Policymaking for Critical Infrastructure: A Case Study on Strategic Interventions in Public Safety Telecommunications

Originally published in 2005. By weaving together three distinct fields - public policy, technology studies and management of critical infrastructure - this volume shows how public policy can help to improve the management of large technical systems. A much-needed analytical framework, based on approaches drawn from established work in science and technology studies, is applied to a case study of the development of a new public safety service for mobile telephones. This example of emerging growth and change in critical infrastructure allows Gordon Gow to identify current problem areas and to refine a more general set of strategies aimed at improving public policy processes in the management of technology. The work also discusses a range of contemporary issues in telecom policy and regulation, such as public consultation, technical standards, network unbundling and interconnection. This insightful work provides observations and recommendations for policy makers, regulators, industry and consumer groups alike, furthering the improved coordination of efforts across these domains of interest.