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Does the internet generate economic growth, international trade, or both?

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  • Huub Meijers

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Abstract

Recent cross country panel data studies find a positive impact of internet use on economic growth and a positive impact of internet use on trade. The present study challenges the first finding by showing that internet use does not explain economic growth directly in a fully specified growth model. In particular openness to international trade variables seem to be highly correlated with internet use and the findings in the literature that internet use causes trade is confirmed here suggesting that internet use impacts trade and that trade impacts economic growth. A simultaneous equations model confirms the positive and significant role of internet use to openness and the importance of openness to economic growth. Internet use shows to be more impacting trade in non-high income countries than in high income countries whereas the impact of trade on economic growth is the same for both income groups. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Huub Meijers, 2014. "Does the internet generate economic growth, international trade, or both?," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 137-163, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:iecepo:v:11:y:2014:i:1:p:137-163
    DOI: 10.1007/s10368-013-0251-x
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    Cited by:

    1. Elena Toader & Bogdan Narcis Firtescu & Angela Roman & Sorin Gabriel Anton, 2018. "Impact of Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure on Economic Growth: An Empirical Assessment for the EU Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 10(10), pages 1-22, October.
    2. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm & Iyer, Harish, 2018. "Does bridging the Internet Access Divide contribute to enhancing countries' integration into the global trade in services markets?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 61-77.
    3. Yi Li, 2020. "Internet Development and Structural Transformation: Evidence from China," Journal of Applied Finance & Banking, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 10(1), pages 1-8.
    4. Ayberk SEKER, 2017. "Uluslararasi Ticarette Internet Kullaniminin Rolu: Turkiye Ornegi," Ege Academic Review, Ege University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, vol. 17(1), pages 75-88.
    5. Barnett, William A. & Hu, Mingzhi & Wang, Xue, 2019. "Does the utilization of information communication technology promote entrepreneurship: Evidence from rural China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 12-21.
    6. Visser, Robin, 2019. "The effect of the internet on the margins of trade," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 41-54.
    7. Thomas H.W. ZIESEMER, 2012. "Worker remittances and government behaviour in the receiving countries," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 3, pages 37-59, December.
    8. David Hanrahan, 2020. "Digitalization as a Determinant of Tax Revenues in OECD Countries: A Static and Dynamic Panel Data Analysis," EIIW Discussion paper disbei285, Universitätsbibliothek Wuppertal, University Library.
    9. Zheng, Shilin & Duan, Yuwei & Ward, Michael R., 2019. "The effect of broadband internet on divorce in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 99-114.
    10. 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.
    11. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm & Brun, Jean-François, 2018. "Impact of bridging the Internet gap on public revenue mobilization," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 23-33.
    12. Antonio Fernández-Portillo & Manuel Almodóvar-González & José Luís Coca-Pérez & Héctor Valentín Jiménez-Naranjo, 2019. "Is Sustainable Economic Development Possible Thanks to the Deployment of ICT?," Sustainability, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 11(22), pages 1-15, November.
    13. Gómez-Barroso, José Luis & Marbán-Flores, Raquel, 2020. "Telecommunications and economic development – The 21st century: Making the evidence stronger," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(2).
    14. Vu, Khuong & Hanafizadeh, Payam & Bohlin, Erik, 2020. "ICT as a driver of economic growth: A survey of the literature and directions for future research," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(2).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic growth; Internet; Trade; Panel; C23; L86; F10; O40;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software
    • L96 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Telecommunications
    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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