, Technology & Industry
  Set up by the OECD. Covers science & technology policy, information and communications policy and industry. Statistical analyses are also provided, as well as many full-text documentation by the body.
• Catherwood Guide to e-Commerce
  This Cornell site contains a wide array of links covering multiple aspects of e-commerce, and is an excellent beginner's introduction to the topic. Loads of links to related aspects, many from a policy perspective.
• Checkbiotech
  Possibly the best source of biotechnology on the Web. Includes a comprehensive news update drawn from a range of newspapers, as well as a massive database of categorised reports and studies on biotech-related issues - of particular interest are the economic studies.
• Biotech: Life Sciences Resources & Reference Tools
  Biotech is a research and educational tool located at the University of Texas at Austin. Information provided ranges from essays and articles on aspects of the life sciences to links to Web resources, as well as a dictionary.
• Food Biotechnology Communications Network
  The FBCN deals with the narrower area of food biotechnology. The site includes resource sheets on various genetically-modified food products together with a host of links in specific areas.
• Gene Technology
  Mainly a source of public information for Australians, the site is however a good introduction to the topics and issues involved. It also provides research on specific areas as welk as a useful glossary of terms that might be unfamiliar to a non-specialist.

• International Institute for Communication & Development
  The IICD performs, inter alia, a roundtable process for helping developing countries in the formulation of the ICT policies. Other tasks include capacity development as well as individual projects.
• Harvard Information Infrastructure Project
  The HIIP was established to provide a multi-disciplinary forum for the study of policy issues related to information infrastructure. Links to publications, conferences, and a HIIP policy gateway can be found onsite. An interesting juxtaposition is provided by the Medieval Technology Pages.
• International Institute of Infonomics
  This interdisciplinary institute, based in the Netherlands, studies the digitisation of society. The site has online links to the reports, articles, and research memos produced by its researchers.
• Research Centre for Social Sciences
  The RCSS at the University of Edinburgh has a focus on socio-economic research in technology, which includes both ICT as well as technology transfer in general.
• e-ASEAN Task Force
  The e-ASEAN initiative is the effort by ASEAN to embrace the information age and is the first international ICT infrastructure initiative. The site contains the latest developments in this test-bed case.
• Center for Management of Innovation & Technopreneurship
  Based in the National University of Singapore. With a highly advanced ICT policy that includes a comprehensive national information infrastructure, Singapore is an ideal case study for ICT policy. This site provides a comprehensive reading list and some recent working papers.
• Biotechnology and Globalisation
  This is a series of conferences held under the auspices of the Harvard Centre for International Development. The site procvides conference reports as well as research resources, most useful being the Internet links on many biotechnology-related issues.
• Council for Biotechnology Information
  The CBI was founded by biotech companies to educate and communicate information on biotechnology. The site provides research white papers, reports and surveys, as well as general information on biotech.

• Slashdot
  In order to work in the rapidly-changing world of ICT, it is necessary to be in touch with the constantly changing landscape which introduces new technologies faster than ever before. Slashdot is one of the best sources of such information.
• Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing
  The FOLDC is a lifesaver when you are truly stumped with all the myriad computer terms that are floating around - from acronyms to jargon to programming to theory. Still can't find it? Try TechEncyclopedia. If you're just looking for what a particular abbreviation or acronym stands for, the glossary Babel is the place to go.
• Biotech Life Sciences Dictionary
  This is a useful dictionary that can be used to look up scientific terms related to the life sciences. Over 6,700 terms are defined. Unrivalled on the Net as a definitional resource.