Chris Foster is currently a Presidential Fellow at the Global Development Institute, where he joined in October 2018.

His research focusses on the digitalisation of production, and the implications of new digital innovation on the global distribution of production, work and labour.

Prior to joined GDI, Chris was a Lecturer in ICT and innovation in the Information School in Sheffield (2015-2018). He worked as a researcher at the University of Oxford (2013-2015), exploring the impacts of broadband internet in East Africa.

He achieved a PhD from the University of Manchester (2009 – 2013) looking at mobile sector innovation in Kenya, and its implications for innovation theory, firm strategy and public policy.

For more infromation

• His blog is located at http://infomediation.net/.

• For full publication list including pre-publish copies see here

Chris' research work sits at the intersection of digital technologies and analysis of globalisation of production.

Specifically, he is currently researching in the following areas:

Digitalisation and impact on global production networks

This research explores the impact of digital technologies and the fourth industrial revolution on firms. This work particularly will explore the ways that digital infrastructure enables or constrains domestic firms as they look to integrate into global networks.

New models of innovation for development

As innovation has become of interest to development agendas, this research explores the shifting concept of ‘innovation’. Chris has particularly researched strategy and policy that might allow digital innovations to move beyond economic outcomes to be more socially inclusive.

The digital trade agenda

This work explores the growing interest in policy for the digital economy and data, particularly from the perspective of cross-border trade. As part of his research on digital trade he runs the web resource on digital trade called the digital trade tracker

Chris would be interested in advising highly-motivated PhD students whose interests fit in the following areas:

• Impacts of digitalisation (or the Fourth Industrial Revolution) on global production networks and value chains, with emphasis on the global south
• Digital trade and the global/national governance of digitalisation and the digital economy
• Innovation, specifically thinking about inclusive innovation in the global south

You are welcome to make a first approach to discuss doctoral study via email