New Technologies Adoption and Diffusion Patterns in Developing Countries. An Empirical Study for the Period 2000-2011

Authors

  • Ewa Lechman Gdansk University of Technology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12775/EQUIL.2013.028

Keywords:

information and communication technologies, adoption patterns, technology diffusion, S-shaped curve, developing countries

Abstract

In recent years, enormous changes are noted worldwide during broad  adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). These unique  technologies ? often perceived as economic development incentives ? have a great  ability to spread at high pace and low cost in countries all over the world, bringing  people opportunities to contribute to economic development and growth. New Technologies  play a special role in developing countries, where their in-country adoption  lies in the centre of development strategies. ICT are treated as tools which bring  people access to information, education and knowledge, offering unlimited possibilities  for wealth-creation.  The paper, purely empirical in nature, reports on the pace of adoption of new Information  and Communication Technologies in developing countries, and ? additionally  ? investigates country-specific ICT diffusion patterns. We expect to uncover  the S-shape curve in the diffusion process in most of developing countries, as well as  in the whole country sample.  For the analysis purposes, we apply all counties which ? according to the World  Bank nomenclature ? are classified as low-income and lower-middle-income econ-  omies. Our sample covers 46 countries (upper-middle-income and high-income  economies are excluded from the study purposefully) which are classified as developing  economies. The time framework is set for the period of 2000-2011. All data  necessary for the analysis are derived from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators  Database 2012 (16th edition).

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Published

31-12-2013

Issue

Section

Knowledge Based Economy and Technology Diffusion

How to Cite

Lechman, E. (2013). New Technologies Adoption and Diffusion Patterns in Developing Countries. An Empirical Study for the Period 2000-2011. Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, 8(4), 79-106. https://doi.org/10.12775/EQUIL.2013.028

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