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Can information and communication technologies be pro-poor?

Author

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  • Forestier, Emmanuel
  • Grace, Jeremy
  • Kenny, Charles

Abstract

There is over 20 years of accumulated cross-country evidence on the link between telecommunications provision and economic growth. Looking at micro-studies from a range of countries including Bangladesh, Botswana and Zimbabwe, there is also some evidence that provision of telephony has a dramatic effect on the income and quality of life of the rural poor. This paper examines cross-country evidence to discover if teledensity (the number of telephones per capita) has a pro-poor growth impact--fostering increased average incomes while reducing inequality. It also examines the impact of telecommunications rollout on quality of life variables including infant mortality and literacy. It finds that, historically, telecommunications rollout has had a positive and significant impact on increasing inequality and little impact on quality of life variables. A reason for this is tested and preliminarily confirmed that rollout has (historically) only benefited the wealthy. The paper will then turn to emerging evidence on the role of the Internet in poverty relief and statistics on the access gap in provision between rich and poor, suggesting that this new ICT will also be a force for income divergence. Using the results of the cross-country analysis on telecommunications, the paper will conclude with a discussion of potential policy responses (such as sector reform and universal access programs) to turn telecommunications from a source of growth that also increases inequality to a source of growth that diminishes it.

Suggested Citation

  • Forestier, Emmanuel & Grace, Jeremy & Kenny, Charles, 2002. "Can information and communication technologies be pro-poor?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(11), pages 623-646, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:telpol:v:26:y:2002:i:11:p:623-646
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    Cited by:

    1. Bergh, Andreas & Nilsson, Therese, 2014. "Is Globalization Reducing Absolute Poverty?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 42-61.
    2. Sene, Ligane Massamba, 2015. "Connectivity as engine for productivity among smallholder peanut farmers in Senegal," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 212263, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. Céline Azemar & Grégory Corcos & Andrew Delios, 2006. "Taxation and the international strategy of Japanese multinational enterprises," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00590421, HAL.
    4. Céline Azemar & Grégory Corcos & Andrew Delios, 2006. "Taxation and the international strategy of Japanese multinational enterprises," Working Papers halshs-00590421, HAL.
    5. Céline Azémar & Rodolphe Desbordes & Jean-Louis Mucchielli, 2007. "Do tax sparing agreements contribute to the attraction of FDI in developing countries?," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 14(5), pages 543-562, October.
    6. Ertuğrul Karaçuha & Vasil Tabatadze & Kamil Karaçuha & Nisa Özge Önal & Esra Ergün, 2020. "Deep Assessment Methodology Using Fractional Calculus on Mathematical Modeling and Prediction of Gross Domestic Product per Capita of Countries," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-18, April.
    7. John F. Jones, 2010. "Social finance: commerce and community in developing countries," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 37(6), pages 415-428, May.
    8. Céline Azémar, 2010. "International corporate taxation and U.S. multinationals' behaviour: an integrated approach," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 43(1), pages 232-253, February.
    9. Nora A. Mothafar & Jingxiao Zhang & Ibrahim Al-Maqrami, 2022. "The Evolution of Human Development Through the Eyes of ICT in Developing Countries Based on Panel Data from 2007 to 2017," Indian Journal of Human Development, , vol. 16(3), pages 578-601, December.
    10. Caspian Richards, 2004. "Information technology and rural development," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 4(3), pages 230-244, July.
    11. Céline Azemar & Grégory Corcos & Andrew Delios, 2006. "Taxation and the international strategy of Japanese multinational enterprises," PSE Working Papers halshs-00590421, HAL.
    12. Georges Vivien Houngbonon & Julienne Liang, 2017. "Broadband Internet and Income Inequality," Working Papers hal-01653815, HAL.
    13. Bergh, Andreas & Nilsson, Therese, 2011. "Globalization and Absolute Poverty – A Panel Data Study," Working Paper Series 862, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    14. Kramer, Daniel Boyd & Urquhart, Gerald & Schmitt, Kristen, 2009. "Globalization and the connection of remote communities: A review of household effects and their biodiversity implications," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(12), pages 2897-2909, October.
    15. Jarrín-V, Pablo & Falconí, Fander & Cango, Pedro & Ramos-Martin, Jesus, 2021. "Knowledge gaps in Latin America and the Caribbean and economic development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    16. Luboslav SZABO & Anita ROMANOVA & Vladimir BOLEK & Michal ZELINA, 2017. "Intensity of ICT use by managers of agricultural enterprises," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 63(11), pages 485-492.
    17. Jean-Michel HUET & Isabelle VIENNOIS & Pierre LABARTHE & Anas EL BARKANI, 2012. "Impact Study of the Arrival of a New Mobile Phone Operator in Haiti," Communications & Strategies, IDATE, Com&Strat dept., vol. 1(86), pages 175-192, 2nd quart.
    18. Dube, S. & Dube, M. & Turan, A., 2015. "Information technology in Turkey: Creating high-skill jobs along with more unemployed highly-educated workers?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 811-829.
    19. Azémar, Céline & Delios, Andrew, 2008. "Tax competition and FDI: The special case of developing countries," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 85-108, March.

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