The ICT Diffusion: A Spatial Econometric Approach

18 Pages Posted: 14 Feb 2005

See all articles by Andrea Bonaccorsi

Andrea Bonaccorsi

Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna di Pisa - Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM)

Lucia Piscitello

Politecnico di Milano - Dipartimento di Ingegneria gestionale

Cristina Rossi Lamastra

Politecnico di Milano

Date Written: February 14, 2005

Abstract

Several empirical studies highlight severe disparities among geographical areas in the diffusion of ICT that affect not only developed vs. developing countries (Global Digital Divide) but also regions within the same country (Local Digital Divide). Economic scholars have investigated the determinants of these disparities but comprehensive conclusions are far to be reached. This paper contributes to the literature by modelling the level of ICT diffusion at the Italian regional level (NUT3) using spatial econometric techniques. Namely, two main research questions are addressed: (i) do Italian regions exhibit significant differences in their patterns of ICT diffusion? (ii) if so, how local structural specificities interact with spatial effects in explaining these disparities? According to recent approaches in the metrics of ICT, the empirical analysis uses domain name registrations by firms in 2001 as a proxy of ICT diffusion at the local level. The results show that sectoral composition, technological endowment and absorptive capacity at the regional level, as well as firms' characteristics, do play a crucial role. In addition, pure spatial effects contribute to regional disparities.

Keywords: Digital divide, ICT diffusion, spatial econometrics

JEL Classification: O18, O33, C21

Suggested Citation

Bonaccorsi, Andrea and Piscitello, Lucia and Rossi Lamastra, Cristina, The ICT Diffusion: A Spatial Econometric Approach (February 14, 2005). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=666848 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.666848

Andrea Bonaccorsi (Contact Author)

Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna di Pisa - Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM) ( email )

Piazza Martiri della Liberta, 33
Pisa, I-56127
Italy
+39 05 088 3323 (Phone)
+39 05 088 3344 (Fax)

Lucia Piscitello

Politecnico di Milano - Dipartimento di Ingegneria gestionale ( email )

20113 Milan, Milano
Italy

HOME PAGE: http://www.dig.polimi.it/eng/comunita/cl.php?id=51

Cristina Rossi Lamastra

Politecnico di Milano ( email )

Piazza Leonardo da Vinci
Milan, Milano 20100
Italy
+390223993972 (Phone)
+390223992710 (Fax)

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