Dublin Core
Title
Digital transformation in business and society: theory
and cases
and cases
Creator
Robert E. Hinson
Description
Theory and Cases, edited by George Babu and
Justin Paul, brings together ‘different perspectives from experts on how the data revolution
has shaped different regions, industries, and domains’ (2). This book documents how the
integration of digital technology into all areas of business and society fundamentally changes
the way businesses operate and deliver services to their consumers. Babu George is Associate
Professor of Management at Fort Hays State University, USA, while Justin Paul is Professor at
the Graduate School of Business, University of Puerto Rico, and member of Rollins College,
Florida, USA. Justin Paul is known widely for his introduction of the so-called Masstige model
and measures for brand management, the CPP Model for describing and comparing the
internationalization strategies along with the ‘7-Ps’ framework used in the study and practice
of international marketing.
The book reviewed here is a timely and significant publication for several reasons. Firstly,
we are living in an age of rapid digitalization. In the information and communication
technology (ICT) sector, there has indeed been a global revolution resulting in radical
changes in the way people communicate with each other. This revolution has had an
enormous impact on the way international business is conducted. In the space of 50 years,
the digital world has grown to become crucial to the functioning of society. To illustrate,
a recent study reports that 95% of young American adults own a cell phone and 97% of
these cell owners use text messaging. Furthermore, 90% of young adults use social networking sites (Abatayo, Lynham, and Sherstyuk, 2017). Secondly, we can observe both positive
and negative aspects of societal digitization: we can note current controversies surrounding
globally networked enterprises such as Facebook. In their edited collection, George and Paul
as editors allow a balanced view on both the threats and opportunities that the digital
transformation of business and society create.
The book comprises 16 chapters, contributed by some seasoned and some early-career
scholars. In an introductory chapter, Babu George, the principal editor, incisively sketches
a comprehensive picture for understanding the issues and problems with regard to the
digital revolution. As he observes: ‘we have some evidence to support the claim that the
digital revolution has helped us improve not just our business enterprises but our overall
standard of living as a community of people, around the world’ (2).
In chapter 2, Maria Lai-Ling Lam and Kei-Wing Wong explore the human flourishing in
smart cities by focusing on the characteristics and relevant issues of two of Asia’s foremost
‘smart cities’: Singapore and Songdo, in the Republic in Korea. The study generates the
following interesting arguments. First, Singapore and Songo are highly centralized and
developed to attract foreign investments and competitiveness. The authors indicate that
the cities attached huge amount of China-sourced inward financial investments and tourists.
Both cities are framed as a smart city with all computerized accessible buildings and electrical
sensors. They are managed through a centralized operating system that combines data
analytics, big data, and urban informatics. Second, the standard of living in both cities is –
by national and international comparisons – relatively high. However, the authors highlight
some notable human and environmental concerns. For instance, Singapore’s smart city
development plan was publicly criticized for its ‘lack of citizen’s participation’ (22).
A process of so-called ‘McDonaldization’ continues and, therefore, citizens are treated as
consumers and entrepreneurs in these smart cities
Justin Paul, brings together ‘different perspectives from experts on how the data revolution
has shaped different regions, industries, and domains’ (2). This book documents how the
integration of digital technology into all areas of business and society fundamentally changes
the way businesses operate and deliver services to their consumers. Babu George is Associate
Professor of Management at Fort Hays State University, USA, while Justin Paul is Professor at
the Graduate School of Business, University of Puerto Rico, and member of Rollins College,
Florida, USA. Justin Paul is known widely for his introduction of the so-called Masstige model
and measures for brand management, the CPP Model for describing and comparing the
internationalization strategies along with the ‘7-Ps’ framework used in the study and practice
of international marketing.
The book reviewed here is a timely and significant publication for several reasons. Firstly,
we are living in an age of rapid digitalization. In the information and communication
technology (ICT) sector, there has indeed been a global revolution resulting in radical
changes in the way people communicate with each other. This revolution has had an
enormous impact on the way international business is conducted. In the space of 50 years,
the digital world has grown to become crucial to the functioning of society. To illustrate,
a recent study reports that 95% of young American adults own a cell phone and 97% of
these cell owners use text messaging. Furthermore, 90% of young adults use social networking sites (Abatayo, Lynham, and Sherstyuk, 2017). Secondly, we can observe both positive
and negative aspects of societal digitization: we can note current controversies surrounding
globally networked enterprises such as Facebook. In their edited collection, George and Paul
as editors allow a balanced view on both the threats and opportunities that the digital
transformation of business and society create.
The book comprises 16 chapters, contributed by some seasoned and some early-career
scholars. In an introductory chapter, Babu George, the principal editor, incisively sketches
a comprehensive picture for understanding the issues and problems with regard to the
digital revolution. As he observes: ‘we have some evidence to support the claim that the
digital revolution has helped us improve not just our business enterprises but our overall
standard of living as a community of people, around the world’ (2).
In chapter 2, Maria Lai-Ling Lam and Kei-Wing Wong explore the human flourishing in
smart cities by focusing on the characteristics and relevant issues of two of Asia’s foremost
‘smart cities’: Singapore and Songdo, in the Republic in Korea. The study generates the
following interesting arguments. First, Singapore and Songo are highly centralized and
developed to attract foreign investments and competitiveness. The authors indicate that
the cities attached huge amount of China-sourced inward financial investments and tourists.
Both cities are framed as a smart city with all computerized accessible buildings and electrical
sensors. They are managed through a centralized operating system that combines data
analytics, big data, and urban informatics. Second, the standard of living in both cities is –
by national and international comparisons – relatively high. However, the authors highlight
some notable human and environmental concerns. For instance, Singapore’s smart city
development plan was publicly criticized for its ‘lack of citizen’s participation’ (22).
A process of so-called ‘McDonaldization’ continues and, therefore, citizens are treated as
consumers and entrepreneurs in these smart cities
Publisher
ASIA PACIFIC BUSINESS REVIEW
Source
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13602381.2020.1738074
Language
English