Purvez, Salim Ahmed (author), Khan, Iqbal Alam (author), Khan, S.M. Zubair Ali (author), Seeley, Janet (author), and Chronic Poverty Research Centre, University of Manchester
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
2003-04
Published:
United Kingdom
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C28219
Notes:
Posted online at http://www.chronicpoverty.org/pdfs/2003conferencepapers/purvez.pdf, Presented at "Staying poor: chronic poverty and development policy," a conference at Manchester, UK from April 7-9, 2003.
The potential for rural areas to benefit from telecommunications technology is a persistent question. This article examines data for the USA concerning the "digital divide" and access of residences and businesses, which tend to suggest that all is (or will soon be) well. The article also presents data on aspects of digital infrastructure in rural America, including points of presence and digital telephone switches, which suggest that there are major shortcomings in most rural communities. Demand aggregation is a possible solution, but more serious pitfalls are those related to shortages of human capital. These might be resolved in some rural places, where immigration and return migration bring needed cerebral inputs to rural areas. A final set of improvements concerns how businesses use the Internet and e-commerce. In the end, telecommunications is not a "quick fix" solution for rural development, and the desired improvements will be limited to a fraction of rural places.
Bhatnagar, Subhash (author), Dewan, Anika (author), Torres, Magui Moreno (author), Kanungo, Parameeta (author), and World Bank, Washington, D.C.
Format:
Report
Publication Date:
2003
Published:
India
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 182 Document Number: C36945
Notes:
Empowerment Case Studies. 7 pages., Recipient of the "Most Promising Social Enterprise Award 2002" by Digital Partners USA and the "Best Information and Communication Technology Story Award" by the International Institute for Communications and Development (IICD) and Infodev (World Bank).
