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on Information and Communication Technologies |
| By: | Rasel, Fabienne |
| Abstract: | This paper analyses the relevance of information and communication technologies (ICT) for firms' probability of global sourcing of inputs. Using firm-level data from Germany in 2009, which include mainly small and medium-sized firms, the empirical analysis differentiates between manufacturing and service firms. The results show some differences between the manufacturing and service sector. Controlling for various sources of firm heterogeneity, the global sourcing probability is increasing in the firms' share of employees with Internet access in the manufacturing sector. E-commerce-intensive firms are more likely to source inputs from abroad but generally, this relationship between e-commerce and global sourcing is only robust in services and much stronger there than in manufacturing. In both sectors, it is strongest in industries with higher upstream industry diversity. Moreover, labour productivity is positively linked to global sourcing. The findings support arguments for the importance of the Internet for global trade and they confirm the productivity advantage of importing in comparison to non-importing firms that is stated in the literature. |
| Keywords: | global sourcing,importing,information and communication technologies,inputs |
| JEL: | D22 L23 F14 |
| Date: | 2015 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:15086&r=ict |
| By: | Diego Sébastien LANDIVAR (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches sur le Développement International(CERDI)); Clément MATHONNAT; Ariane TICHIT (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches sur le Développement International(CERDI)) |
| Abstract: | This paper develops a new classification of non-banking currencies projects based on a lexical analysis from web data. The advantage of this method is to derive an endogenous typology of monetary projects, based on how currencies are depicted on the internet. Therefore, it allows to by-pass issues face for now in the literature to uncover a clear classification of non-banking currencies projects from exogenous elements. Our textual corpus consists in 320 web pages, corresponding to 1210 text pages. We first applied to our data a downward hierarchical clustering, which enables us to endogenously derive five different classes, allowing us to operate distinctions not only between non-banking currencies projects, but also between these latter and the standard monetary system. Then, we resorted to a similarity analysis and according to our results; all non-banking currencies projects define themselves in relation to the standard monetary system, with the exception of Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETs). |
| Keywords: | Non-banking money ; Text mining ; Web data ; Downward hierarchical clustering ; Similarity analysis |
| JEL: | C38 E42 |
| Date: | 2015–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdi:wpaper:1760&r=ict |
| By: | Fabio Sabatini (University of Rome - La Sapienza); Francesco Sarracino |
| Abstract: | Does Facebook make people lonely and unhappy? Empirical studies have produced conflicting results about the effect of social network- ing sites (SNS) use on individual welfare. We use a representative sample of the Italian population to investigate how actual and virtual networks of social relationships influence subjective well-being (SWB). We find a significantly negative correlation between online networking and self-reported happiness. We address endogeneity in online net- working by exploiting technological characteristics of the pre-existing voice telecommunication infrastructures that exogenously determined the availability of broadband for high-speed Internet. We try to further disentangle the direct effect of SNS use on well-being from the indirect effect possibly caused by the impact of SNS's on trust and sociability in a SEM analysis. We find that online networking plays a positive role in SWB through its impact on physical interactions. On the other hand, SNS use is associated with lower social trust, which is in turn positively correlated with SWB. The overall effect of network- ing on individual welfare is significantly negative. |
| Keywords: | social participation; online networks; Facebook; social trust; social capital; subjective well-being; hate speech; broadband; digital divide |
| JEL: | C36 D85 O33 Z13 |
| Date: | 2014–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ent:wpaper:wp54&r=ict |
| By: | Christos Genakos; Costas Roumanias; Tommaso Valletti |
| Abstract: | We analyze consumer switching between mobile tariff plans using consumer-level panel data. Consumers receive reminders from a specialist price-comparison website about the precise amount they could save by switching to alternative plans. We find that the effect on switching of being informed about potential savings is positive and significant. Controlling for savings, we also find that the effect of incurring overage payments is also significant and six times larger in magnitude. Paying an amount that exceeds the recurrent monthly fee weighs more on the switching decision than being informed that one can save that same amount by switching to a less inclusive plan, implying that avoidance of losses motivates switching more than the realization of equal-sized gains. We interpret this as evidence of loss aversion. We are also able to weigh how considerations of risk versus loss aversion affect mobile tariff plan choices: we find that a uniform attitude towards risk in both losses and gains has no significant influence on predicting consumers’ switching, whereas perceiving potential savings as avoidance of losses, rather than as gains, has a strong and positive effect. |
| Keywords: | loss aversion; consumer switching; tariff plans; risk aversion; mobile telephony |
| JEL: | D10 D12 D81 L96 |
| Date: | 2015–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:64966&r=ict |
| By: | Molina, Jose Alberto; Campaña, Juan Carlos; Ortega, Raquel |
| Abstract: | Assuming that families and educators should educate children with regard to the consumption and use of new technologies, and policy-makers will need to act accordingly to protect vulnerable children , we provide evidence of the time that children aged between 10 and 12 years old dedicate to two online activities: computer communication and computer gaming. To that end, we estimate a simultaneous SUR model with data from the Spanish Time Use Survey for 2009-2010. Results indicate that being female generates a positive influence on the time devoted to computer communication, and being male generates a positive influence on the time devoted to computer gaming. We also find that a greater number of family members with secondary studies generates a positive influence on the time spent on computer gaming. Children with better health spend more time on both of these activities and, finally, living in a larger city produces a positive effect on the time dedicated to computer gaming. |
| Keywords: | Children, Internet, Time use, SUR model |
| JEL: | D12 J13 J22 |
| Date: | 2016–01–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:68967&r=ict |
| By: | Lechman, Ewa; Kaur, Harleen |
| Abstract: | The process of technology diffusion is complex, and one should bear in mind that multiple both qualitative and quantitative elements may be claimed as its essential determinants. Insofar, voluminous theoretical and empirical literature has been issued where attempts of identification of the latter has been made. However, we still lack adequate explanations for cross-country differences in new technology adoption; while the demonstrated evidence is scattered and to a great extend it lacks robustness. Many claim that the speed of ICT diffusion is heavily predetermined of country`s economic achievements; while – in this perspective, high-income economies should faster adopt and use new technologies if compared to economically backward countries. This paper is designed to provide empirical evidence on the relationship between the process of ICT diffusion and social development across selected low-income and lower-middle-income countries during the period of 2000 and 2014. It main target it so identify whether in low-income and lower-middle-income economies, ICT development and social development (social empowerment) are correlated. It combines five logically structured sections. Section 1 is the introduction, while section 2 discusses literature review regarding ICT diffusion determinants. Next, section 3 briefly presents data used in the research and explains methodological framework. Finally section 4 demonstrates results of empirical analysis, and Section 5 concludes. |
| Keywords: | ICT, social development, developing countries |
| JEL: | I3 I30 O1 O3 O5 O50 |
| Date: | 2016 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:69354&r=ict |