Transnational regulatory governance and global electronic commerce

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact of Global Electronic Commerce (GEC) on transnational regulatory governance and to suggest a novel way of understanding its implications for national and transnational governance structures.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper has two components. The first part endeavours to establish a basis from which to observe regulatory governance of GEC and, in doing so, suggests a framework that draws together the relevant elements of transnational GEC governance. The second part examines the central determinants in shaping a functioning framework for GEC, namely, copyrights, data privacy protection and jurisdiction.

Findings

The findings are twofold. Owing to limitations deriving from institutional structural divergences; variations in cultural, political and commercial interests; and the relative power of non‐state actors, the cases first indicate how GEC has made multilateral negotiations between states more complex. Second, given the complexity of cross‐border governance and the variation in interests across its regulatory subsectors, GEC calls for an increasing degree of cultural harmonization across all regulatory subsectors.

Originality/value

In the absence of major views or paradigms, a novel approach to understanding the regulatory governance of GEC between states is a welcome addition to the study of transnational governance. Such an approach seeks to elucidate the impact of GEC on the development of transnational regulatory mechanisms, on the one hand, and the transformations that the governance of GEC imposes on transnational negotiation processes, on the other hand. It also seeks to understand how these underpinnings affect formation of holistic governance structures for GEC.

Citation

Purra, M. (2009), "Transnational regulatory governance and global electronic commerce", info, Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 19-33. https://doi.org/10.1108/14636690910932975