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The work connects classic theories of selfing to the COVID-19 pandemic to make fresh connections between pandemic-induced trauma to the self and digital resources. This research introduces the concept of the “traumatized self” emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to digital disadvantage and digital hyperconnectivity. From Cooley’s original “looking glass self” to Wellman’s “hyperconnected” individualist self, social theories of identity work, and production of the self have a long and interdisciplinary history. In documenting this history, the discussion outlines key foci in the theorizing of the digital self by mapping how digital selfing and identity work have been treated from the inception of the internet to the epoch of the pandemic. The work charts the evolution of the digital selfing project from key theoretical perspectives, including postmodernism, symbolic interactionism, and dramaturgy. Putting these approaches in dialogue with the traumatized self, this research makes a novel contribution by introducing the concept of digitally differentiated trauma, which scholars can employ to better understand selfing processes in such circumstances and times.

The attempt to establish a common European framework for core platforms' duties and responsibilities toward other actors in the digital environment is at the core of the recent scholarly debate surrounding the Digital Markets Act (DMA) proposal. In particular, the everlasting juxtaposition between the “data power” – as emerging from recent cases (Section 2) – that dominant tech companies enjoy and the concept of consumer sovereignty (Section 3) lies at the core of the proposal's attempt to identify digital core platforms as market gatekeepers. Accordingly, this chapter critically investigates the divide between power imbalance and consumer sovereignty in light of the architecture designed by the DMA, with a specific focus on its effectiveness in identifying gatekeepers' power drivers (Section 4). After highlighting the main critical aspects of the pertinent rules, opportunities for fruitful developments are then identified through the reframing of some of the notions considered in the proposal, and namely the role of “lock-in” effects and “data accumulation” (Section 5). Lastly, this chapter suggests that the DMA advancements – while desirable – are bound to be fragmentary in the absence of a wider appraisal of the nature of data power imbalance dynamics in the modern digital markets (Section 6).

This research aims to analyze how companies in the industry act as orchestrators and manage participants in their networks. The service industry has received little attention from scholars in this field, and this research gap was investigated in this study. Qualitative case study research with an exploratory approach is applied in this research so that in-depth insights can be obtained. Mamikos.com, a platform for room rent in Indonesia, was used as the research subject. Mamikos does not only facilitate tenants to find rooms to live in but also manages how landlords can serve tenants better and help tenants understand what the landlords want. In other words, Mamikos seeks to smoothen the value stream from landlords to tenants and vice versa. This research has implications that the value orchestrator must be able to facilitate the parties in the ecosystem to obtain the fundamental values needed and other side values so that they are loyal to the ecosystem managed by the orchestrator.

This research aims to investigate the process of value creation, value delivery, and value capture in project-based companies. Most previous research focused on companies that operate regularly and offer manufactured products or services. This research used companies in the field of information technology that developed software to explain how value creation, value delivery, and value capture occurred. A case study with qualitative research was applied to analyze between cases. Empirical findings showed that companies carry out six activities to ensure that value creation, value delivery, and value capture can be realized in the software development process. The six activities were iterative and not a rigid sequence. This research was limited to the software industry, and further research can test the results of this study by using a survey to increase the generalizability theory developed in this study.

Internet of things (IoT) involves the connection of various devices. IoT’s application ranges from wearables: Smart Home Application, Health Care, Smart Offices, Smart Cities, Agriculture, and Industrial Automation. While the number of connected devices grows by the day, so does the number of security risks and vulnerabilities that these devices face. Billions of the connected devices collect and transmit huge volumes of data making Data Security one of the most pressing technical concerns in IoT. Smart Office is one of the increasing IoT applications and Data Security has become today one of the most challenging areas in its application. It is important to identify data security threats. This chapter therefore presents a review of IoT Smart Office Data Security Threats based on existing research done.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has already changed the financial industry by increasing the accessibility and inclusiveness of financial services. While acknowledging the challenges posed by AI, this chapter provides insights into the positive impact of AI in promoting financial inclusion. AI has greatly enhanced credit scoring and risk assessment through the use of non-traditional data sources, enabling individuals with limited credit histories and low incomes to access loans and financial products. In addition, the implementation of AI-powered customer identification and verification systems has enhanced security measures while reducing the risk of fraudulent activity. However, the digital divide still remains a challenge to achieve wide financial inclusion. Limited access to technology and digital skills keeps some people from fully benefiting from AI-powered financial services. Access to loans through AI systems may seem convenient, but it also raises concerns about excess borrowing and the resulting unsustainable debt levels. In the age of digital finance, privacy and data security are still key issues. The chapter concludes by highlighting that more research is needed to address these challenges. By fully understanding the potential of AI, as well as its limitations, the power of technology can be harnessed to create more inclusive economic opportunities for everyone, especially those living in poorer areas.

The very essence of internationalisation, which depends heavily on academic mobility and cross-border interactions, has been adversely affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has been associated with a significant decline in student and staff mobility in South Africa and around the world. Nonetheless, it has also catalysed innovation and inspired new approaches to teaching and learning that have the potential to transform the future of higher education. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education institutions are grappling with a fundamental question that goes beyond the practicalities of internationalisation: How can we re-envision the concept of internationalisation to meet the challenges of the new normal? This question calls for a deeper reflection on the nature of internationalisation itself. How can we ensure that cross-border interactions and exchanges continue to foster a sense of global community and intercultural understanding, even in a world that is physically distanced? This chapter seeks to explore the profound implications of the pandemic on the internationalisation of higher education (IHE) in South Africa. It aims to critically examine the present challenges to internationalisation and the strategies that have been developed to address them in the context of the post-pandemic world. The chapter employs a critical reflection approach through the use of qualitative research, systematic literature review, and document analysis. By utilising these methodologies, it seeks to delve deeper into the implications of the pandemic on the IHE in South Africa.