Global digital divide: Influence of socioeconomic, governmental, and accessibility factors on information technology

Abstract

The research goal is to analyze the influence of socioeconomic, governmental, and accessibility factors on ICT usage, expenditure, and infrastructure in 71 developing and developed countries. Overall results indicate primary importance of scientific and technical capacity as measured by publications, and secondary significance of foreign direct investment, government prioritization of ICT, public spending on education, and math/science education. For developed nations, technology factors are again most strongly associated with scientific publications, followed by foreign direct investment, % of females in the labor force, and education variables. For developing countries, technology attributes are strongly associated with foreign direct investment, government prioritization of IT, and education variables. The cases of ICT development and growth in Egypt and Estonia are examined and found to be consistent with the regression results for developing nations. The article suggests policy steps that can be taken by national governments to narrow the digital divide. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.