Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/110902 
Year of Publication: 
16-Jun-2015
Publisher: 
ZBW - Deutsche Zentralbibliothek für Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft, Kiel und Hamburg
Abstract: 
This paper investigates the association between ethnic heterogeneity and information technology related outcomes such as internet access and internet use. We argue that the global digital divide, as measured by cross-country differences in internet access and use, could be explained by cross-country differences in ethnic heterogeneity. We use indices of ethnic and linguistic fractionalization as measures of ethnic heterogeneity. Using data on a cross-section of 93 countries, we find evidence of a negative association between ethnic heterogeneity and the use and access of internet. Thus, cross-country differences in the global digital divide can be explained by the levels of ethnic fractionalization. Other determinants of the digital divide include income, infrastructure, literacy level, level of urbanization and inequality.
Subjects: 
ethnic diversity
digital divide
information inequality
internet
Document Type: 
Preprint

Files in This Item:
File
Size
607.95 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.