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Gender And Technology Use In Developing Countries: Evidence From Firms In Kenya

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  • NIDHIYA MENON

    (Brandeis University, U.S.A.)

Abstract

Kenyan firms rely on technology to overcome obstacles associated with excessive regulations, poor infrastructure, and widespread corruption. This study shows that reliance on technologies such as email, website and the internet for communication purposes has significant positive impacts on productivity for firms with female owners. Using a representative sample of industries, the exogenous component of technology use is isolated by using information on the presence of schools from colonial Kenya as well as a geographical indicator measuring rainfall shocks. Results indicate that for firms with female owners, a 10 percent increase in technology use results in a 1.69 percentage point increase in value-added per worker. For male-owned firms, a positive effect is evident but significantly more muted.

Suggested Citation

  • Nidhiya Menon, 2015. "Gender And Technology Use In Developing Countries: Evidence From Firms In Kenya," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 40(3), pages 105-140, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:jed:journl:v:40:y:2015:i:3:p:105-140
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Asif M. Islam & Silvia Muzi, 2022. "Does mobile money enable women-owned businesses to invest? Firm-level evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(3), pages 1245-1271, October.
    2. Aolin Leng & Fuli Kang, 2022. "Impact of two-child policy on female employment and corporate performance: Empirical evidence from Chinese listed companies from 2010 to 2020," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-13, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Communications Technology; Obstacles; Colonial Education; Female Owners; Kenya; Firms;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • N37 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Africa; Oceania

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