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on Information and Communication Technologies |
| By: | Cheikh T. Ndour (Dakar, Senegal); Simplice A. Asongu (Johannesburg, South Africa) |
| Abstract: | Purpose – This study examines the relevance of information and communication technologies in the effect of gender economic inclusion on environmental sustainability. Design/methodology/approach – The focus is on a panel of 42 sub-Saharan African countries over the period 2005-2020. The empirical evidence is based on generalized method of moments. The environmental sustainability indicator used is CO2 emissions per capita. Two indicators of women's economic inclusion are considered: women's labour force participation and women's unemployment. The chosen ICT indicators are mobile phone penetration, internet penetration and fixed broadband subscriptions. Findings – The results show that: (i) fixed broadband subscriptions represent the most relevant ICT moderator of gender economic inclusion for an effect on CO2 emissions; (ii) negative net effects are apparent for the most part with fixed broadband subscriptions (iii) both positive ICT thresholds (i.e., critical levels for complementary policies) and negative ICT thresholds (i.e., minimum ICT levels for negative net effects) are provided; (iv) ICT synergy effects are apparent for female unemployment, but not for female employment. In general, the joint effect of ICTs or their synergies and economic inclusion should be a concern for policymakers in order to better ensure sustainable development. Moreover, the relevant ICT policy thresholds and mobile phone threshold for complementary policy are essential in promoting a green economy. Originality/value –The study complements the extant literature by assessing linkages between information technology, gender economic inclusion and environmental sustainability. |
| Keywords: | ICT, Gender inclusion; Environment sustainability; Sub-Saharan Africa |
| JEL: | C52 O38 O40 O55 P37 |
| Date: | 2024–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dbm:wpaper:24/003 |
| By: | Paolo Berta (University of Milano-Bicocca); Carla Guerriero (University of Naples Federico II and CSEF); Sara Moccia (University of Naples Federico II.); Sara Muzzi (University of Milan-Bicocca); Lorien Sabatino (Politecnico of Torino (DIGEP)) |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the causal impact of broadband diffusion on the consumption of diagnostic medical services in Lombardy, Italy, between 2013 and 2019. Using a difference-in-differences estimator for continuous treatments, we estimate the impact of increased internet availability on patient behavior in the healthcare system. Our findings suggest that greater broadband coverage leads to a significant rise in the number of diagnostic prescriptions, including magnetic resonance imaging scans, tomographs, and sonograms. We interpret this pattern as consistent with a behavioral mechanism: individuals with enhanced internet access are more likely to search for health information online, which may trigger anxiety or precautionary responses, ultimately increasing demand for medical testing. Boxplot analyses reveal a strong gradient across broadband coverage quartiles, reinforcing the association between digital access and healthcare utilization. These results raise important considerations for health policy, particularly regarding digital health literacy and the design of interventions to manage demand in digitally connected health systems. |
| Keywords: | Broadband; Continuous treatment, Diff-in-Diff, Overprescription. |
| JEL: | I18 I12 |
| Date: | 2025–10–15 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sef:csefwp:763 |
| By: | Simplice A. Asongu (Oxford, UK); Sara Le Roux (Oxford, UK) |
| Abstract: | The study investigates the role of governance (i.e., ‘voice & accountability’, political stability/no violence, regulatory quality, government effectiveness, corruption-control and the rule of law) in the incidence of short-term debt services on infrastructure development in the perspective of telecommunication infrastructure and access to electricity. The focus of the study is on 52 African countries for the period 2002-2021. The generalized method of moments is employed as estimation strategy and the following findings are established. Debt service has a negative unconditional effect on access to electricity and telecommunication infrastructure. Governance dynamics moderate the negative effect of debt service on infrastructure dynamics. Effective moderation is from regulatory quality and corruption-control for access to electricity and from government effectiveness, regulatory quality, corruption-control and rule of law, for telecommunication infrastructure. Policy implications are discussed. |
| Keywords: | Debt service, governance; information technology; access to electricity; Africa |
| JEL: | F34 H63 O10 O40 O55 |
| Date: | 2024–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dbm:wpaper:24/027 |
| By: | Mathilde Aubouin (GAEL - Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquée de Grenoble - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes - Grenoble INP - Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes); Paolo Melindi-Ghidi (AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Jean-Philippe Nicolaï (GAEL - Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquée de Grenoble - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes - Grenoble INP - Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes) |
| Abstract: | This paper revisits the question of whether fixed and mobile Internet expenditures are substitutable or complementary. We estimate a demand system using French household expenditure data to compute price elasticities for different categories of goods. The results indicate that fixed and mobile Internet expenditures are complementary in France. This complementarity effect increases with income level. We then develop a simple theoretical model showing that depending on the characteristics of fixed and mobile data tariffs, fixed and mobile Internet expenditures can exhibit non-substitutability or even complementarity. |
| Keywords: | QUAIDS demand system, Household behavior, Internet expenditure |
| Date: | 2025–09–30 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05319883 |