Is the Digital Divide Still relevant in 2017? Two Cases from Marginalised Communities in Aotearoa-New Zealand

Marginalised communities in Aoteaora-New Zealand have been struggling to achieve parity with their more affluent neighbours for several decades. Successive government and NGO initiatives have rolled out subsidised broadband Internet connectivity, advocated for computers in homes and run skills development programs, however there are still significant gaps in digital uptake. Agencies have in many cases completed initiatives and programmes and are “moving-on” from issues of material access into skills development and capability building initiatives and yet the digital divide continues to remain a persistent phenomenon. This paper examines this situation through the lens of two high deprivation-index communities and through critical examination of that data, identifies eight success factors that practitioners and future empirical researchers can use to further frame exploration of this challenge

Change and Resilience in New Zealand Aid under Minister McCully

This article studies the New Zealand government aid programme over the years of Murray McCully's tenure as New Zealand's foreign minister. The article uses quantitative and qualitative data to detail changes in New Zealand aid volume, sectoral and geographic foci, and quality. We argue that despite strong rhetoric from Minister McCully, change in some areas was surprisingly modest. Yet the minister had impacts in other areas, particularly on aid quality, foremost in the form of changes to the purpose of New Zealand aid

The digital divide and internet adoption: a case study of social housing tenants in Newcastle upon Tyne

The research presented explores the digital divide barriers faced by social housing tenants in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. The study pays particular focus on the impact of the socio-demographic factors that impact the digital divide, digital skill training and the influence of Government Policy on the Digital Divide. The study proposes a theoretical framework to examine the Digital Divide to synthesise a wide array of literature on the topic. This research is of importance as there are many individuals that are digitally excluded and unable to go online. With the transition to a digital economy those without internet access will be left behind. This research study adopted a case study mixed methods design that used a survey instrument to gather related digital divide data from 714 social housing tenants from the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. The case study also uses 14 semi-structured interviews from local authority and housing company stakeholders to add validity to the research design. The research found that digital skills training forms an important part of social housing tenant’s decision to go online – helping them gain not only technical skills but self-efficacy online and confidence. The traditional determinants of digital exclusion are apparent in some instances however they do not behave in the manner expected with this financially excluded group of individuals. The UK Government negatively impacts social housing tenants decision to go online by way of a poor digital strategy and the compounding austerity policy that has a knock on effect to Newcastle City Council and Your Homes Newcastle. These insights are important as they are a unique view into the digital divide and how it impacts social housing tenants in Newcastle upon Tyne. These findings construct a narrative that offers decision makers options in how best to close the digital divide in this very socially and economically deprived group of individuals