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Digital divide is much smaller in the time distance perspective |
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Saturday, 20 December 2008 |
Beyond GDP: the rapid growth of ICT contributes to reducing world disparities The time distance perspective shows a very different picture of the digital divide than static measures. Both perspectives are necessary and S-time-distance as a novel generic statistical measure is needed to make the present-state-of-the-art more relevant for multi-dimensional and long-term development analysis and policy debate.
Pavle Sicherl contributed a brief note to the open discussion for the Paradiso 7FP project ‘ICT for a global sustainable future’ available below. The broader orientation beyond GDP means that comparisons and policy debate have to be broadened in two respects: 1) with new values and new Beyond GDP indexes or indicators and 2) with new statistical measures that can help the stakeholders to build their perceptions of the situation in a broader dynamic framework that is closer to the reality.
In such a broader framework beyond the static measures (like Gini
coefficients, indexes or percentage disparities) a complementary but
very different picture of the importance of the ICT in world
development is obtained. The dynamics of the ICT access might be
considered as important means to reduce disparities in the world, at
least in this domain.
The time distance gaps for ICT access are much smaller than for GDP per
capita or life expectancy. The time distance perspective of world
disparities was studied by calculating S-time-distances of how many
years earlier were the present values for 160-190 countries attained in
Sweden as a long-term benchmark.
Median S-time-distance lags behind Sweden for GDP per capita was in
2003 70 years and for female life expectancy 53 years (meaning that for
half of the countries the time lag was more than that). The median
values of S-time-distance lag behind Sweden for internet users per 100
inhabitants were in 2006 about 10 years and for cellular subscribers
per 100 inhabitants about 7 years, even though the static disparities
are high.
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