The Nexus between Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Electricity Access, Governance and Human Development: Evidence from Asia-Pacific Countries
The Asia-Pacific region has recorded the sharpest increase in human development progress globally and has seen shrinking gaps in basic standards and capabilities. However, inequalities around technology remain a cause for concern for the region, especially when countries with lower human develo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI)
2023
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/37870/1/ABSTRACT.pdf https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/37870/2/FULLTEXT.pdf |
| Summary: | The Asia-Pacific region has recorded the sharpest increase in human development progress
globally and has seen shrinking gaps in basic standards and capabilities. However,
inequalities around technology remain a cause for concern for the region, especially when
countries with lower human development reportedly have limited access to technologies
compared to countries with higher human development. Therefore, this study investigated
the effects of information and communication technology (ICT), electricity access, and
governance on human development in the Asia-Pacific region. A panel dataset of 46
countries from 2010 to 2019 was estimated using the Driscoll–Kraay standard error
regression approach. Our findings revealed that ICT has a strong positive impact on human
development for countries with high and medium human development. Internet usage is
particularly significantly correlated with human development for both country groups, while
mobile cellular subscriptions emerged as significant only for countries with high human
development. The study also revealed significant positive effects of electricity access and
governance on human development. The findings suggest that increased ICT adoption and
electricity access, coupled with good governance, are crucial in improving people’s quality of
life, thereby promoting greater human development. Limitations of the study include
omission of the low human development group and a limited number of indicators used to
measure ICT and governance |
|---|