IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bpj/econoa/v15y2021i1p115-128n6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Digital Gender Divide and Convergence in the European Union Countries

Author

Listed:
  • López-Martínez María

    (Department of Applied Economics, University of Murcia, Campus Universitario de Espinardo, Murcia, Spain)

  • García-Luque Olga
  • Rodríguez-Pasquín Myriam

    (Department of Applied Economics, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the digital gender divide in the European Union (EU) countries by applying two widely used indicators: percentage of the population who has used the Internet in the last 3 months (ICT-USE indicator) and percentage of the population who has made an online purchase in the last 3 months (ICT-PURCHASE indicator). With these indicators, the digital gender gaps are shown in absolute and relative terms. In addition, the European convergence beta and sigma, between the years 2007 and 2019, is also analyzed. The results among European countries show that the ICT-USE indicator has a lower dispersion than the ICT-PURCHASE indicator; hence, in general, the digital gender divide or gap is usually lower when ICT-USE is used in comparison with ICT-PURCHASE. The highest values of the digital gender gap in the EU, regardless of the indicator used, are found in Croatia and Italy, reflecting an unfavorable position for women. Ireland is also in this group, but in its case, the results show an unfavorable position for men. Additionally, Cyprus does not register gender differences in either of the two indicators analyzed. Finally, the convergence between European countries is corroborated, both in the indicators analyzed and in the different gender digital gaps built.

Suggested Citation

  • López-Martínez María & García-Luque Olga & Rodríguez-Pasquín Myriam, 2021. "Digital Gender Divide and Convergence in the European Union Countries," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 15(1), pages 115-128, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:econoa:v:15:y:2021:i:1:p:115-128:n:6
    DOI: 10.1515/econ-2021-0012
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1515/econ-2021-0012
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1515/econ-2021-0012?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mariscal, Judith & Mayne, Gloria & Aneja, Urvashi & Sorgner, Alina, 2019. "Bridging the gender digital gap," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 13, pages 1-12.
    2. Fabrice Murtin & Martina Viarengo, 2011. "The Expansion and Convergence of Compulsory Schooling in Western Europe, 1950–2000," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 78(311), pages 501-522, July.
    3. Daron Acemoglu & Pascual Restrepo, 2019. "Automation and New Tasks: How Technology Displaces and Reinstates Labor," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 33(2), pages 3-30, Spring.
    4. David H. Autor & Frank Levy & Richard J. Murnane, 2003. "The skill content of recent technological change: an empirical exploration," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, issue Nov.
    5. Amy Antonio & David Tuffley, 2014. "The Gender Digital Divide in Developing Countries," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-15, October.
    6. Cohen, Stephen S & Zysman, John & DeLong, Bradford J, 2000. "Tools for Thought: What is New and Important about the "E-conomy"?," UCAIS Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy, Working Paper Series qt0c97w1gn, UCAIS Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy, UC Berkeley.
    7. World Bank, 2019. "World Development Report 2019 [Rapport sur le développement dans le monde 2019]," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 30435, December.
    8. Cohen, Stephen S & Zysman, John & DeLong, Bradford J, 2000. "Tools for Thought: What is New and Important about the "E-conomy"?," Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt0c97w1gn, Department of Economics, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
    9. David H. Autor, 2015. "Why Are There Still So Many Jobs? The History and Future of Workplace Automation," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 29(3), pages 3-30, Summer.
    10. United Nations UN, 2015. "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Working Papers id:7559, eSocialSciences.
    11. Degryse, Christophe, 2019. "Disrupción tecnológica, ¿abandono social?," El Trimestre Económico, Fondo de Cultura Económica, vol. 86(344), pages 1115-1147, octubre-d.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Barth, Erling & Davis, James C. & Freeman, Richard B. & McElheran, Kristina, 2023. "Twisting the demand curve: Digitalization and the older workforce," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 233(2), pages 443-467.
    2. David Kunst, 2019. "Deskilling among Manufacturing Production Workers," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 19-050/VI, Tinbergen Institute, revised 30 Dec 2020.
    3. Lee Ohanian & Musa Orak & Shihan Shen, 2023. "Revisiting Capital-Skill Complementarity, Inequality, and Labor Share," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 51, pages 479-505, December.
    4. Lu, Jing & Xiao, Qinglan & Wang, Taoxuan, 2023. "Does the digital economy generate a gender dividend for female employment? Evidence from China," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(6).
    5. Montobbio, Fabio & Staccioli, Jacopo & Virgillito, Maria Enrica & Vivarelli, Marco, 2022. "Robots and the origin of their labour-saving impact," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    6. Dario Guarascio & Stefano Sacchi, 2021. "Technology, risk and social policy. An empirical investigation," LEM Papers Series 2021/16, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    7. Gries, Thomas & Naudé, Wim, 2022. "Modelling artificial intelligence in economics," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 56, pages 1-12.
    8. Friedrich, Teresa Sophie & Laible, Marie-Christine & Pollak, Reinhard & Schongen, Sebastian & Schulz, Benjamin & Vicari, Basha, 2021. "Grasping Digitalization in the Working World: An Example From the German National Educational Panel Study [Die Erfassung von Digitalisierung in der Arbeitswelt: Ein Beispiel aus dem Nationalen Bild," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 72(4), pages 415-452.
    9. Alonso, Cristian & Berg, Andrew & Kothari, Siddharth & Papageorgiou, Chris & Rehman, Sidra, 2022. "Will the AI revolution cause a great divergence?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 18-37.
    10. Innocenti, Stefania & Golin, Marta, 2022. "Human capital investment and perceived automation risks: Evidence from 16 countries," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 27-41.
    11. José-Ignacio Antón & David Klenert & Enrique Fernández-Macías & Maria Cesira Urzì Brancati & Georgios Alaveras, 2022. "The labour market impact of robotisation in Europe," European Journal of Industrial Relations, , vol. 28(3), pages 317-339, September.
    12. Daron Acemoglu & Pascual Restrepo, 2020. "The wrong kind of AI? Artificial intelligence and the future of labour demand," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 13(1), pages 25-35.
    13. Genz, Sabrina & Gregory, Terry & Janser, Markus & Lehmer, Florian & Matthes, Britta, 2021. "How do workers adjust when firms adopt new technologies?," ZEW Discussion Papers 21-073, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    14. Usabiaga, Carlos & Núñez, Fernando & Arendt, Lukasz & Gałecka-Burdziak, Ewa & Pater, Robert, 2022. "Skill requirements and labour polarisation: An association analysis based on Polish online job offers," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    15. de Vries, Gaaitzen J. & Gentile, Elisabetta & Miroudot, Sébastien & Wacker, Konstantin M., 2020. "The rise of robots and the fall of routine jobs," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    16. Gardberg, Malin & Heyman, Fredrik & Norbäck, Pehr-Johan & Persson, Lars, 2020. "Digitization-based automation and occupational dynamics," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    17. Jeff Borland & Michael Coelli, 2023. "The Australian labour market and IT-enabled technological change," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2023n01, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    18. Cao, Yuqiang & Hu, Yong & Liu, Qian & Lu, Meiting & Shan, Yaowen, 2023. "Job creation or disruption? Unraveling the effects of smart city construction on corporate employment in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    19. Sylvie Blasco, 2022. "Replaced or depressed? The effect of automation risk on workers' mental health," French Stata Users' Group Meetings 2022 09, Stata Users Group.
    20. Jasmine Mondolo, 2022. "The composite link between technological change and employment: A survey of the literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 1027-1068, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    digital economy; ICT indicators; digital gender divide; convergence; European Union;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bpj:econoa:v:15:y:2021:i:1:p:115-128:n:6. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.degruyter.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.