Globalization and the Digital Divide: The Roles of Structural Conduciveness and Global Connection in Internet Diffusion^*

TLDR

The study investigates how modernization factors (income, telecom costs, education, political structures) and global connectivity (world cities, trade, investment, NGOs, population exchanges) influence worldwide Internet diffusion. Using longitudinal regression of Internet host growth from 1995 to 2000 across about 80 developing countries, the authors quantify the impact of these variables. Results show that foreign investment, urban agglomerations, manufacturing exports, NGO presence, tourism, democratic openness, property rights, and income all significantly predict Internet diffusion, confirming that both structural conduciveness and globalization drive adoption.

Abstract

Objectives. The goal of this research is to examine the role of modernization (i.e., structural conduciveness) in the form of income, telephone price and structure, education, and political structures, and global contact in the form of world cities, trade, investment, activities of international nongovernmental organizations, and short‐term exchanges of population in driving the worldwide diffusion of the Internet. Methods. We use longitudinal regression analyses (1995–2000) of change in Internet hosts for approximately 80 developing countries. Results. The analyses suggest that foreign investment, major urban agglomerations, manufacturing exports, nongovernmental organization presence, and tourism as well as democratic openness, property rights, and income predict Internet diffusion during the time period under investigation. Conclusions. We conclude that indeed both conduciveness to Internet technology as well as globalization (contact) are important factors in the diffusion of the Internet.