Fundación Telefónica

We have an asset, a language: Spanish, connecting over 400 million people around the world, and which is translated in the higher levels of trade and business presence, through direct investment between our countries. From both perspectives, the Spanish language reveals itself as a wide "economic bridge": not only within the broad American subcontinent, but also over the Atlantic, with Spain taking the lead. The common language, Spanish, enables cutting costs, in particular transaction and information costs, in a similar manner as a common currency does, and multiplies positive externalities in a club-like fashion; it allows markets to come closer, both culturally and psychologically, while strengthening confidence ties and being a source of social capital. In short, a common language is a requirement - as Adam Smith already understood over two centuries ago – for exchange, specialization and cooperation. Today, we would say that it is the great tool for business internationalisation.

Download index and foreword

This document is the final report of research carried out during the 2010-2011 school year with the aim of helping us learn about and understand how non-university educational centres are using information and communication technologies within the Spanish territory. It also provides elements of reflection on relevant aspects concerning the use of ICTs at school in order to promote an open, pluralist, democratic, and rigorous social and professional exchange, which may help all sectors involved to formulate well-founded proposals for improvement in their spheres of action.

Download full publication (Register required)

The 21st Century it is called to be the Century of Cities. Already in July 2007 urban population surpassed rural population in the world and forecasts suggest that by 2050 it will reach almost 70%. Cities have a significant impact on the economic and social development of Nations. They are true platforms where people live and work, where companies carry out their activities and within the framework of which many services are provided. Furthermore, they are major centres of resource consumption. Cities are currently estimated to be responsible for 75% of the world's energy consumption, generating 80% of greenhouse gases. In this scenario, showing an urban environment with an increasing demand for efficiency, sustainable development, quality of life and the wise management of resources, public administrations are required to consider an evolution in their city management models. For this purpose, the application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is essential and translates into the Smart City concept, which provides a glimpse, with its services, into the so-called Internet of things and the Internet of the future.

Download full publication (Register required)

At a time of cultural effervescence in which visual art galleries have become renowned centres of interest on a social, political and economic level, this book aims to delve deeply into one of the least visible areas of art centres: education departments. Through a historical overview, opinions from eminent specialists and a research project, Perspectivas intends to analyse the current state of education in visual art galleries (essentially in Spain) and assess the true impact that education has so as to ascertain if the much-debated shift towards education is a reality that has provided visibility and power or is merely a trend that, like all others, will pass and place DEACs (Departments of Education and Cultural Action) in the catacombs of museums once again.

Beyond considering education as an important element, this book vindicates the role it plays as the the main vehicle for giving form to the intentions of visual art galleries. Without reinforcing or promoting education, and adopting a political stance based on this decision, perhaps visual art galleries will continue to have difficulties connecting with the public. Shall we try?

Download table of contents and forewords

This book seeks to contribute to the understanding of this phenomenon by analysing the impact of mobile telephony on social and economic development in Latin America over the past decade. The research, in which prestigious specialists have collaborated, looks at the results obtained from a wide-ranging investigation, covering regional analysis and case studies in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru.

The multidisciplinary approach of this book combines microeconomic analysis of the contribution made by mobile telephony to joint development and the reduction in poverty through the study of business models, orientated toward the so-called base of the pyramid income and the role of mobile phones in value chains in rural environments, as well as the study of the different forms of appropriating mobiles within an urban setting and their impact on youth culture.

The multiple approaches combine together in this publication with a common end in view: identify how the rapid spread of mobile telephony has changed the relationship between social and economic agents in an emerging region, in which these relationships are established ever more frequently via wireless networks.

Download table of contents and forewords

The Arts and Letters have always had significant economic consequences, both in terms of business organization and in terms of private or Governmental patronage. Throughout the 20th century, technological advances resulted in mass production and consumption, causing cultural products and entertainment to become genuine "industries", where language plays a key role that transcends national borders. Spanish as a global language emerges as an important drive for the development of our culture. The book begins with a historical introduction in order to understand the transformation from the artisan production of culture to the era of mass consumption of film, theatre, music, books, radio and television, museums…Addressing the current reality, it defines and delimits the industry, studying how each "cultural and creative industry" works, and measures their relative importance in the Spanish economy as a whole. It then analyses the weight of the Spanish language in each cultural and entertainment segment.

Download index and foreword

Third monographic report belonging to the project of the report "The Information Society in Spain”, which will address the issue of the Real Time Web. Synthetically, we can define Real Time Web (RTW) as a set of technologies, services and practices that facilitate receiving information as soon as it is published by the corresponding authors. It entails a paradigm shift regarding the traditional web architecture, because RTW runs on information flows comprised by "deconstructed" contents or pieces of information that offer value as a whole and independently. RTW services promote a seamless, instant, and ongoing communication, while it becomes permanent and traceable. RTW services are, in addition, characterized by a notable social component, that comes to support the exponential broadcasting of information.

Descargar publicación completa
Descargar publicación electrónica e-pub

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are a predominant and omnipresent part of everyday life. We talk, tweet, write and send SMS over our mobile phones; we work, buy and entertain ourselves over the Internet; and we eagerly anticipate new hardware or software products, brainchilds of the innovative minds of engineers and designers from all over the world. Technology also stimulates competition. There is no doubt that ICTs, just like steam and electricity did in their time, are a fundamental force in global change. This study establishes how recent progress in Information and Communication Technologies has led to improvements in the standards of living, yielding social and cultural changes throughout the world. It also identifies the ways in which government policies, business strategies and consumer behaviour facilitate or limit the full development of these technologies.

Download full publication (Register required)

This work aims to highlight the most significant indicators for Colombia in the digital world and to identify its key challenges in order to encourage public debate in favour of the Information Society. To this regard, the Colombian Government has set out to guarantee that all Colombians are connected and informed by 2019, and that they can efficiently and productively use the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and thus raise the standards of competitiveness and social inclusion. This countrywide commitment to digital development should generate optimism and lead to both public and private action. The objective of this study is, therefore, to show how, in Colombia, the contribution of ICTs is a key factor in the generation of knowledge, creativity and innovation, which are fundamental drivers of success in digital economies and for strengthening of the economic development.

Download full publication (Register required)

The impact of new information technologies in the development of countries is an issue that has earned a great level of interest. There are already studies that have found a significant relationship between the implementation of telecommunications technologies and their effect on economic growth. On the one hand, they promote the creation of enterprises, reduce asymmetric information issues and replace the need for transport, thus increasing productivity and efficiency. On the other hand, ICTs are a tool that provide key support in disaster scenarios, enable the broadcasting of information on health and education, and foster the creation of social capital. This work includes the analysis of the impact of the mobile phone, as it had not yet experienced its strong expansion. In addition, it seeks to address the shortcomings that had up to this point affected the study of the effects of telecommunications in the development of Peru, particularly in its rural area.

Download full publication (Register required)