Does the Use of Mobile Phones by Smallholder Maize Farmers Affect Productivity in Ghana?

Telecommunications Policy

2019

This study assesses linkages between social media and governance dynamics in 49 African countries for the year 2012. The empirical evidence is based on ordinary least squares and quantile regressions. Ten bundled and unbundled governance dynamics are used, notably: (i) political governance (entailing "voice & accountability" and political stability/no violence); (ii) economic governance (involving regulation quality and government effectiveness); (iii) institutional governance (comprising the rule of law and corruption-control) and (iv) general governance (entailing political, economic and institutional governance). Social media is measured with Facebook penetration. The findings show that Facebook penetration is positively associated with governance dynamics and these positive nexuses differ in terms of significance and magnitude of significance throughout the conditional distribution of the governance dynamics.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Governance and social media in African countries: An empirical investigation

Telecommunications Policy

2019

“…Second, in the light of the high potential for ICT penetration in Africa compared with other regions of the world where ICT penetration has reached saturation levels, there has been a growing strand of literature on the importance of information technology in improving macroeconomic and human developments (Abor, Amidu, & Issahaku, 2018;Tchamyou, 2017;MinkouaNzie, Bidogeza, & Ngum, 2018;Issahaku, Abu, & Nkegbe, 2018;Asongu & Nwachukwu, 2018;Gosavi, 2018). Unfortunately, to the best of our knowledge, empirical studies focusing on the nexus between ICT and inequality are sparse.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How enhancing information and communication technology has affected inequality in Africa for sustainable development: An empirical investigation

Sustainable Development

2019

214

This study examines if enhancing information and communication technology reduces inequality in 48 countries in Africa for the periods 2004–2014. Three inequality indictors are used, namely, the Gini coefficient, Atkinson index, and Palma ratio. The adopted information and communication technology indicators include mobile phone penetration, internet penetration, and fixed broadband subscriptions. The empirical evidence is based on the generalised method of moments. Enhancing internet penetration and fixed broadband subscriptions has a net effect on reducing the Gini coefficient and the Atkinson index, whereas increasing mobile phone penetration and internet penetration reduces the Palma ratio. Policy implications are discussed in the light of challenges to Sustainable Development Goals.

“…The positioning of this study departs from Asongu and Nwachukwu () on two fronts: (a) In terms of problem statement, it assesses how poor education quality can dampen the established positive effect of mobile phones on inclusive human development (Asongu & le Roux, ; Issahaku, Abu, & Nkegbe, ; Minkoua Nzie, Bidogeza, & Ngum, ; Tony & Kwan, ). (b) From a methodological front, the study employs simultaneity‐robust quantile regressions (QR) instead of fixed effects regressions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Basic formal education quality, information technology, and inclusive human development in sub‐Saharan Africa

Sustainable Development

2018

149

This study assesses the role played by basic formal education on the impact of information technology on inclusive human development in sub-Saharan African countries during the period 2000-2012. The study aims to answer one critical question: What is the relevance of basic formal education in the effect of mobile phone penetration on inclusive human development in sub-Saharan Africa when initial levels of inclusive human development are taken into account? The empirical evidence is based on instrumental quantile regressions. The findings of this study show that poor primary education dampens the positive effect of mobile phone penetration on inclusive human development. This finding should be understood from the perspective that the education quality indicator represents a policy syndrome because of the way it is computed, notably, the ratio of pupils to teachers. Hence, an increasing ratio indicates decreasing quality of education. It follows that decreasing quality of education dampens the positive effect of mobile phone on inclusive development. This tendency is consistent throughout the conditional distribution of inclusive sustainable human development. Policy implications are discussed.