Chapter 5 Questions

Institute for Global Communications

• In terms of its organizational transition from ISP to portal site, what did IGC do wrong? What did it do right? (146-148)
• Did IGC's pioneer status hamper its effectiveness as an ORN over time? Why or why not? In this regard, what are some similarities and differences between IGC's organizational growth experience and Greenpeace's (as discussed in Chapter 3)? (149-150)
• Could IGC be considered an ORN if it were not a member of APC? Why or why not? (151)
• How successfully has IGC accomplished its goal to serve as a "cyberspace caucus" within the progressive community? (152)
• What is IGC's "overtly political mission"? Would the ORN be more or less effectual if without this mission? Why? (154-155)

OneWorld

• Is it wise for OneWorld to organize the material on its site by topic? Why or why not? Alternatively, would it have been better for the ORN to structure oneworld.net around the (autonomous) sites of partner NGOs? Why or why not? (159)
• How has OneWorld's willingness to embrace the Web's capabilities contributed to its success as an ORN? (160)
• How essential is OneWorld's organizational structure to the accomplishment of its objectives? Provide specific examples to support your answer. (161-162)
• How effectively does OneWorld recognize and accommodate the needs of Southern-based NGOs? How effectively does the ORN address "digital divide" issues in general? Upon which OneWorld endeavors do you base your answers? (164-167)
• How useful and effective are OneWorld's regionally edited editions and themed portals? Which of these endeavors contributes more significantly to the accomplishment of OneWorld's organizational goals? Why?

Comparisons

• Given the Internet's inherent nature and capabilities, how useful is this medium as a tool for global activism? Given the Internet's global reach (or lack thereof), how effective is this medium as a tool for global activism? Explain your answers, supporting them with specific examples from the chapter.
• Describe, and explain the significance of, the most innovative uses of the Internet by each of these two ORNs.
• What are the most significant differences between IGC and OneWorld? Given your answer, what could each of these ORNs learn from the other?
• With which of these two ORNs are you most impressed? Why?
• Which ORN contributes most significantly to global civil society: IGC or OneWorld? Explain your answer.