RAMIFICATIONS OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. ROBERT TSILIYIANNIS

WHAT IS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND SOCIAL CAPITAL?

• THE DIGITAL DIVIDE CAN BE DEFINED AS, “THE GULF BETWEEN THOSE WHO HAVE READY ACCESS TO COMPUTERS AND THE INTERNET, AND THOSE WHO DO NOT.”(WIKIPEDIA, 2016)

• SOCIAL CAPITAL CAN BE DEFINED AS, “THE NETWORKS OF RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN A PARTICULAR SOCIETY, ENABLING THAT SOCIETY TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY.”(WIKIPEDIA, 2016) NOT HAVING ACCESS TO SOCIAL CAPITAL IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE AWARE.

WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE CAPITAL AND HUMAN CAPITAL?

• KNOWLEDGE CAPITAL, ALSO CALLED INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL, IS THE INTANGIBLE ASSET THAT REPRESENTS VALUABLE IDEAS, METHODS, PROCESSES AND OTHER INTUITIVE TALENTS THAT BELONG TO A COMPANY.(GOOGLE.CO.ZA, 2016)

• HUMAN CAPITAL REFERS TO THE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND EXPERIENCE POSSESSED BY AN INDIVIDUAL OR POPULATION, VIEWED IN TERMS OF THEIR VALUE OR COST TO AN ORGANIZATION OR COUNTRY. (HC,2016)

CONSEQUENCES OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

• THE DIGITAL DIVIDE CAUSES SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS IN STRUGGLING PARTS OF THE WORLD. ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY 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. (DIVIDEDBYTECHNOLOGY.CO.UK, 2016)

CONSEQUENCES OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE • HAVING LIMITED TO NO ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY PUTS POORER

AND LESS DEVELOPED PARTS OF THE WORLD AT EVEN MORE OF AN ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE. (3.BP.BLOGSPOT.COM, 2016)

CONSEQUENCES OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

• BY A COUNTRY NOT HAVING INTERNET ACCESS, IT MEANS THAT SCHOOLS ARE UNABLE TO TEACH COMPUTER AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE HUGE 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 AGAINST MORE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, WHICH PUTS THEM AT A COMPETITIVE DISADVANTAGE.( 3.BP.BLOGSPOT.COM, 2016)

CONSEQUENCES OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

• IN CONTRAST TO THE POORER COUNTRIES, RICHER COUNTRIES BENEFIT FROM MORE HIGHLY TRAINED CITIZENS WHICH WILL LEAD TO ECONOMIC GROWTH WHEREAS POORER COUNTRIES WILL NOT GROW OR DEVELOP, UNTIL THEY GET ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY.

• COUNTRIES THAT DON’T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS ARE UNABLE TO CARRY OUT E-COMMERCE AND E-BUSINESS PUTTING THEIR COMPANIES AT A SIGNIFICANT DISADVANTAGE WITH IN THE GLOBAL MARKET.

HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT ASSIST TO SOLVE THE ISSUES?

• GOVERNMENT CAN ASSIST IN NUMEROUS WAYS TO SOLVE THE ISSUES SURROUNDING ACCESS.

• GOVERNMENTS SHOULD ACT BY DEVELOPING AND USING E-GOVERNMENT TOOLS IN ORDER TO ENHANCE E-READINESS, ENCOURAGE AND EDUCATE THE USAGE OF ICT, AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ICT SKILLS IN A NON-DISCRIMINATORY MANNER.

HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT ASSIST TO SOLVE THE ISSUES?

• GOVERNMENT CAN OFFER CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES OF TECHNOLOGY SO THAT POORER COUNTRIES CAN START USING COMPUTERS AND HAVE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY.

• IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES CAN BE PUT IN PLACE IN ORDER TO GIVE THE COMMUNITIES A CHANCE TO ENGAGE AND LEARN NEW TECHNOLOGY.

• IT IS IMPORTANT THAT GOVERNMENT PROVIDES WORKSHOPS, TALKS AND FACILITIES IN ORDER TO HELP THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.

• GOVERNMENT MUST ALSO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALS WITH TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS A COMPUTERS AND AN INTERNET CONNECTION SO THAT COMMUNITIES CAN START COMPETING WITH RICHER COUNTRIES.

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