The Digital Divide: Current and Future Research Directions - MISRC ...

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ICT Innovations First Order DD Second Order DD Theoretical Perspectives • Sociology • Economics • Diffusion of Innovations • Public Policy • Technical Design Global Organizational Individual Levels of Analysis Inequality Types ICT Access ICT Adoption Cycle Research Methods ICT Use • Measurement • Case Study •Survey • Econometrics • Analytical Modeling Figure 1. Conceptual framework for organizing research on the digital divide As shown in Figure 1, a variety of Theoretical Perspectives and Research Methods can be brought to bear on the analysis of the two types of divide and the three levels of analysis described above. With respect to the former, sociology is perhaps the single most active area engaged in research on the digital divide. This is natural since the digital divide is to a great extent a social phenomenon, involving the spread of technological innovations inside various social systems. The digital divide is also an economic phenomenon, so that economics is another relevant theoretical perspective. Indeed, at each of the three levels of analysis, most of the studies tend to include socio- economic explanatory variables. We also singled out the diffusion of innovations as 6
another theoretical perspective, due to the enormous research interest in understanding the diffusion processes of ICT innovations, from either a behavioral or a modeling perspective. The interest in understanding the nature of the digital divide is driven by the desire in policy circles to take proactive measures to bridge the divide ⎯ hence, public policy informs much of the analysis of the divide. Technical design is also listed as a theoretical perspective, since the design of human-computer interfaces, and systems as a whole, has a direct bearing on the rate of adoption and intensity of use. Finally, the Research Methods used in research pertaining to the digital divide covers a range of techniques from simple measurement exercises and case studies to surveys, econometric analyses, and analytical modeling. In the following sections, we analyze the recent and current research on the digital divide noting the theoretical perspectives taken and the research methodologies employed. This provides a useful lens to suggest further research on each level of analysis of the digital divide. 3. THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL The term digital divide has most commonly been used to highlight the view that certain individuals are not able to obtain access to personal computers or the Internet due to a variety of factors including race, socio-economic status, age, gender, place of residence, level of education, adeptness with technology, and/or social associations. While some factors may be beyond the control of the individual, the phrase has also been applied to those who have an aversion to technology and so choose, for one reason or another, not to make use of such technologies. 3.1 Antecedents of Research at the Individual Level As the Internet grew in popularity during the mid-1990s, the digital divide took on political and public policy overtones as certain groups and policy makers claimed that some individuals were being left behind in the digital revolution and would have trouble catching up. This led to calls for public subsidization for access to the Internet through schools, public libraries, and even financial incentives directly to households [Hoffman and Novak, 1998]. Just as the government adopted a universal telephone policy in the 7
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