Digital competitiveness is gaining more and more attention as a source of competitive advantage at the business and national economies levels. Digital economy performance is a matter of national strategies for achieving economic growth and socioeconomic development. Widely accepted instruments for reporting progress in these areas have been recently developed, including the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI index). The current study aims to use the DESI index and its five dimensions (namely Connectivity, Human Capital, Use of Internet Services, Integration of Digital Technology and Digital Public Services) not only as a tool for recognizing the current state, but also to forecast progress under the Greek economic environment. The Gompertz model was used as a methodological tool and it is valuable that a diffusion model has been implemented on a composite index related to countries’ digital competitiveness. Moreover, the results reveal the areas where convergencies and divergencies exist between Greece and the rest of the EU-28 member states, while forecast permits one to evaluate how current policies have a significant impact on digital competitiveness. Results indicate that Greece is facing significant challenges as a result of the low state of digitization, coming from both the demand side (businesses that consume internet services) and the offer side (institutional and governmental constraints). The proposed results could be used in order to readjust existing policies and to spot aspects where further improvement is needed to achieve high standards of digital competitiveness.

Virtual reality (VR) technologies offer a unique opportunity in “3D reconstruction” of cultural monuments and historical cities that do not longer exist or have been modified (partially or totally). Even though technological capabilities are growing fast, emphasis is mainly given on developing virtual museums and exhibitions, while archaeological places and excavations are following. The present paper presents two distinct approaches for 3D reconstruction of the historical city of Nafplio (Greece), by developing 3D models for buildings and monuments the way they used to be in the 19th century. The authors have used their professional and academic experience deriving from their participation in a European Commission co-funded project in the framework of the Partnership Agreement 2007–2013, which was implemented by the “V. Papantoniou” Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation (the project’s beneficiary) in Nafplio. The authors aim (a) to present the importance of reconstructing past cities and (b) to implement gaming technologies in cultural organizations as a means of achieve specific educational goals. Results point out the growing need for close cooperation between the cultural and academic worlds with 3D creators, and, moreover, reveal obstacles and opportunities in reconstructing historical cities and monuments.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract