Ebook: Relaunching Videotex

Helena Flam Universitat Konstanz B. D. R. Volker Schneider Max Planck Institute for Social Research Kaln, B. D. R. I. A traditional sociologist or political scientist may find the choise of videotex as the object of this cross-national comparison surprising. Indeed, contemporary Sociology and Political Science have shied away from the studies of technology. Consequently, until recently they have not contributed much to the understanding of technological change, leaving this field of study to geographers and historians. The very best among such studies reveal, however, that the evolution of technology is a social construction and that the development and deployment of technical systems are intermeshed with social, economic and political relations (Hughes 1982). These studies show that technologies are often the result of the interaction between a number of social groups and actors (e. g. business, the state, etc. ) as well as of social struggles revolving around the impact of such collaboration on the third parties. Once revealed, these complex interdependencies and processes are a compelling justification for the recent focus of sociologists and political scientists on technology and complex technical systems (Bijker et al. 1987, Burns and Flam 1987: 292-365; Mayntz and Hughes 1988). The aim of these as well as the present study is to uncover these webs and processes in order to contribute to the general understanding of technological change from a societal perspective. It is also to show that these processes are non-deterministic, interactive, and open-ended.

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This book presents case studies of the development of videotex in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Sweden, Ireland and the United States. These studies offer an excellent overview of the many factors and actors which might influence the outcome of complex innovation and implementation processes. Videotex is an interlocked innovation comprising not only innovations in the infrastructure (networks, hard- and software) but also an innovation in the supply of services and the user demand. If only one of these elements is absent the entire chain breaks down and the innovation process is hampered.
In Europe two different implementation strategies can be distinguished: the Prestel and the T?l?tel scenarios. Until now, only T?l?tel has proved successful and only in one country: France. Given this state of affairs the following question is raised -- will the relaunch of videotex succeed in countries where the initial Prestel strategy failed? Or will an open market approach, as followed in the United States, present a more direct route to the successful relaunch of videotex in the 1990s?
This collection presents a coherent up-to-date survey and analysis of videotex systems operating thoughout Europe. It analyses the use, success, limitations and future of videotex systems and related technologies.
This collection will be of interest to computer, information and communication scientists, especially those who work in telecommunication and information management. It also offers an excellent case study of information technology policy analysis and as such will be of interest to social and political scientists specialising in technological policy.

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This book presents case studies of the development of videotex in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Sweden, Ireland and the United States. These studies offer an excellent overview of the many factors and actors which might influence the outcome of complex innovation and implementation processes. Videotex is an interlocked innovation comprising not only innovations in the infrastructure (networks, hard- and software) but also an innovation in the supply of services and the user demand. If only one of these elements is absent the entire chain breaks down and the innovation process is hampered.
In Europe two different implementation strategies can be distinguished: the Prestel and the T?l?tel scenarios. Until now, only T?l?tel has proved successful and only in one country: France. Given this state of affairs the following question is raised -- will the relaunch of videotex succeed in countries where the initial Prestel strategy failed? Or will an open market approach, as followed in the United States, present a more direct route to the successful relaunch of videotex in the 1990s?
This collection presents a coherent up-to-date survey and analysis of videotex systems operating thoughout Europe. It analyses the use, success, limitations and future of videotex systems and related technologies.
This collection will be of interest to computer, information and communication scientists, especially those who work in telecommunication and information management. It also offers an excellent case study of information technology policy analysis and as such will be of interest to social and political scientists specialising in technological policy.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-vi
Foreword....Pages 1-5
Chapter 1 Introduction. Videotex: Is There a Life After Death?....Pages 7-13
The United Kingdom, France and Germany: Setting the Stage....Pages 15-30
Italy: The Slow Takeoff of an ‘Unidentified Flying Object’....Pages 31-38
The Netherlands: Bundling Successes or Bundling Failures? The Art of System Integration....Pages 39-51
Austria: Ambitious Plans …....Pages 53-67
Switzerland: A Modest Success in Tiny Pragmatic Steps....Pages 69-84
Belgium: Between Monopoly and Competition....Pages 85-98
Denmark: From Electronic Picture Book to New Medium?....Pages 99-111
Spain: Great Expectations — A New Wave of Optimism....Pages 113-123
Sweden: The Troika Pattern....Pages 125-140
Ireland: From Pub to Public....Pages 141-147
US: Videotex in a “Hyperevolutionary” Market....Pages 149-164
Videotex in a Broader Perspective: From Failure to Future Medium?....Pages 165-176
Back Matter....Pages 177-178

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This book presents case studies of the development of videotex in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Sweden, Ireland and the United States. These studies offer an excellent overview of the many factors and actors which might influence the outcome of complex innovation and implementation processes. Videotex is an interlocked innovation comprising not only innovations in the infrastructure (networks, hard- and software) but also an innovation in the supply of services and the user demand. If only one of these elements is absent the entire chain breaks down and the innovation process is hampered.
In Europe two different implementation strategies can be distinguished: the Prestel and the T?l?tel scenarios. Until now, only T?l?tel has proved successful and only in one country: France. Given this state of affairs the following question is raised -- will the relaunch of videotex succeed in countries where the initial Prestel strategy failed? Or will an open market approach, as followed in the United States, present a more direct route to the successful relaunch of videotex in the 1990s?
This collection presents a coherent up-to-date survey and analysis of videotex systems operating thoughout Europe. It analyses the use, success, limitations and future of videotex systems and related technologies.
This collection will be of interest to computer, information and communication scientists, especially those who work in telecommunication and information management. It also offers an excellent case study of information technology policy analysis and as such will be of interest to social and political scientists specialising in technological policy.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-vi
Foreword....Pages 1-5
Chapter 1 Introduction. Videotex: Is There a Life After Death?....Pages 7-13
The United Kingdom, France and Germany: Setting the Stage....Pages 15-30
Italy: The Slow Takeoff of an ‘Unidentified Flying Object’....Pages 31-38
The Netherlands: Bundling Successes or Bundling Failures? The Art of System Integration....Pages 39-51
Austria: Ambitious Plans …....Pages 53-67
Switzerland: A Modest Success in Tiny Pragmatic Steps....Pages 69-84
Belgium: Between Monopoly and Competition....Pages 85-98
Denmark: From Electronic Picture Book to New Medium?....Pages 99-111
Spain: Great Expectations — A New Wave of Optimism....Pages 113-123
Sweden: The Troika Pattern....Pages 125-140
Ireland: From Pub to Public....Pages 141-147
US: Videotex in a “Hyperevolutionary” Market....Pages 149-164
Videotex in a Broader Perspective: From Failure to Future Medium?....Pages 165-176
Back Matter....Pages 177-178
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