When is Cheap, Cheap Enough to Bridge the Digital Divide? Modeling Income Related Structural Challenges of Technology Diffusion in Latin America

Following an initial euphoria about the power of the information superhighway to provide better access to information and wealth for all, what we have experienced in reality instead is that information and communication technologies have created further inequalities at individual, business, national and international level. To ease the effects of this “digital divide,” policy makers have taken up the role of change agencies, influencing the public in using innovative information technologies. This chapter focuses on the role of these change agencies for technology diffusion and the elimination of the digital divide. It is argued that examining the interest of change agencies and the other stakeholders involved in the diffusion process from a normative perspective can help in the preparation of effective information technology diffusion policies.

Download Full-text

North-South Trade-Related Technology Diffusion: Virtuous Growth Cycles in Latin America

SSRN Electronic Journal ◽

10.2139/ssrn.1631078 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Maurice W. Schiff ◽

Yanling Wang

Keyword(s):

Latin America ◽

Technology Diffusion ◽

Growth Cycles

Download Full-text

Digital Divide Challenge

Social and Economic Transformation in the Digital Era ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-158-2.ch004 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 47-55 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Anastasia Papazafeiropoulou ◽

Athanasia Pouloudi

Keyword(s):

Digital Divide ◽

Information And Communication Technologies ◽

Technology Diffusion ◽

Information Technologies ◽

Communication Technologies ◽

Policy Makers ◽

The Public ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Normative Perspective

Following an initial euphoria about the power of the information superhighway to provide better access to information and wealth for all, what we have experienced in reality instead is that information and communication technologies have created further inequalities at individual, business, national and international level. To ease the effects of this “digital divide,” policy makers have taken up the role of change agencies, influencing the public in using innovative information technologies. This chapter focuses on the role of these change agencies for technology diffusion and the elimination of the digital divide. It is argued that examining the interest of change agencies and the other stakeholders involved in the diffusion process from a normative perspective can help in the preparation of effective information technology diffusion policies.

Download Full-text