-Abstract (Kamssu, A.J., Siekpe, J.S., & Ellzy, J.A. (2004)
Information and communications technology (ICT) has become an indispensable tool in the fight against world poverty. ICT provides developing nations with an unprecedented opportunity to meet vital development goals, such as poverty reduction, basic healthcare, and education, far more effectively than before (UNDP, 2000). Nations that succeed in harnessing the potential of ICT can look forward to greatly expanded economic growth, dramatically improved human welfare, and stronger forms of democratic government. The unequal access to technology between groups due to differences in demography, economic status, and locations, has been suggested to affect worldwide globalization through Internet connectivity. Other speculations in addition to these factors that are crucial to the adoption and use of ICTs include the number of ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and/or OSPs (Online Service Providers) in a given country. The present study investigates the impact of information technology (IT) infrastructure, ISPs, and socio-economic factors on ICT access and use. Statistical analyses show that there is an empirical relationship between these factors and the Internet adoption in different countries; which may help explain the gaps between groups with respect to Internet use.
This article provides an overview of the benefits of the Internet and the problems of its access. It attempts to explain why access to the Internet is imperative for all countriesboth developed and underdeveloped.
The adoption of new technologies are faced with these problems:
1. It can take five to fifty years to widely diffuse new technologies
2. differences in organizational structure
3. national and cultural differences
4. level of infrastructure
Because of these factors there is a difference between how ICT's work and develop in cities in the North and cities in the South. Socio-economic factors are play a big role in the development of ICTs. Kamssu et. al. (2004) point out that in Haiti, 65 % of the population live in rural areas and 60% are illiterate and therefore the number of people that can access the Internet is slim.
Patricia McCormick points out that the vast majority of Africans have not used the Internet and therefore there needs to be (1) more policies to improve structural adjustment that will (1) provide access and (2) make its access of effective use in Africa.
Critique and Questions:
Kamssu et. al. (2004) concludes that the gap between the rich and the poor is increasing because of the inequal access to technology. However, Luis Osin, points out that having access and essentially "copying" a development project in one country and placing it in another does not always work. Therefore, although, Patricia McCormick and Kamssu et. al prove that there is a definite problem with access to the Internet and to technology overall, the solution can not be to simply provide computers and Internet to countries where more than have the population still work in agricultural settings.
New opportunities, in terms of coverage, are increasing daily all over the world, including Africa. In looking at these articles that provide a strong analysis to reveal that this technological divide could be attribute the economic divide between the North and the South. At the same time, before we start assuming that providing access to developing countries will change their economic structure we would need to look at what kind of access they need and for what purpose. Some questions that could be asked before beginning the implementation of a new technology into a country are the level of education, the cultural and religious barriers, and the native language.