IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/teinso/v59y2019ics0160791x17301756.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Examining the drivers of internet use among the poor: The case of Bahía Blanca city in Argentina

Author

Listed:
  • Alderete, María Verónica

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the determinants of Internet use across individuals from poor neighborhoods in Argentina. There are many socio-economic factors that explain individual ICT use, such as income, education, and location, among others. A critical determinant of ICT use is ICT access, which is not equally distributed within countries. There are also other aspects such as technology complementarities and the presence of infomediaries. To achieve this goal, we use a survey conducted to 381 households and 1459 individuals living in poor neighborhoods from Bahia Blanca, Argentina. By estimating a probit model and controlling for sample selection, we obtain that an individual is more likely to use Internet if he/she uses a computer, assists to school, lives in a neighborhood with low Internet access but medium Internet use levels on average, and lives with a family that uses Internet. Internet access only partially determines internet use among the poor.

Suggested Citation

  • Alderete, María Verónica, 2019. "Examining the drivers of internet use among the poor: The case of Bahía Blanca city in Argentina," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:59:y:2019:i:c:s0160791x17301756
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2019.101179
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X17301756
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techsoc.2019.101179?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Menzie D. Chinn & Robert W. Fairlie, 2007. "The determinants of the global digital divide: a cross-country analysis of computer and internet penetration," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 59(1), pages 16-44, January.
    2. Simplice Asongu & Agyenim Boateng, 2018. "Introduction to Special Issue: Mobile Technologies and Inclusive Development in Africa," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 297-301, July.
    3. Sanjeev Dewan & Dale Ganley & Kenneth L. Kraemer, 2010. "Complementarities in the Diffusion of Personal Computers and the Internet: Implications for the Global Digital Divide," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 21(4), pages 925-940, December.
    4. Kiiski, Sampsa & Pohjola, Matti, 2002. "Cross-country diffusion of the Internet," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 297-310, June.
    5. Heckman, James, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    6. Zhang, Xiaoqun, 2013. "Income disparity and digital divide: The Internet Consumption Model and cross-country empirical research," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 515-529.
    7. Anstey Watkins, Jocelyn Olivia Todd & Goudge, Jane & Gómez-Olivé, Francesc Xavier & Griffiths, Frances, 2018. "Mobile phone use among patients and health workers to enhance primary healthcare: A qualitative study in rural South Africa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 139-147.
    8. Hargittai, Eszter, 1999. "Weaving the Western Web: explaining differences in Internet connectivity among OECD countries," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 23(10-11), pages 701-718, November.
    9. David Deephouse & Pursey Heugens, 2009. "Linking Social Issues to Organizational Impact: The Role of Infomediaries and the Infomediary Process," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 86(4), pages 541-553, June.
    10. María Verónica Alderete & María Marta Formichella, 2016. "El acceso a las tic en el hogar y en la escuela: su impacto sobre los logros educativos," Revista de Economía del Rosario, Universidad del Rosario, vol. 19(2), pages 221-242, December.
    11. Vergara, Sebastián & Grazzi, Mateo, 2011. "Determinants of ICT Access," Sede de la CEPAL en Santiago (Estudios e Investigaciones) 35291, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    12. Munyegera, Ggombe Kasim & Matsumoto, Tomoya, 2016. "Mobile Money, Remittances, and Household Welfare: Panel Evidence from Rural Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 127-137.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mora-Rivera, Jorge & García-Mora, Fernando, 2021. "Internet access and poverty reduction: Evidence from rural and urban Mexico," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(2).
    2. Zhu, Zhongkun & Ma, Wanglin & Sousa-Poza, Alfonso & Leng, Chenxin, 2020. "The effect of internet usage on perceptions of social fairness: Evidence from rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    3. Ankrah Twumasi, Martinson & Jiang, Yuansheng & Asante, Dennis & Addai, Bismark & Akuamoah-Boateng, Samuel & Fosu, Prince, 2021. "Internet use and farm households food and nutrition security nexus: The case of rural Ghana," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    4. Martínez-Domínguez, Marlen & Mora-Rivera, Jorge, 2020. "Internet adoption and usage patterns in rural Mexico," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    5. Doyar, Bayram Veli & Rzali, Shamsi & Dikkaya, Mehmet, 2023. "Development of the ICT sector and the determinants of Internet use in the Southern Caucasus," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1).
    6. Martínez-Domínguez, Marlen & Fierros-González, Isael, 2022. "Determinants of internet use by school-age children: The challenges for Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(1).
    7. Silva, Diego S. & Yamashita, Gabrielli Harumi & Cortimiglia, Marcelo Nogueira & Brust-Renck, Priscila G. & ten Caten, Carla Schwengber, 2022. "Are we ready to assess digital readiness? Exploring digital implications for social progress from the Network Readiness Index," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).

    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. Thierry PENARD & Nicolas POUSSING & Gabriel ZOMO YEBE & Philémon NSI ELLA, 2012. "Comparing the Determinants of Internet and Cell Phone Use in Africa: Evidence from Gabon," Communications & Strategies, IDATE, Com&Strat dept., vol. 1(86), pages 65-83, 2nd quart.
    2. Frederico Cruz-Jesus & Tiago Oliveira & Fernando Bacao & Zahir Irani, 2017. "Assessing the pattern between economic and digital development of countries," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 835-854, August.
    3. Szeles, Monica Răileanu, 2018. "New insights from a multilevel approach to the regional digital divide in the European Union," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(6), pages 452-463.
    4. Frederico Cruz-Jesus & Tiago Oliveira & Fernando Bacao & Zahir Irani, 0. "Assessing the pattern between economic and digital development of countries," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-20.
    5. Zhang, Xiaoqun, 2013. "Income disparity and digital divide: The Internet Consumption Model and cross-country empirical research," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 515-529.
    6. Dohse, Dirk & Lim, Cheng Yee, 2016. "Macro-geographic location and internet adoption in poor countries: What is behind the persistent digital gap?," Kiel Working Papers 2067, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    7. Menzie D. Chinn & Robert W. Fairlie, 2010. "ICT Use in the Developing World: An Analysis of Differences in Computer and Internet Penetration," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(1), pages 153-167, February.
    8. John Hudson, 2012. "Internet Banking and the Marginal Internet User," Department of Economics Working Papers 7/12, University of Bath, Department of Economics.
    9. Margarita Billon & Roberto Ezcurra & Fernando Lera‐López, 2009. "Spatial Effects in Website Adoption by Firms in European Regions," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(1), pages 54-84, March.
    10. Orviska, Marta & Hudson, John, 2009. "Dividing or uniting Europe? Internet usage in the EU," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 279-290, November.
    11. PENARD Thierry & POUSSING Nicolas & ZOMO YEBE Gabriel & NSI ELLA Philémon, 2012. "Usage d'Internet et du téléphone mobile en Afrique : une comparaison des déterminants d'adoption sur données gabonaises," LISER Working Paper Series 2012-15, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER).
    12. Margarita Billon & Fernando Lera-Lopez & Rocio Marco, 2016. "ICT use by households and firms in the EU: links and determinants from a multivariate perspective," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 152(4), pages 629-654, November.
    13. Grazzi, Matteo & Vergara, Sebastián, 2012. "ICT in developing countries: Are language barriers relevant? Evidence from Paraguay," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 161-171.
    14. Paolo Guerrieri & Sara Bentivegna (ed.), 2011. "The Economic Impact of Digital Technologies," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14361.
    15. Margarita Billon & Fernando Lera-Lopez & Rocío Marco, 2010. "Differences in digitalization levels: a multivariate analysis studying the global digital divide," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 146(1), pages 39-73, April.
    16. Li, Raymond & Shiu, Alice, 2012. "Internet diffusion in China: A dynamic panel data analysis," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 872-887.
    17. P. Guerrieri & M. Luciani & V. Meliciani, 2011. "The determinants of investment in information and communication technologies," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(4), pages 387-403.
    18. Charles Amo Yartey, 2006. "Financial Development, the Structure of Capital Markets, and the Global Digital Divide," IMF Working Papers 2006/258, International Monetary Fund.
    19. Lüdering, Jochen, 2014. "The measurement of internet availability and quality in the context of the discussion on digital divide," Discussion Papers 65, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Center for international Development and Environmental Research (ZEU).
    20. Peter M. Madsen & Zachariah J. Rodgers, 2015. "Looking good by doing good: The antecedents and consequences of stakeholder attention to corporate disaster relief," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(5), pages 776-794, May.

    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:eee:teinso:v:59:y:2019:i:c:s0160791x17301756. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/technology-in-society .

    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.