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on Information and Communication Technologies |
| By: | Saka, Orkun; Eichengreen, Barry; Aksoy, Cevat |
| Abstract: | We ask whether epidemic exposure leads to a shift in financial technology usage and who participates in this shift. We exploit a dataset combining Gallup World Polls and Global Findex surveys for some 250, 000 individuals in 140 countries, merging them with information on the incidence of epidemics and local 3G internet infrastructure. Epidemic exposure is associated with an increase in remote-access (online/mobile) banking and substitution from bank branch-based to ATM activity. The temporary nature of the effects we identify is more consistent with a demand channel rather than that of supply with high initial fixed costs. Exploring heterogeneity using a machine-learning driven approach, we find that young, high-income earners in full-time employment have the greatest tendency to shift to online/mobile transactions in response to epidemics. Baseline effects are larger for individuals with better ex ante 3G signal coverage, highlighting the role of the digital divide in adaption to new technologies necessitated by adverse external shocks. |
| Keywords: | epidemics; fintech; banking; Leverhulme Small Research Grant scheme (SRG21\211248) |
| JEL: | G20 I10 |
| Date: | 2022–10–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:115133&r=ict |
| By: | Jeong Lee, So; Jin Seo, Su |
| Abstract: | The rapid evolution of digital technologies has reshaped global business, forcing not only large but also small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to embrace digital trade. Nevertheless, many SMEs are struggling to fully implement digital technologies. Against this backdrop, the Republic of Korea has bolstered its support for SMEs, with a focus on human capital development, financing, and research and development. Furthermore, the country has revised its trade regulations and frameworks, placing significant emphasis on digital capacity-building and the alignment of regulations with international standards. Despite the disparities in digital infrastructure and skills, the experience of the Republic of Korea is a useful model for Latin America and the Caribbean, offering invaluable insights for policymakers, businesses and stakeholders seeking to navigate the evolving digital landscape and facilitate SME growth and internationalization. In addition, deeper collaboration could be pursued between the Republic of Korea and the region, in particular in the realms of expanding and enhancing access to information and communications technologies (ICTs), upskilling the workforce, strengthening data protection and broadening the scope of trade to include digital services. |
| Date: | 2024–01–31 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ecr:col022:68876&r=ict |
| By: | Ekaterina Prytkova; Fabien Petit; Deyu Li; Sugat Chaturvedi; Tommaso Ciarli |
| Abstract: | This paper measures the exposure of industries and occupations to 40 digital technologies that emerged over the past decade and estimates their impact on European employment. Using a novel approach that leverages sentence transformers, we calculate exposure scores based on the semantic similarity between patents and ISCO-08/NACE Rev.2 classifications to construct an open–access database, ‘TechXposure’. By combining our data with a shift–share approach, we instrument the regional exposure to emerging digital technologies to estimate their employment impact across European regions. We find an overall positive effect of emerging digital technologies on employment, with a one-standard-deviation increase in regional exposure leading to a 1.069 percentage point increase in the employment-to-population ratio. However, upon examining the individual effects of these technologies, we find that smart agriculture, the internet of things, industrial and mobile robots, digital advertising, mobile payment, electronic messaging, cloud storage, social network technologies, and machine learning negatively impact regional employment. |
| Keywords: | occupation exposure, industry exposure, text as data, natural language processing, sentence transformers, emerging digital technologies, automation, employment |
| JEL: | C81 O31 O33 O34 J24 O52 R23 |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_10955&r=ict |
| By: | Choi, Jung Ho (Stanford U); Ierokomos, Surya (Stanford U); Sterling, Adina (Columbia U) |
| Abstract: | The under-representation of women in the technology industry has long been rec- ognized as a concern, and the provision of gender-specific information on job search platforms has emerged as a potential solution. In this research, we study how gender- specific information about employers may improve the search behavior of women on search platforms and lead to better job search outcomes. Through a randomized experiment on a professional job search platform, we find that the inclusion of gender-specific information in employee survey outcomes did not have the expected effects on job search. Instead of boosting job search activity, gender-specific information reduced user engagement on the job search platform, albeit less for women than men. In a follow-on abductive study, we discuss the multiple potential mechanisms affecting our results, and the implications of our findings within the existing literature. |
| JEL: | D63 D83 J16 J62 J64 M12 M21 M41 |
| Date: | 2023–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ecl:stabus:4119&r=ict |