The ‘cut‐spray’ stage in glass‐reinforced plastic processing has been automated by using the robot as a peripheral of a PLC.
Christoph Stork, Enrico Calandro and Alison Gillwald
– The purpose of this paper is to analyse internet access and use trends in 11 African countries based on household and individual ICT survey data.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse internet access and use trends in 11 African countries based on household and individual ICT survey data.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses nationally representative data for households and individuals in residential and semi-residential areas, as defined by national census sample frames for 11 African countries.
Findings
While the 2007/2008 African ICT access and use survey demonstrated alarmingly little access to the internet on the continent, together with a large-scale absence of computers and smart phones, compounded by the high cost of connectivity, the mobile phone is now the key entry point for internet use. Internet access has increased significantly across all countries, as a result increasing internet penetration to 15.5 per cent across the 11 African countries surveyed by Research ICT Africa in 2011/2012. Mobile internet requires fewer ICT skills, less financial resources and does not rely on electricity at home, compared to computers or laptops. Other findings highlight the unevenness of internet take-up across and within countries. Thus, while the majority of the countries under investigation demonstrate increased mobile internet take-up, in Rwanda, Tanzania and Ethiopia, internet use remains negligible. In those countries where mobile internet is boosting connectivity, this is being driven by social networking applications.
Practical implications
The policy implications of the shift in significant numbers from negligible internet access at public access points serviced primarily by fixed access lines to mobile internet access are significant. Just as traditional reform strategies of increasing competition in the market increased access to voice services more successfully than traditional universal service strategies, mobile again appears to be addressing the internet gap. Competition in mobile markets appears to address the efficiency gap in the market, resulting in an increase in the choice of services and a reduction in prices. Strategies that seek to aggregate users at public access points, funded by complex levies and subsidies again seem to have been overtaken by the increasing availability of mobile internet access, as feature phones and smart phone become more available to individual users.
Social implications
Understanding prepaid mobile internet further provides a pro-poor dimension to public policies seeking to improve internet access, which historically has been available and affordable to the elite. The rest of the society had to rely on public access points, whether private internet cafés or schools and libraries.
Originality/value
This paper uses primary data that allow a better understanding of internet access and use in Africa. It provides policymakers and regulators with the evidence required for an informed ICT policy and regulation.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to advance the information society research by examining and better understanding the impact of the adoption information and communication…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to advance the information society research by examining and better understanding the impact of the adoption information and communication technologies (ICT) within households on improving sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
The survey questionnaire was used and data collected from 679 Polish households were statistically analyzed to understand the phenomena of ICT adoption and sustainability as well as identify correlations between them.
Findings
The research findings reveal that the ICT adoption is well described by the ICT outlay, information culture, ICT management and ICT quality, whereas sustainability is composed of ecological, economic, socio-cultural and political sustainability. Furthermore, the ICT quality, ICT management and information culture have a significant impact on sustainability, whereas the ICT outlay does not have such an impact.
Research limitations/implications
The research sample included Polish households only. Researchers may use the proposed approach and methodology to do similar analyses with different sample groups in other countries.
Practical implications
Households may find the results appealing and useful in enhancing the adoption of ICT, experiencing the full potential of ICT and deriving various benefits from the ICT adoption. The findings can help governments develop sound ICT adoption plans for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Originality/value
The paper provides and verifies a new theoretical model of sustainable information society to depict various dimensions shaping the ICT adoption and their impact on different types of sustainability in the context of households.