An analysis of mobile Internet access in Thailand: Implications for bridging the digital divide

Mobile Internet is growing around the world, bypassing the poor legacy of wired infrastructure. This growth can be observed even in developing countries like Thailand. To cope with this trend, this study attempts to provide guidance to a national regulatory agency (NRA) by addressing the following question: What are the key determinant factors for individual consumer to access mobile Internet? A discrete choice model is employed to examine empirically whether price, service, and application attributes, socio-economic variables, and service provider have a systematic link with the decision of the consumer. The data from a national survey in 2010 commissioned by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) of Thailand are used for the analysis.     

Gender digital divide in Rwanda: A qualitative analysis of socioeconomic factors

This study aims at exploring how information and communications technology (ICT) is accessed and used by women and men in Rwanda. Specifically, we analyze the factors that contribute to the gender digital divide in Rwanda. In addition, we assess the importance of equal access to ICTs between genders. Rwanda is a particulary interesting case study, since previous studies on gender differences in the usage and accessibility of ICTs have focused on Western countries, while Africa, and Rwanda in particular, have been less covered. The qualitative method of in-depth interviews was used to collect the data. Interviews were analyzed using a thematic analysis technique. The findings of this study reveal that a gender digital divide still exists in Rwanda, even though the government puts forth much effort to eradicate this phenomenon. Reasons for barriers for women’s access to ICTs were found in social, economic and cultural factors, such as feelings of lack of self-worth, self-confidence, and proper educations; heavy domestic responsibilities; and computer anxiety. The findings also indicated that equal access to ICTs would be a shortcut to economic growth in Rwanda. This study concludes that Rwandan women need to be better educated in the use of computer technologies. Certain gender-sensitive strategies that guide the use of ICTs in this way also need to be established.     

ICT policies,the Mediterranean tradition and the Italian diet of discontinuity

The article investigates the ICT policies of characteristically political instable Italy in the wake of the (dis)continuous flood of government reforms that began in the early 1990s. Using the case of the Italian digital agency, the research amplifies the scope of the current discussions on national e-Government trajectories, providing evidence for the interrelated dynamics between policy outcomes, implementation mechanisms and administrative landscape. The article shows that the discontinuity of Italy’s Digital Agenda is attributable to the merry-go-round nature of governments with divergent views of modernization – resulting in the digital agency’s multiple, even conflicting mandates – and to the misalignment of the ‘original agency model’ with the embedded culture of the public machinery. The article provides illustration of these arguments from the historical institutionalist perspective and maintains that insights into these phenomena are essential for contextualizing and understanding ICT policies.     

ADSL deployment in the Community of Madrid: Investigating the geographical factors of the digital divide

Realising the potential of the Information Society requires an adequate broadband infrastructure, a sine qua non condition for usage. In many countries, the broadband offer’s geographical coverage strongly depends on ADSL expansion. Thus, it seems important to know the variables conditioning the deployment of its commercial offer.     

Behind the growth of FinTech in South Korea: Digital divide in the use of digital financial services

Advancements in financial technology, known as “FinTech,” will help both businesses and consumers of financial services. South Korea has a well-established FinTech infrastructure and resources, and has already incorporated digital financial services into daily life. However, the benefit of the proliferation of FinTech might be disproportionate in reaching diverse groups. The goal of this study is to examine how digital financial services are used in South Korea with an emphasis on disparities in the use of digital financial services. This study used the 2019 Digital Divide Survey conducted in South Korea to conduct OLS regression analysis, and create the Concentration Index (CI), which estimates the disparities that are systematically related to income level. Next, decomposition analysis on the CI was conducted to determine what factors help explain the disparity in the use of digital financial services. The analysis confirmed that there are considerable differences in the usage by income level. The multivariate results reveal that one’s device proficiency and active involvement in utilizing the internet for basic activities played significant roles in explaining the level of digital financial services usage. Poorer individuals' attitudes toward new technologies, such as a lack of interest in participating in learning and confidence in obtaining new digital skills, may prevent them from using digital financial services. This study is one of few studies to use the CI technique to examine the digital divide in digital financial services, and provide insights for educators, businesses, and policymakers.     

Determinants of Internet skills,uses and outcomes. A systematic review of the second- and third-level digital divide

Recently, several digital divide scholars suggested that a shift is needed from a focus on binary Internet access (first-level digital divide) and Internet skills and use (second-level digital divide) to a third-level digital divide in which the tangible outcomes of Internet use are highlighted. A plethora of studies have been conducted to identify determinants of digital divides. Unfortunately, there is a lack of consistency in the terminology used. Moreover, terms are often not theoretically grounded. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review of digital divide determinants. The results show that the third-level digital divide was underexposed. The primary focus is on Internet use. More importantly, the identified determinants show that digital divide research is largely limited to sociodemographic and socioeconomic determinants.     

Increasing inequalities in what we do online: A longitudinal cross sectional analysis of Internet activities among the Dutch population (2010 to 2013) over gender,age, education,and income

We investigate types of Internet activities among a representative sample of the Dutch population from 2010 to 2013. We examined usage patterns of seven types of Internet activities (i.e., information, news, personal development, commercial transaction, social interaction, leisure, and gaming) and related these patterns with gender, age, education, and income. Activities related to news, personal development, commercial transaction, and social interaction increased in popularity. For most capital enhancing activities, men, younger people, higher educated people, and people with higher than average incomes were prominent. These observations, however, are subject to change. The Internet seems to provide increasingly more capital-enhancing opportunities for those with higher education and income, which would accordingly reinforce their already strong positions in society.     

The effect of ICT on energy consumption and economic growth in South Asian economies: An empirical analysis

This study contributes to the literature by analyzing the effects of information and communication technology (ICT) on economic performance and energy consumption of selected South Asian economies i.e. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka for the period of 1990–2018. For empirical analysis, we employed the bounds testing approach of cointegration and error correction modelling. The findings of the study confirm that, in the long-run, ICT significantly and positively contributed to the economic growth of India only. Similarly, India is the only country in South Asia that has achieved energy efficiency as a result of increased use of ICT. However, energy consumption proved to be an important determinant of GDP per capita in India and Pakistan. Also, GDP per capita has a positive and significant impact on energy consumption in both India and Pakistan. These results imply that South Asian economies try to follow their regional partner, India, in increasing the role of ICT in their economies, which on one side will boost their economic growth and on the other side will help them in achieving energy efficiency. Moreover, the energy conservation policy could prove detrimental to South Asian economies.     

Competitive prospects of graduate program on the integration of ICT superiority,higher education,and international aid

Korea overcame the Asian financial crisis (1997–1998) with its governmental policies of informatization and the promotion of the information and communications technology (ICT) industry. It is a nation that has switched its international position from a recipient of international aid to a member of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC). However, the level of official development assistance (ODA) by Korea is lower than the average of OECD DAC members. As a situational alternative, this study introduced a global information and telecommunication technology program (ITTP) that seems to integrate education on Korea’s superiority in ICT infrastructure and the industry with specialized ODA. In particular, this study analyzed the competitive environment of the ITTP by examining its structural strengths and weaknesses through an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). And then, this research illustrated the relationship diagram of major stakeholders and their impact using Porter’s five forces approach. Our analysis suggests that the ITTP needs to specialize in an “ICT for development” (ICT4D) program in the competitive environment of Asian-Pacific universities by combining education with techno-economic infrastructure projects in developing countries.     

Urban governance and big corporations in the digital economy: An investigation of socio-spatial implications of Google Fiber in Kansas City

In February 2010, Google challenged US cities to compete for being the site of its first attempt at building ultra-high-speed fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network, promising speeds up to one hundred times faster than pre-existing broadband services. More than 1100 cities applied. Kansas City, however, was announced as the winner of the competition. This paper explores the rollout of Google Fiber in Kansas City from three different perspectives. First, we provide a close examination of urban governance and the Fiber project – highlighting numerous regulatory concessions and incentives provided to Fiber during the construction phase. Second, we explore the ways in which pre-existing digital divides and socio-economic inequalities impacted the Fiber plan for Kansas City. Finally, in an effort to better understand the geographic intricacies of Fiber service, this paper uses a novel data mining technique and exploratory spatial data analysis to highlight the provision footprints for two counties in the Kansas City metropolitan area. We conclude with a discussion of the salient policy implications of projects like Fiber for urban governance, highlighting both the promises and stark realities of such ventures.     

The challenge of e-participation in the digital city: Exploring generational influences among community telecentre users

A primary challenge for the development of e-government and the digital city is participation by low-income, older and technology-challenged citizens. This paper reports on the role of inter-generational interactions in community telecentres in facilitating low-income, older and technology-challenged citizens in gaining access and using digital city infrastructure. Our research also finds that virtual communities are playing a role in supporting e-participation among older, technology-challenged citizens. We examine the influence and interaction of members of offline communities, who use telecentres, on virtual community participation. These communities and telecentres can provide support for the provision of e-services and the development of the digital city. We explore these issues based on empirical field research in community-based telecentres in a developing country. Inter-generational interactions are explored through an analysis using social networks, social identity and social representations theories.     

Digital inequality in the Appalachian Ohio: Understanding how demographics,internet access,and skills can shape vital information use (VIU)

Access to information and resources via the Internet is an increasingly vital dimension of contemporary life. However, there can be several impediments to optimal Internet utilization in the form of access, skills, and motivation. Even when access is available, several digital inequalities arise as citizens often lack the skills and motivations to pursue those vital uses through the Internet to the best of their advantage. Digital inequalities in the hills of the Appalachian area of Ohio are often manifested in terms of social, cultural and geographic divides. Not only do the hills block wireless signals and make cables expensive to install, but regional poverty also drives away telecom investment. We conducted a survey of Appalachian Ohio to explore digital inequity issues and the determinants of online participation for things that matter. Through a number of analyses, we explore how Internet access and digital skills impact online contribution to the community in terms of services and resources considered to be basic social needs: health, employment, education, and social media. These social needs, what we have called Vital Internet Use (VIU) can determine citizens’ political and civic participation, societal contribution, and overall benefit to their communities. Centered on the concepts of digital access, Internet skills, and benefit outcomes, we extend knowledge in this domain and propose a comprehensive framework of VIU.     

Television media old and new: A niche analysis of OTT,IPTV, and digital cable in Taiwan

Adopting Dimmick’s niche theory as its theoretical framework, this study used gratifications obtained and gratification opportunities to examine the competitive relationships among three television media—OTT, IPTV (MOD), and digital cable. Two research methods were employed, the first of which was to conduct 20 intensive interviews. The second method was to adopt a nationwide telephone survey that resulted in 1015 valid questionnaires. The data analysis yielded three conclusions. (1) Among the three media, OTT was the most competitive, while digital cable and MOD were almost equivalent in terms of their competitiveness. (2) The highest competition occurred between MOD and digital cable because the respondents perceived the two media to resemble one another more than OTT. (3) This study found OTT to be a generalist, while MOD and digital cable were specialists.     

Exploring the evolution of digital television in China: An interplay between economic and political interests

This paper argues that the primary obstacles facing the transition to digital TV involve: (1) administrative infighting, (2) heavy-handed policymaking processes, and (3) the pursuit of self-interest and centralized control by the state network. After profiling China’s television infrastructure, the paper concludes that the Communist Party’s current policy initiative for the development of its digital television industry is not feasible.     

Uncovering interlinks among ICT connectivity and penetration,trade openness,foreign direct investment,and economic growth: The case of the G-20 countries

The global economy is increasingly integrated due to the information and communication revolution. Countries have become more reliant on global supply chains that are driven by digital platforms. As a result, information and communication technology (ICT), international trade, and foreign direct investment (FDI) appear to have become drivers of economic growth. In this paper, we investigate whether this logical assertion is true. More importantly, we examine the interlinks among the variables in the short and long run. Directions of causal links among these variables are complex and sometimes subtle and it is therefore important to establish them through rigorous empirical analysis. For our study, we consider the G-20 countries over 1961–2019. Our study reveals a myriad of underlying temporal links among the variables. The key policy implication of these results is that long-term growth in this group of countries depends on greater co-development and harmonization of policies on ICT, FDI, and trade openness. Moreover, policymakers should be cognizant of the short-run connections between the covariates.     

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A new dimension of the digital divide: Exploring the relationship between broadband connection,smartphone use and communication competence

The study explores group differences in demographic characteristics; Internet usage (device ownership, Internet availability, and frequency of weekly Internet use); and communication competence (instrumental, creative, and networking skills) between people who have and who do not have wired and/or wireless broadband connections and smartphones. The results of the one-way ANOVA and Scheffe’s post-hoc comparisons demonstrate significant differences in groups with different network connection types across demographic lines, different levels of Internet usage, and different communication competences. The results of the multinomial regression show significant differences across the variables between wired-only users and wired and smartphone users as well as between wired-only users and wired, wireless, and smartphone users. However, group differences between wired and smartphone users and wired, wireless, and smartphone users are significant only in device ownership and creative skill. We concluded that smartphone use was likely to aggravate the gaps of demographics, access, and skills in the seamlessly connected media environment. Meanwhile, access gap made the most impact on information, communication, leisure/entertainment, and financial management activities online, followed by skill and demographic gaps. The findings imply that access and skill gaps could be higher barriers to the active engagement in diverse online activities and consequently create an overlapping effect on the established divide.     

Users’ perspective on the adoption of e-learning in developing countries: The case of Nepal with a conjoint-based discrete choice approach

The traditional approach of teaching and the learning environment has shrunken the information access capability and widened the knowledge gap, rather than preparing for the global competitive market. It can be minimized by integrating technology in education by exploiting the technology effectively. To date, integration of technology in education is often done through forced adoption without considering the perception of the real consumer. Using conjoint-based discrete choice modeling, this study aims to identify the preference for e-learning in a school environment, providing key implication for effective reformation of education incorporating the demand side for the optimum outcome. The identified preferences will allow the government to more effectively map and mobilize resources for the use of technology in the learning environment.     

Social participation of the elderly in China: The roles of conventional media,digital access and social media engagement

China is the most rapidly aging country and has the largest aging population in the world. However, social participation is an important intervention to boost the active and healthy aging. The present study investigated the effects of media usage, together with social-demographics and health variables, on Chinese older adults. Drawing upon a national research project with a representative sample (N = 1,399) of older adults (55+) from 58 cities in China, the research findings revealed that conventional media, digital access and social media usage had positive effects on older adults’ informal social participation, while age moderated the relationship between informal social participation and digital access, particularly regarding access to tablet PCs and smartphones. Moreover, conventional media, digital access and social media engagement largely explained seniors’ formal social participation regardless of their social-demographic backgrounds. Finally, the roles of conventional media and digital media in older adults’ social participation are discussed.