Technological leapfrogging refers to the process by which new versions of a technology are implemented in areas that did not exist before (Tan et al., 2018). It involves skipping the traditional stages of development and directly adopting new technology to promote development both socially and economically. This is brought about by the rapid technological advancements and cost reductions, making it easier to adopt the new technology. There are several challenges that society faces, for example, resource and environmental management problems. However, with technological leapfrogging, society can utilize better technology to overcome these problems, such as a resource management system to effectively allocate resources. This will lead to improved productivity and efficiency (Geng & Doberstein, 2010). Technological leapfrogging, however, requires proper strategic planning for it to be successfully implemented. Without proper planning, some challenges many be experienced which may affect the implementation process.
In China, the development of the new sustainable economic model dubbed “circular economy” to solve the present environmental issues facing China and promote resource productivity. The model has propelled the country to the top of the world’s leading economies (Geng & Doberstein, 2010). In the United States, each new election cycle has seen better technology being utilized and replacing the older versions used in the previous elections. The tools that Obama used in 2008 to gain victory were different from those he used in 2012. Moreover Trump and Biden used different technology systems. In every subsequent election cycle, “the technology used has advanced and morphed” (Howard, 2018).
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In 2008, the most dominant medium of political debates and advertising was television. Obama, however, shifted to using websites, cell phones, and email and integrated them into his campaign strategy. He had a group of technology-savvy staff who used the internet to convey Obama's message, connect, and self-organize for the campaigns. The Obama team integrated social networking characteristics into his website, which enabled his supporters to form groups, organize local events, and raise money for the cause. By adopting modern technology, Obama was able to lead an insurgent, agile campaign that defeated one of America’s most high-profile political dynasties in Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries and Republican John McCain, who at the time was a popular war hero in the presidential elections (Howard, 2018).
In the 2012 general elections, Obama pushed these technologies even further. Despite the television still being the most dominant political medium, Facebook was rapidly growing in popularity, and by August 2012, most American adults had Facebook accounts. Once more, Obama sought to take advantage of this, and he formed a strong team composed of experts to create software that promoted his campaign. The difference was that in 2012, instead of using basic websites and emails, Obama incorporated data analytics into social media, and by doing so, Obama’s campaign took data science in politics to a whole new level, as his team was able to message their supporters, raise funds, canvassing and organizing the whole campaign. They also created sophisticated analytical models that sent tailored messages using data generated from social media activity. This use of data analytics was one of the main reasons why he retained his Oval Office seat.
In 2016, Hillary Clinton’s campaigns mirrored Obama’s campaigns in many ways, as she similarly formed her analytical team to inform campaign decisions. Trump, on the other hand, chose a different route. His campaign team utilized social media platforms to target voters, using sophisticated data acquired by firms such as Cambridge Analytica. Additionally, sabotage did not help the Clinton campaign as several of her private emails were leaked at a critical point in time. These factors, combined with Trump's demeanor, helped him win the elections.
In 2020, social media was the main tool of choice for both competing teams, with most of America connected to social media. Obtaining voter data has become more widespread and better through technology, making it easier to target voters using personalized ads. Sadly, however, the dark side of politics has also seen technological improvements. Long gone are the days where private emails would be leaked; video "deepfakes" are the new sensations that can be used to spread propaganda through social media. However, while Biden was focused on using social media to promote himself, Trump used it to promote propaganda, ultimately leading to his downfall ("What Went Right in the 2020 Election", 2021).
References
Geng, Y., & Doberstein, B. (2008). Developing the circular economy in China: Challenges and opportunities for achieving 'leapfrog development.' International Journal Of Sustainable Development & World Ecology , 15 (3), 231-239. https://doi.org/10.3843/susdev.15.3:6
Howard, A. (2018). US election campaign technology from 2008 to 2018, and beyond . MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 3 June 2021, from https://www.technologyreview.com/2018/08/22/140643/us-election-campaign-technology-from-2008-to-2018-and-beyond/ .
Tan, B., Ng, E., & Jiang, J. (2018). The process of Technology Leapfrogging: Case analysis of the national ICT infrastructure development journey of Azerbaijan. International Journal of Information Management , 38 (1), 311-316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2017.10.008
What Went Right in the 2020 Election . Nytimes.com. (2021). Retrieved 3 June 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/08/technology/what-went-right-in-the-2020-election.html .
