  This paper develops a theoretical perspective on globalization and the
Information Society and combines it with a critical usage of international
regime theory as a heuristic for understanding the current historical period of
transition from an international telecommunicaitons regime (Cowhey, 1990; 1994)
to a new and complex regime aimed at providing governance for the Global
Information Infrastructure and Global Information Society (GII/GIS). In
analyzing the principles, values, norms, rules, collective decision-making
prdocedures, and enforcement mechanisms of the emergent GII/GIS regime, this
paper differentiates between three regime levels: (1) Macro-Regime--global; (2)
Mezzo-Regime--regional and sub-regional; and (3) Micro-Regime--national. The
paper employs a case-study approach to explore some of the specific national
responses (i.e. South Africa) to this regime transition, with an analysis of
potential best practices and lessons learned for other emerging economies. Key
findings in this paper are: (1) that a range of social, political, economic,
and technological factors are eroding the existing international
telecommunications regime (e.g., VOIP;, call-back, VSATs, accounting rate
restructuring, pressure for applicaitons development, and SMMEs); (2) a new
regime for global information and communicaitons policy is emerging, but is
being driven not by the broad possibilities of the Information Society, but by
the more specific interests of global and multi-national corporations related
to global e-commerce; (3) numerous strategic responses have been developed at
national, subregional, and regional levels to the challenges of this transition
in both developed and developing regions; and (4) without a collaborative
response, the developing world will be further marginalized by this new regime.
