Enhancing ICT for productivity in sub-Saharan Africa: Thresholds for complementary policies

Odhiambo

2021

Qual Quant

Self Cite

This research assesses the relevance of enhancing remittances on value added across economic sectors in sub-Saharan Africa for the period 1980 to 2014 using the Generalised Method of Moments. First, no significant net effects on added value to the agricultural sector are apparent. Second, enhancing remittances engenders a positive net effect on added value to the manufacturing sector. Third, there are negative net effects on added value to the service sector. Given that the unfavourable net incidence of remittances to the service sector is associated with a positive marginal or conditional effect, the analysis is extended by computing thresholds at which remittances induce net positive effects on added value to the service sector. The extended analysis shows that a remittance threshold of 48.5% of GDP is the critical mass needed for further enhancement of remittances to engender positive net effects on value added to the service sector.

Section: Gmm Specificationsupporting

confidence: 90%

Remittances and value added across economic sub-sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa

Odhiambo

2021

Qual Quant

Self Cite

“…In this computation, 0.0309 corresponds to the unconditional incidence of 'internet access in school' on inclusive education while 0.055 is the absolute value of the interactive estimation between the Gini coefficient and 'internet access in school'. This computation framework to provide more insights for policy prescription is consistent with contemporary interactive regressions literature (Tchamyou, 2019;Asongu & Acha-Anyi, 2020). It follows that in order for the incidence of 'internet access in school' on inclusive education to remain positive, inequality as proxied by the Gini coefficient should not exceed 0.5618.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 70%

ICT dynamics for gender inclusive intermediary education: Minimum poverty and inequality thresholds in developing countries

Telecommunications Policy

Amari

Jarboui

et al. 2021

This study examines linkages between information and communication technology (ICT) dynamics, inequality and poverty in order to establish critical masses of poverty and inequality that should not be exceeded in order for ICT dynamics to promote gender inclusive education in 57 developing countries for the period 2012-2016. Poverty is measured with the poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of the population) while inequality is proxied by the Gini coefficient, the Atkinson index and the Palma ratio. The ICT dynamics are measured with 'internet access in school', 'virtual social network', 'personal computers' 'mobile phone penetration', 'internet penetration' and 'fixed broadband subscriptions'. The empirical evidence is based on interactive Generalized Method of Moments estimators from which thresholds are computed contingent on the validity of tested hypotheses. First, the Gini coefficient should not exceed 0.5618 in order for 'internet access in school' to positively affect inclusive education. Second, the poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of the population) should remain below 33.6842% in order for 'internet access in school' to favorably influence inclusive education. Third, the Palma ratio should not exceed 3.3766 in order for internet penetration to favorably affect inclusive education. Fourth, for personal computers to increase inclusive education, the Gini coefficient, Palma ratio and poverty headcount (% of the population) should not exceed 0.4781, 3.5294 and 17.7272, respectively. The study confirms the significant role technological deepening plays in advancing inclusive education by means of policies that reduce poverty and income inequality, with potentially wider applicability to other developing economies. The study has provided poverty and inequality levels that should not be exceeded in order for personal computers, internet penetration and 'internet access in school' to promote gender inclusive education.

“…Innovation and information technology are important drivers of value creation in the competitiveness and performance of nations and corporations (Acharya, Singh, Pereira, & Singh, 2018;Gupta, Kumar, Singh, Foropon & Chandra, 2018;Nair, Chellasamy & Singh, 2019;Nguyen, Siengthai, Swierczek & Bamel, 2019). In the light of contemporary information technology spillover literature (Asongu & Acha-Anyi, 2020), the theoretical basis for the linkage underlying information technology and macroeconomic outcomes (such as value added across various economic sectors as it is the case within the framework of this study), is in accordance with the neoclassical framework for economic development by means of technological progress (Grossman & Helpman, 1991;Kwan & Chiu, 2015;Asongu & Odhiambo, 2018). Accordingly, the underlying theoretical basis is sympathetic to the position that an essential factor driving economic development in developing countries and by extension, facilitating the catch-up process (i.e.…”

Section: Technology Accumulation and Forecasting Technological Spilloversmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing information technology for value added across economic sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa✰

Technological Forecasting and Social Change

Rahman

Nnanna³

et al. 2020

Self Cite

This study investigates how enhancing information and communication technology (ICT) affects value added across sectors in 25 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa using data for the period 1980-2014. The empirical evidence is based on the Generalised Method of Moments.The following findings are established. First, the enhancement of mobile phone and internet penetrations respectively have net negative effects on value added to the agricultural and manufacturing sectors.Second, enhancing ICT (i.e. mobile phone penetration