INTERNET USAGE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT : EVIDENCE FROM A PANEL DATA
Keywords:
Internet usage, economic development, digital economy, digital divideAbstract
The advent of internet and telecommunication technology has led to the emergence of digital footprint around the world. Subsequently there have been studies linked to internet usage and socioeconomic development. The difference in internet usage among different countries has also been identified as digital divide. Policy makers and government are concerned about internet and telecommunication usage as drivers of digital economy for sustainable development goals. However, not all countries are similar in their level of internet penetration and usage of advanced technologies. Socioeconomic barriers prevalent in different countries may prevent much of the population engagement in different information and communication technologies. Therefore it becomes imperative to study from a wider perspective whether the economic development of nations influence the usage of digital technologies. This paper examines the impact of different economic development indicators on internet usage by applying different panel data analysis methods. The economic indicators evaluated here are GDP growth, proportion of salaried workers, unemployment levels, broad money, import of technology equipment, capital growth, mobile subscription, employment and income levels. All the factors except capital growth are having statistical significance with proportion of internet usage. Further, at different income levels the proportion of salaried workers has a significant influence on internet usage. The study reveals the importance of economic development in improving the digital footprint among different nations.
Downloads
References
Avgerou, C. “ Information systems in developing countries: a critical research review” . Journal of information Technology, Vol 23, No 3,(2008) 133-146.
Paunov, C., & Rollo, V. “ Has the internet fostered inclusive innovation in the developing world?” . World Development, Vol 78, (2016),587-609.
Bon, A. “ Can internet in tertiary education in Africa contribute to social and economic development?” . International Journal of Education and Development using ICT, Vol 3,No3,(2007),122-131.
Nel, G. “ Future of financial reporting on the Internet” .South African journal of information management, Vol 6, No 2,(2004).
Guimardes, developmentHandbook of Development Policy Studies (Public Administration and Public Policy) f 2004), 447^64.
Anunobi, C. V., &Mbagwu, F. C. “ Determinants of internet use in Imo State, Nigeria”. Educational Research and Reviews, Vol 4, No.9, (2009). 436-442.
Chen, W., Boase, J., & Wellman, B. “ The global villagers” . The Internet in everyday life, (2002),74-113.
Guillen, M. F., & Suarez, S. L. “ Explaining the global digital divide: Economic, political and sociological drivers of cross-national Internet use” . Social forces, Vol 84,No2,(2005), 681- 708.
Taube,V.G., &Joye, D. “ Determinants of internet use in Switzerland".Rich and Poor, Vol 15,(2002),73-86
Kshetri, N. B.“ Determinants of the locus of global e-commerce” . Electronic Markets, Vol 11, No 4,(2001), 250-257.
Zhu, J. J., & He, Z. “ Perceived characteristics, perceived needs, and perceived popularity: Adoption and use of the Internet in China” . Communication research, Vol 29,No4,(2002),466-495.
Jiang, P. “ Consumer adoption of mobile internet services: An exploratory study."Journal of Promotion Management, Vol 15,No 3,(2009), 418-454.
Goldfarb, A., & Prince, J. “ Internet adoption and usage patterns are different: Implications for the digital divide” . Information Economics and Policy, Vol 20,Nol,(2008), 2-15.
Demoussis, M., & Giannakopoulos, N. “ Facets of the digital divide in Europe: Determination and extent of Internet use” . Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Vol 15,No03, (2006), 235-246.
Vicente, M. R., & Lopez, A. J. “ A multidimensional analysis of the disability digital divide: Some evidence for Internet use.” The Information Society, Vol 26,Nol,(2010), 48-64.
Al-Hammadany, F. H., &Heshmati, A. “ Determinants of Internet use in Iraq.” International Journal of Communication, Vol 5,No23,(2011),1967-1989.
Robison, K. K., & Crenshaw, E. M. “ Post-industrial transformations and cyber-space: A cross-national analysis of Internet development” . Social Science Research, Vol 31,No3, (2002),334-363.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation .
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
