Adaptation of applied Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) research results is one of the greatest challenges faced today in building the global Knowledge Economy. While research challenges can be quite similar across the world - thus facilitating cross-border cooperation between researchers, government and industry, how actual research results can be exploited or implemented can vary considerably depending on the social, cultural and infrastructural context of the target country, province or region. This offers opportunities as well as challenges in terms of how applied ICT can be used to both support economic development and inform future research challenges. When cross-border collaboration is effective, there can be a valuable exchange of knowledge that can not only lead to successful adaptation of research results or lessons learnt from successful implementations in other countries, but can also provide insight into different problem solving techniques and new ways of thinking that can enrich the ICT research agenda. It is only through such mutually beneficial shared insight that the Digital Divide can be bridged.
This set of two books brings together a comprehensive collection of over 220 contributions on commercial, government or societal exploitation of applied ICT, representing cutting edge research, good practice and practical eAdoption from Africa, the Americas, Asia & Europe.