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How does adoption behavior towards ICT policies affect digital divides? Evidence from Chinese prefecture-level cities

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  • Wang, Liuhong
  • Ba, Zhichao
  • Wang, Yuefen

Abstract

Much has been investigated about antecedents of regional digital divides, while few have examined the impact of differential adoption behaviors toward informational and communications technology (ICT) policies. Utilizing a policy citation-based approach, this study quantifies the adoption behaviors of prefectural governments for ICT policies and further explores their effects on prefectural three-order digital divides: ICT access, ICT use, and ICT outcome. The moderating role of provincial governments' ICT policy adoption behaviors is also evaluated. By uncovering numerous implicit policy citation links in China's large-scale ICT policies, we calculate the speed, intensity, and content innovation of ICT policies adopted by prefecture- and province-level governments and inspect their spatial structures and locational dynamics. Further, the influence of these adoption behaviors' spatial-temporal heterogeneity on digital divides is examined based on non-spatial and spatial models. Our study demonstrates that digital divides and ICT policy adoption exhibit significant spatial-temporal disparities across prefectures in China, with this non-equilibrium continuing to expand over time. Prefectural cities with high ICT policy adoption speed, adoption intensity, and moderate content innovation can markedly reduce their three-order digital divides and promote digital development, which is moderated by province-level ICT policy adoption behaviors. Our research offers in-depth insight into spillovers of differentiated policy adoption behaviors and highlights several broad implications for policy innovation and generalization.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Liuhong & Ba, Zhichao & Wang, Yuefen, 2025. "How does adoption behavior towards ICT policies affect digital divides? Evidence from Chinese prefecture-level cities," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:81:y:2025:i:c:s0160791x24003518
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2024.102803
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