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Determinants of Intercountry Internet Diffusion Rates
Author(s) -
Wunnava Phanindra V.,
Leiter Daniel B.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
american journal of economics and sociology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.199
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1536-7150
pISSN - 0002-9246
DOI - 10.1111/j.1536-7150.2009.00634.x
Subject(s) - openness to experience , the internet , affect (linguistics) , politics , diffusion , demographic economics , business , economics , sociology , political science , psychology , social psychology , computer science , world wide web , law , physics , communication , thermodynamics
A bstract This article employs cross‐sectional data from 100 countries to analyze the main determinants of intercountry Internet diffusion rates. We set up an empirical model based on strong theoretical foundations, in which we regress Internet usage on variables that capture social, economic, and political differences between these countries. Our results support past findings that economic strength, infrastructure, and knowledge of the English language positively affect Internet connectivity. In addition to these indicators, the openness of a country, tertiary enrollment, and income equality are found to also have a significant positive effect on Internet diffusion.