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About
Dr Jonathan Liebenau is a Reader in Technology Management.
Jonathan has previously worked in academic administration, technology policy, and the economic history of science-based industry, all positions in which he has emphasised the use of information in organisations. He is the author or editor of several books and over 70 other scholarly publications as well as journalistic and semi-popular writings.
He has provided consultancy services to leading companies and strategic government agencies, including: Dell, BT, IBM, Microsoft, Tata Consultancy Services, Google, Nortel, EDS, Lloyd Thompson; and in the UK Government, the Office of Science and Innovation, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Home Office. His work has extended to multilateral agencies including the OECD, the World Bank and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
His current research is in areas of technology management and innovation, information systems in developing countries, telecommunications, mobile technologies, technology policy, internet, internet technologies, informatics and on the role of high-tech industries in promoting inequality.
He has held visiting, adjunct or advisory positions at Columbia University schools of business and of engineering, University of Sydney School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Yonsei University, Istanbul Bilgi University and the American University in Cairo.
Expertise
Technological innovation; Digital economy; Economic Development; Business models; Inequality
PhD Supervision
Jonathan Liebenau's current doctoral students
Enrico Rossi, "Governance and innovation in the automobile sector"
Koen Rutten , "Innovation systems in the Chinese telecommunications sector"
Nofi Iman, "Payment systems"
Past PhD Students
"innovation systems in the Chinese telecommunications sector"
"The brand as a social system of interpenetration: conceptualizing brand through communications"
"Managerial practices, location and ICT: productivity of UK Aerospace firms in business clusters" (examined by Prof. Nick von Tunzelmann of the Science Policy Research Unit, Sussex University and Prof. John van Reenan of the LSE Department of Economics and Centre for Economic Performance)
Marc Laperrouza, 2006
"ICT policies in China" (examined by Dr. Chris Hughes of the Department of International Relations, LSE and Prof. Zixiang (Alex) Tan of the School of Informatics, Syracuse University [currently with the Evian Group, IMD Business School, Switzerland and affiliated with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology working on the management of network industries, and president of Bonopro]
Ruri Abe, 2004
"Peripheral identities in transition" (examined by Dr. David Shankland of Bristol University Department of Archaeology and Anthropology and Dr. Catherine Alexander [currently Associate Professor of Media & Communication, Sophia University, Tokyo]
Fola Yahaya, 2000
"Information infrastructure development in Sub-Saharan Africa" (examined by Prof. Gerald Grant of Carleton University and Dr. Shirin Madon of the LSE) [currently CEO of Strategic Agenda LLP]
Tanai Khiaonarong, 1999
"Banking and innovation: the case of payment systems modernisation in Thailand" (examined by Prof. Mike Hobday of the Science Policy Research Unit, Sussex University and Dr. Steve Smithson of the LSE) [now with the Bank of Thailand; and Senior Lecturer in Information Systems, Westminster University Business School]
Mehmet Islamoğlu, 1999
"Information management; a transaction costs perspective" (examined by Prof. Claudio Ciborra then of Institute THESEUS, Nice, and Dr. James Backhouse of the LSE) [now Associate Professor of MIS, Eastern Mediterranean University; previously with Istanbul Bilgi University]
Ashraf Hassan, 1998
"Debt management and information handling for developing countries; the case of Egypt" (examined by Dr. Chris Sadler of North London University and Prof. Ian Angell of the LSE) [now President and CEO, Delta Investment Group, Cairo]
Jason Huang, 1997
"Participation in information systems design; a structuration perspective" (examined by Prof. Guy Fitzgerald, then of Birkbeck College, now Brunel University and Dr. Mike Newman of Manchester University) [now Manager, MITAC Europe Ltd.]
Heejin Lee, 1997
"Temporal Implications of Electronically Mediated Business Procedures on Organisational Work: EDI Applications in Trade" (examined by Dr. James Backhouse of the LSE and Prof. Steve Sawyer then of Syracuse University, now of the School of Information, Pennsylvania State University) [latterly Lecturer in Information Systems, Brunel University, then Associate Professor of Information Systems, University of Melbourne, now Associate Professor of Information Systems, Yonsei University]
G. Harindranath, 1997
"India's Information Technology Industry: Adapting to Globalisation and Policy Change in the 1990s" (examined by Dr. Richard Heeks of Manchester University and Dr. Shirin Madon of the LSE) [now Senior Lecturer in Management Information Systems, Royal Holloway School of Management, University of London; Hari's web site]
Gerry Grant, 1996
"The Strategic Dimensions of Information Systems Capability: Case Studies in a Developing Country Context" (examined by Prof. Pat Hall of the Open University and Dr. Steve Smithson of the LSE) [now Associate Professor of Information Systems in the Faculty of Management, Carleton University, Canada; previously at McGill University School of Management]
Sherif Kamel, 1994
"The Use of Decision Support Systems in Development Planning in Egypt" (examined by Prof. David Wield of the Open University and Dr. Shirin Madon, of the LSE) [now director of the Regional Information Technology Institute, Cairo and Associate Professor of Information Systems at the American University, Cairo]
Stefano Kluzer, 1993
"The Political Economy of Information Technology in Southern Africa" (examined by Prof. Geoff Walsham of Cambridge University and Prof. Ian Angell of the LSE) [now a researcher with ENEA, Rome and doing consultancy on innovation and regional development in northern Italy]
Michael Robson, 1992
"The Pharmaceutical Industry in Britain and France" (examined by Prof. Alan Milward of the LSE) *Dept. of Economic History [now a systems director for the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, in Rome]
James Backhouse, 1991
"Semantic Analysis and Information Systems Design" (examined by Prof. David Avison of Southampton University and Prof. Ian Angell of the LSE) [now a Reader in Information Systems at the London School of Economics]
Miron M. Marche, 1991
"Models of Information: The Feasibility of Measuring the Stability of Data Models" (examined by Prof. David Avison of Southampton University and Prof. Ian Angell of the LSE) [now professor of MIS at Dalhausie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada]
Mayuri Odedra, 1990
"Transfer of Information Technology to Developing Countries: Case Studies from Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya" (examined by Prof. Geoff Walsham of Cambridge University and Prof. Ian Angell of the LSE) [later with the Indian Institute of Technology, Bangalore, now with Sakura Consulting]
Krisana Kitiyadisai, 1990
"Concepts of Relevance in a Semiotic Framework Applied to Information Systems Analysis and Design" (examined by Prof. Peter Checkland of Lancaster University and Prof. Ian Angell of the LSE) [now with the Department of Public Administration, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok]
Timo Myllyntaus, 1989
"Transfer of Technology to Finland, The Case of Electricity" (supervised with Prof. Leslie Hannah) Dept. of Economic History [recently with the Research Institute of the Finnish Economy (ETLA), now Senior Lecturer at the University of Helsinki]
Latest blog posts by Jonathan
What are the dimensions of the internet?
On Monday 10 February, Jonathan Liebenau presented a synopsis of one of the research themes of our team during the February’s London Enterprise Technology MeetUp held monthly at the LSE. Read here Jonathan’s remarks, key questions and possible ways forward … Continue reading →
Economic health of the internet ecosystem: briefing from CAIDA’s 2013 workshop
Last week, the Cooperative Association of Internet Data Analysis [CAIDA] and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) held its 4th invitation-only workshop on internet economics on the theme "Economic Health of the Internet Ecosystem". LSE Tech’s Silvia Elaluf-Calderwood and Jonathan … Continue reading →
The new business realities in the digital age: Jonathan Liebenau addresses opening keynote at #FT summit
On December 4 Jonathan Liebenau addressed the opening keynote of the FT Mobile Business Futures Summit. The half day event brought together leaders and senior executives from key sectors in the economy to discuss future opportunities and challenges that the … Continue reading →
Just Released: DCMS’ UK Broadband Impact Study
TheUK Department for Culture, Media & Sport released today a report on the benefits of superfast broadband in the UK. In this blog, Jonathan Liebenau from LSE Tech offers initial thoughts on the study’s general scope, its usefulness and limitations … Continue reading →
Internet metrics, telecom and internet policy: highlights from the TPRC 2013
The TPRC is the oldest and most influential continuous meeting on telecoms policy, always held in Washington, D.C. and nowadays subtitled the "Conference on Communication, Information and Internet Policy". Silvia Elaluf-Calderwood and Jonathan Liebenau of the LSE Tech team presented … Continue reading →
Research
Jonathan's interests cluster around social, economic, policy and managerial studies of technology from a variety of perspectives and in various industries in many countries.
This includes a series of studies of the digital economy, considering business models and economic features, regulation and the effects of new technologies. A major thrust of this relates to digital economy companies in China.
Research and writings in progress now include:
- Studies of innovation incentives in the context of health emergencies. This is associated with the analysis of Covid responses and post-Covid reforms and focuses on the relationships among firm strategies, drugs development and incentives such as tax and regulatory practices concessions.
- Studies of innovation in Chinese digital economy and advanced technology firms.
- A study of the labour market effects of cloud services, including an analysis of the effects of different kinds of investments and business practices.
- Studies of financial services start-ups that utilise big data analytics. This is based on research supported by the UK Research Council’s Digital Economy (New Economic Models in the Digital Economy) Programme.
- Studies on European internet industry structure, including an analysis of competition, market power and bargaining.
- Studies on the effects of high-tech industry on inequality.
Teaching
Courses
Engagement and impact
Jonathan's current engagement activities include:
- Contributing to national and international technology policy
- Consulting on digital transformation
- Engagement with regulators in telecommunications, financial services and technology