Publication:
Growth and Transformative Effects of ICT Adoption: A Survey

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2023-03
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2023-03-15
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Malasquez, Eduardo A.
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This paper provides a compressive synthesis of the most recent and widely cited literature on the economic effects of information and communications technology adoption at the country, firm, and individual levels. The study surveys and analyzes the available literature on the topics of economic growth and transformation, and highlights the main conclusions drawn by scholars, areas of ongoing debate, and remaining research questions that need to be addressed in future work. Over 85 percent of the reviewed papers are of quantitative nature, and approximately 32% of those show causal effects. The majority of the studies find a positive relationship between the adoption of information and communications technology and country economic growth, firm level growth, household/individual welfare, or labor conditions, with most showing statistically significant results. The paper shows that, for policy making purposes, the effects of information and communications technology adoption should be thoroughly evaluated at all levels to ensure that the benefits outweigh any potential negative consequences.
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Vergara Cobos, Estefania; Malasquez, Eduardo A.. 2023. Growth and Transformative Effects of ICT Adoption: A Survey. Policy Research Working Papers; 10352. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/39535 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO.
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