• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.159-184
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• 2003

Information and communication technology has brought neck-breaking speed of changes to the global society in 20th century. The more the speed of change accelerated, the more widened the digital divide between the developed countries and the developing countries. In spite of the importance of solving digital divide, the current situation and status of projects for bridging the international digital divide around the world is not fully researched. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to study the foreign and domestic projects for bridging the international digital divide and to suggest the efficient ways of domestic projects for solving the international digital divide.

• The Journal of Korean Association of Computer Education
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.41-51
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to suggest policy implications for bridging digital divide of the students of multicultural background. Specifically, through maximizing equity of Information technology, the current study suggested the need for greater intervention and comprehensive strategies in the interests of a socially inclusive information society, of benefit to the IT disadvantaged. To achieve the research goal, I reviewed a variety of policy reports and previous studies related to the issue of digital divide and multicultural education, and draw useful implications for the policy change. The major research results were as the following: a policy change in a support of personal computer toward public place rather than individual home, widening use of e-learning service as a tool for bridging the digital divide, and the training for teachers and parents to provide an effective education to reduce the digital divide.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.131-149
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• 2019

As smart phones, tablets, and other digital devices become more pervasive, theoretical arguments around digital divide, which has previously focused on "access," is now expanding to effectively "utilize," actively "produce" and "share" information. Such discussion is significant because the impact on inter-personal and social networks depends on how digital divides are used, which can then recreate or exacerbate social inequality structures. This study examines the effect of individual's social relations and two types of social capital (i.e., bonding and bridging) on economic and socio-participatory usage of digital devices. An empirical analysis of dataset from 740 surveys reveals that the more horizontal the social relations of the individual, the more both bonding and bridging social capital increase. However, rather than the social relationship of the individual directly influencing the two types of digital device usage, it has an indirect effect on both economic and socio-participatory usage of digital devices. In particular, mediating effects of both bonding and bridging social capital exist in the case of economic usage of digital devices, whereas bonding social capital only has mediating effects on economic usage of digital devices. We discuss the role of social capital on digital devices usage and present the theoretical and practical implications.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.15-29
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• 2020

Facing the era of intelligence, the demands for changes of e-Government system appears to be rising upon the development of AI, VR, IoT and other new technologies. However, it also comes with the increasing possibility of mobile digital divide among regions, ethnicities and social classes. As the e-Government Service is only available for specific groups, the national government should proactively build an information environment to promote the convenient access and use of e-Government Service comprehensively by all the people. In the light of the sociodemographic characteristics, this study tests whether the difference is statistically significant involving the mobile digital divide between different groups with the analysis of variance, while determining the relationship between the mobile digital divide and the usage intention of e-Government Service through multiple regression analysis. The main findings of this study are as follows. First, there are differences and statistical significance between groups of different ethnicities and regions on accessibility with electronic products and networks. Second, there are obvious differences and statistical significance between groups of different ages, educational levels and ethnicities on the competency and usability of electronic products and networks. Third, the accessibility to electronic products and networks has no effect on the usage intention of e-Government Service, while the competency and usability of electronic products and networks have a strong positive impact on the usage intention of e-Government Service. The author hopes that the research findings of this paper can provide reference suggestions and opinions for bridging the digital divide among regions in China and promoting the popularization of the e-Government Service.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.79-106
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• 2005

This study, by adopting case study methodology, is focused on examining the present state and analyzing the cause of the digital divide, and suggesting policies for bridging the divide, specifically in view of SMEs. We have taken cases of manufacturing companies, visiting and interviewing 18 SMEs in 10 APEC member economies which show sharp difference in usage of ICT. In order to analyze the digital gap among SMEs, we used 5 variables that are composed of computer hardware, computer software, Internet, readiness of ICT, and performance of ICT adoption, while categorizing the cases into low and high tier based on the national ICT index. From a computer hardware perspective, the high tier (0.66) has almost double the number of PC’s per employee, compared with the low tiers (0.34). This gap can be explained by financial availability of low income and high tariff in the developing economies. In the computer software perspective, the SMEs in the low tier had some restrictive use of computer applications such as financial and accounting management and document management, while those in the high tier enjoyed more diversity in the use of applications such as inventory management, sales management, financial and accounting management, procurement management, CRM, and ERP. In view of the readiness of ICT, the difference in ICT infrastructure and financial status between the low and high tier was far wider than any other variables. As a result of ICT adoption, SMEs benefited in view of learning and growth, internal business processes, customer service, and financial affairs. To effectively bridge the digital divide between the low and high tier, actions such as setting up a secondary market of used computers among cooperating developed and developing countries, developing and diffusing good business applications, and building speedy, low-cost telecommunication infrastructures should be taken.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.293-306
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• 2005

In order to bridge the digital divide issues in the Asia Pacific region, Japan initiated the Asia Broadband Program, during implementing E-Japan and U-Japan Plans with collaboration among Asia Pacific Counties. This paper describes first joint experiments that were undertaken in Japan, Singapore and China. Then this paper also describes Japanese efforts to build space infrastructure for development of ICT Society in the Asia Pacific region for further international cooperation to bridge the digital divide Article 1, para. 1, of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, calls for exploration and use of outer space to be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries irrespective of their degree of economic or scientific development. The augmentation of common benefit from space communication could contribute to bridge the digital divide issues in developing countries in Asia Pacific region. Accordingly, space- infrastructure building would be very important to implement common benefit among countries concerned through international cooperation and collaboration

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.45-66
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• 2006

The public library is the local centre of information, the gateway to knowledge. Based on these identities, the public libraries should provide a basic condition for lifelong learning, cultural activities, and. information literacy skills of the individual and social groups. The purpose of this paper is to reflect the lifelong learning activities of public libraries and suggest it's directions in Korea. The lifelong learning of public libraries for the future needs to focus on a closer connection with library core competences, supporting information literacy, reducing and bridging the digital divide for individuals with disabilities and the aged.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.105-127
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• 2013

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become a vital instrument for delivering a number of services such as education, healthcare and public services. Community wireless networks are community-centric telecommunication infrastructure developed to provide affordable communication for those who live in remote areas. This chapter discusses the role of Nepal Wireless in achieving socio economic development of rural communities by facilitating affordable Internet access. We analyze the challenges Nepal Wireless faced and articulate on the approaches it took to address those challenges such as lack of technical skills, appropriate technology and funding, difficult geographical terrains, unstable political situation, and expensive devices. In addition, we address the success and failure factors of this community-based ICT4D approach in order to guide similar endeavors. We conclude the chapter by some suggestions for policy makers, community developers, and academicians.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.249-270
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to discover the mobile-based information behaviors of the older adults with comparison of the college students and then to provide some fundamental ideas of the bridging digital devide for them. For this aims, data were collected from seniors and college students living in Daegu and Kyung-buk province via a self-designed questionnaire, and the data of 375 seniors and 323 college students were analysed with $x^2$ and t-test using SPSS. It revealed that the economic condition did not influence in the possession of mobile devices, and for leisure was most favorite activity in both groups. However, the college student group suggested the supply of free or low price mobile device; whereas the older adults group suggested the spread of education of mobile device usage would be the most important matter for bridging the digital devide. Various results of the study were presented with tables and figures in this paper.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.219-236
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• 2005

This study intends to shed light on the everyday lives of the urban poor in four metro areas in Korea, viewed especially from the information perspective. Employing in-depth interviews and participant observation interchangeably, it attempts to illustrate such phenomena as information poverty, and to scrutinize the reasons of their passive behaviors in information seeking. This paper, specifically, focuses on the following characteristics of information need and information related behaviors of the urban poor : types of everyday concerns and ways to deal with them: characteristics of the help provided: types of information sources consulted : na, barriers and limitation of everyday information seeking and information use.