Presenting Author

Kartik Ganju

Paper Type

Completed Research Paper

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the effect that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can have on the well being of nations. This is important for two reasons. First, in the economics literature, a number of studies have focused on well-being rather than measures of Gross Development Product (GDP) as a measure of how satisfied people are with their lives. Additionally, due to effects that IT and communication can have and that are not directly related to productivity, investments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) should have an impact on the well-being of the country independent of the productivity of the nation. We show that a push by governments to encourage the uptake of ICT within an economy can lead to an increase of the ease with which ICT services can be adopted which can further lead to an increase in the well-being for the citizens of a country.

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Can Information and Communication Technology lead to Well-Being? An Empirical Analysis

In this paper, we examine the effect that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can have on the well being of nations. This is important for two reasons. First, in the economics literature, a number of studies have focused on well-being rather than measures of Gross Development Product (GDP) as a measure of how satisfied people are with their lives. Additionally, due to effects that IT and communication can have and that are not directly related to productivity, investments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) should have an impact on the well-being of the country independent of the productivity of the nation. We show that a push by governments to encourage the uptake of ICT within an economy can lead to an increase of the ease with which ICT services can be adopted which can further lead to an increase in the well-being for the citizens of a country.