Issues surrounding

access
Digital Divide

Digital Divide
Is the gap between demographics and regions
that have access to modern information and
communication technology, and those who
dont or have restricted access. This
technology can include the telephone,
television, personal computers and the
internet.

Social capital
The network of relationships among people

who live and work in a particular society,

enabling that society to function effectively.
Is a form of economic and cultural capital in
which social networks are central.
The collective value of social networks and
the inclination that arise from these networks
to do things for each other.

How does Digital Divide impact on

social capital ?
Special benefits are achieved from the use of

social network e.g. Reciprocity, trust, cooperation and information.

Create value to people who are connected to
each other.
Increasing social and communication skills.

Knowledge capital
Is the intangible asset that represents valuable
ideas, methods, process and other intuitive
talents that belong to a company.

Human capital
Human capital is a measure of the economic
value of an employees skills set. This
measure builds on the basic production input
of labour measures where all labour is thought
to be equal. The concept of human capital
recognizes that not all labour is equal and that
the equality of employees can be improved by
investing in them.

The Global Digital Divide

Disadvantages of Digital
Divide

Digital divide factors

Ramifications of Digital
Divide
The digital divide causes a significant problem in many struggling parts
of the world. As of 2003, only seven percent of the world's 6.4 billion
people have had access to the World Wide Web [Ryder M, 2005]. The
parts of the world that have a predominant amount of internet access
is the western world, the United States, Europe and Northern Asia,
where as access is more restricted in the poorer less developed parts
of the world such as Africa, India and southern parts of Asia. These
poorer nations are unable to afford the initial start up cost to be able to
invest into technology to allow their nation to be able to have and
maintain internet access. This puts these countries at a competitive
and economic disadvantage. This is due to the fact that it impacts on
society at many levels. By a country not having internet access, it
means that schools are unable to teach IT skills and take advantage of
the vast amount of information available on the web. With a lack of
IT skills people from these countries are unable to compete at an
international level.

Causes of Digital Divide

Lack of Access due to affordability
Lack of knowledge on how to use the

technology
Lack of knowledge of the benefits of the

technology

How the government can solve the

issues around access.
To bridge the gap of the digital divide we must create new
innovative solutions to the pervasive problems of poverty. We
must educate and empower the young, the old, the rich, and the
poor. When this is done our economies become stronger, our
advances come quicker. Our hungry eat and our sick get better.
Working together on a global level we can correct bad
legislation, create new affirmative legislation, gain a better use
of current technologies and innovate new ones. Communication
is the key and the Internet and broadband speeds gives the
global population an ability never before seen on this planet and
that is global collaboration. We can never know when the next
patent clerk will create a new theory of relativity. Genius and
innovation can happen anywhere and it only makes sense to
empower all of humanity to reach its true potential.