An approximation to the digital divide among low income people in Colombia, Mexico and Perú: two composite indexes

This study examines the determinants of information and communications technology(ICT) use and access of low-income people in three developing countries: Colombia,Mexico and Peru. We focus on cross-country differences and similarities in ICTs use acrossgender, age, education and income, using two composite indicators of ICT. The mainsimilarity across the countries is that education is by far the single most important factorlimiting the digitalization of low-income people. The impact of income was low althoughpositive. There is not apparently a gender gap in Colombia and Mexico but one in Peru.Our findings also suggest that when using a composite indicator that only include the`advanced ICTs´, disadvantage people among the low-income people can be moreconstrained in the use and access of more advanced information and communicationstechnologies.****El estudio analiza los determinantes de uso y acceso a las tecnologías de información ycomunicación en personas de bajos ingresos en pasases como Colombia, México y Perú. Elpunto central esta en analizar las diferencias entre países de acuerdo a diferentes variablessocioeconómicas. Se encuentra que la variable que más explica el nivel de acceso digital esla escolaridad. De otro lado no se encuentra una brecha por género sino en Perú. Losresultados también indican que cuando solo se tienen en cuenta las tecnologías más`avanzadas´, las diferencias entre la población son más notorias.Digital divide, ICT, gender gap, Internet

ICT access in Latin America. evidence from household level

The diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is becoming a central policy issue for developing countries, being identified by international policy-makers and scholars as an important driver of knowledge, innovation and economic growth. We analyze ICT access patterns in seven Latin American countries. In particular, we study the socio-economic determinants of the presence of computers and Internet connection at household level. Descriptive data show that ICT diffusion is concentrated in narrowly defined segments of income and educational groups in each country. Across countries, there is also evidence that the lower is the ICT diffusion, the higher is the inequality of that diffusion. Econometrically, we model the probability that a household has or has not adopted computer technologies and Internet access. The results confirm that variables such as income, education and rural/urban areas are key determinants of ICT diffusion. Additionally, there is evidence of geographical network effects and complementarities between Internet uses at different locations.ICT Access, Sample selection, Latin America

Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación de los hogares e individuos, proximidad geográfica y competitividad regional: distribución, clústeres y patrones espaciales de la capacidad tecnológica en Europa

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been consolidated as a fundamental pillar of the new model of competitiveness and sustainable development of territories. However, there has still not been sufficient in-depth study of the role that geographical proximity plays in the digital inequalities that affect regional competitiveness. In this context, this paper aims to identify and characterise the clusters and patterns that define the spatial behaviour of ICT access and usage variables at household and individual level in the Technology Readiness (TR) pillar of the Regional Competitiveness Index (RCI). A database of 280 NUTS2 has been created in order to perform: i) an exploratory statistical analysis to show the regional behaviour of the ICT variables; and ii) a spatial autocorrelation analysis to detect the presence of spatial dependence. The results at regional level in Europe demonstrate that: i) the greatest inequalities occur in the ICT usage variables and not in those of access; ii) the indicators of TR create a spatial pattern with a gradient from the regions of the extreme north-west to south-western and eastern Europe; and iii) there is evidently an opportunity to incorporate other regional variables of ICT usage for future editions of the RCI.Las Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación (TIC) se han consolidado como pilar fundamental para el nuevo modelo de competitividad y desarrollo sostenible del territorio. Sin embargo, aún no se ha profundizado suficientemente sobre el papel que la proximidad geográfica ejerce sobre las desigualdades digitales que inciden en la competitividad regional. En este contexto, el objetivo de este trabajo es identificar y caracterizar los clústeres y patrones que definen el comportamiento espacial de las variables de acceso y uso de las TIC de los hogares-individuos en la dimensión Technological Readiness (TR) del Regional Competitiveness Index (RCI) europeo. Se ha creado una base de datos de 280 NUTS2 para realizar: i) un análisis estadístico exploratorio para mostrar el comportamiento regional de las variables TIC; y ii) un análisis de autocorrelación espacial para detectar la presencia de dependencia espacial. Los resultados a nivel regional en Europa muestran que: i) las mayores desigualdades se dan en las variables de usos de TIC y no en las de acceso; ii) los indicadores del TR dibujan un patrón espacial con un gradiente desde las regiones del extremo noroccidental hacia el suroccidental y oriental; y iii) se evidencia la oportunidad de incorporar otras variables regionales sobre usos de TIC para futuras ediciones del RCI

ICT in Latin America: A Microdata Analysis

This book is the final report of the ECLAC-IDRC project Observatory for the Information Society in Latin American and the Caribbean (OSILAC), Third Phase”. OSILAC III is a cooperating project between the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Division of Production, Productivity and Management, ECLAC-UN, which aims at understanding the dynamics of the ICT evolution and revolution and producing evidence on its potential to support socio-economic development, particularly in developing countries. As such, microdata analysis drawn from National Household Surveys and National Innovation Surveys in Latin America were used in the framework of the project in the attempt to reach those objectives Both statistical information sources provide attractive potentialities in order to investigate not only determinants of innovation activities and technology diffusion, but also its economic impacts.ICT, Innovation, Productivity

Measurement and characterisation of the Digital Divide of Spanish regions at enterprise level. A comparative analysis with the European context

Until now, a reduced number of research is observed on the adoption and use of ICTs in enterprises and on the Digital Divide (DD) between them at regional scale in Europe. What is meant by DD are the differences in the levels of digital development of the enterprises; being the digital development the degree of adoption and use of ICTs and e-commerce by the firms. The aim of this piece of work is to characterise and measure the DD in the Spanish regions and those in the countries of the European Union based on the data of their enterprises with more than 10 employees which have used ICTs. The methodology is developed in the following stages: 1) Construction of a synthetic index of digital development (Enterprise Digital Development Index –EDDI-) for countries in the EU and Spanish regions. The production of this index is carried out based on the factors obtained with the factor analysis (FA) with the aim of identifying the key variables which define the different EDDI components. These variables come from the “Community survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises” of Eurostat. 2) Classification of Spanish regions into the groups of European countries with a similar level of EDDI components based on the discriminant analysis. Those groups are previously obtained by using cluster analysis. And 3) Comparative analysis of the DD between the Spanish regions and those in countries of the EU based on EDDI components and the identified groups. The study provides a synthetic index (EDDI) at European scale comprising 3 dimensions which permits obtaining: i) a ranking from more to less digital development of countries and regions permitting the measurement of the DD among them is established; and ii) a typology of European countries and Spanish regions is defined according to the 3 dimensions of EDDI. The main results of this piece of work show that the Spanish regions at enterprise level: i) are in a medium or higher level of digital development than their European counterparts, presenting, furthermore, a lower DD between them in relation to what happens in European countries; ii) stand out for having a higher digital inclusion than European countries in the ICTs related to infrastructures of internet access and for the interaction with the public authorities; and iii) have a digital development deficit in the integration of ICTs for e-commerce.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CSO2015-6766

Digital Towns

This open access book explores the digital transformation of small and rural towns, in particular, how to measure the evolution and development of digital towns. In addition to access to resources, competition from urban and global markets, and population trends, rural communities present lesser access and use of digital technologies and have lower digital competencies and skills than their urban counterparts. Consequently, they experience less beneficial outcomes from increased digitalisation than urban areas. This book defines what a digital town is and explores digitalisation from the perspective of the four basic economic sectors in towns - individuals and households, businesses, the public sector, and civil society - and three types of enabling infrastructure - digital connectivity, education, and governance. Particular attention is paid to how digitalisation efforts are measured by intergovernmental and international organisations for each sector and enabling infrastructure. The book concludes with a Digital Town Readiness Framework that offers local communities, policymakers, and scholars an initial set of indicators upon which to develop digital town initiatives, and measure progress. For those ready to embrace the opportunity, this book is a pathfinder on the road to a more equitable and impactful digital society and digital economy

South American Expert Roundtable : increasing adaptive governance capacity for coping with unintended side effects of digital transformation

This paper presents the main messages of a South American expert roundtable (ERT) on the unintended side effects (unseens) of digital transformation. The input of the ERT comprised 39 propositions from 20 experts representing 11 different perspectives. The two-day ERT discussed the main drivers and challenges as well as vulnerabilities or unseens and provided suggestions for: (i) the mechanisms underlying major unseens; (ii) understanding possible ways in which rebound effects of digital transformation may become the subject of overarching research in three main categories of impact: development factors, society, and individuals; and (iii) a set of potential action domains for transdisciplinary follow-up processes, including a case study in Brazil. A content analysis of the propositions and related mechanisms provided insights in the genesis of unseens by identifying 15 interrelated causal mechanisms related to critical issues/concerns. Additionally, a cluster analysis (CLA) was applied to structure the challenges and critical developments in South America. The discussion elaborated the genesis, dynamics, and impacts of (groups of) unseens such as the digital divide (that affects most countries that are not included in the development of digital business, management, production, etc. tools) or the challenge of restructuring small- and medium-sized enterprises (whose service is digitally substituted by digital devices). We identify specific issues and effects (for most South American countries) such as lack of governmental structure, challenging geographical structures (e.g., inclusion in high-performance transmission power), or the digital readiness of (wide parts) of society. One scientific contribution of the paper is related to the presented methodology that provides insights into the phenomena, the causal chains underlying “wanted/positive” and “unwanted/negative” effects, and the processes and mechanisms of societal changes caused by digitalization

It’s still a thing: digital inequalities and their evolution in the information society

Internet diffusion has prompted research into differences in internet access, use and consequences. Exploiting the full potential of the ongoing digital transformation in all spheres of life—a proclaimed goal of governments and international organizations—requi-res ensuring equal opportunities and supporting disadvantaged individuals in their internet use. Using representative, population-level survey data from Switzerland spanning nearly a decade (2011–2019; Ntotal = 5,581), multiple multivariate regression analyses tested the effects of demographic and internet-use related variables on access (general and mobile), on internet skills and on different types of use (information, entertainment, commercial transactions and communication). Results indicated that despite high access rates (92% in 2019), considerable usage inequalities persist in the Swiss information society: in particu-lar, we found an increasing marginalization of older individuals regarding the adoption of the internet and revealed the importance of internet skills, experience and mobile internet use for adopting differentiated types of use. The extreme differences between the highly connected majority and an increasingly marginalized minority raise concerns about the latter group’s opportunities for personal, social and economic benefits in an information society. This study provides unique results on current digital inequalities and their evolu-tion which are crucial for assessing the success, suitability and legitimacy of digitization policies

Analyzing gender inequality through large-scale Facebook advertising data

Online social media are information resources that can have a transformative power in society. While the Web was envisioned as an equalizing force that allows everyone to access information, the digital divide prevents large amounts of people from being present online. Online social media in particular are prone to gender inequality, an important issue given the link between social media use and employment. Understanding gender inequality in social media is a challenging task due to the necessity of data sources that can provide large-scale measurements across multiple countries. Here we show how the Facebook Gender Divide (FGD), a metric based on aggregated statistics of more than 1.4 Billion users in 217 countries, explains various aspects of worldwide gender inequality. Our analysis shows that the FGD encodes gender equality indices in education, health, and economic opportunity. We find gender differences in network externalities that suggest that using social media has an added value for women. Furthermore, we find that low values of the FGD are associated with increases in economic gender equality. Our results suggest that online social networks, while suffering evident gender imbalance, may lower the barriers that women have to access informational resources and help to narrow the economic gender gap

evidence from a South American country

Pazmiño-Sarango, M., Naranjo-Zolotov, M., & Cruz-Jesus, F. (2021). Assessing the drivers of the regional digital divide and their impact on eGovernment services: evidence from a South American country. Information Technology and People. [Advanced online publication in 21 September 2021]. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-09-2020-0628Purpose: The paper explores the main drivers of the regional-level digital divide in Ecuadorian cities and the extent to which the information and communication technology (ICT) adoption by citizens influences local-level policymakers' decisions to develop eGovernment services. Design/methodology/approach: The paper used an exploratory approach. The authors empirically assessed the provision of eGovernment services in each of the 36 Ecuadorian local governments following the Local Online Service Index (LOSI) measurement scale proposed by the United Nations, and then evaluated the drivers of the eGovernment divide at a local level. Ordinary least squares regression analysis was used. Findings: The findings indicate that the digital divide is driven by income and education disparities, and that eGovernment availability is driven by ICT use. It appears that proper attention to technology use by its citizens is not being given by local-level policymakers in Ecuador when they devise their eGovernment strategy. Research limitations/implications: Because the data were available at different levels of aggregation, there may be some inaccuracy of the indicators and lack of generalizability. Researchers are encouraged to test this hypotheses with data at lower levels of aggregation and from different latitudes to provide a comparative view between countries. Practical implications: The paper includes implications for policymakers and local authorities regarding how the limitations on eGovernment development may be mitigated. Originality/value: This study fulfils the need to assess digital development and its impact on eGovernment services at a city level in a developing country.authorsversionepub_ahead_of_prin