Are Poor Countries Losing the Information Revolution?

Citation:

Work data:

Type of work: Report

Categories:

Digital Divide | ICT4D

Abstract:

This Report is a non-technical summary of research that explores whether there is an information and communication technology (ICT) gap between rich and poor countries, and whether that gap is growing or shrinking. It also discusses the link between that gap and gaps in income, both within countries and across them.

After defining this gap to include both ICT products and outputs (e.g. Internet, cellular phones, etc.) as well as inputs (engineers, scientists), we analyze the experiences of over a hundred countries. At the end of the paper we draw out some policy implications of our empirical findings for multilateral and bilateral agencies.