Technology diffusion in the society: Analyzing digital divide in the context of social class

Sunil Wattal; Yili Hong; Munir Mandviwalla; Abhijit Jain

doi:10.1109/HICSS.2011.398

Technology diffusion in the society: Analyzing digital divide in the context of social class

Sunil Wattal, Yili Hong, Munir Mandviwalla, Abhijit Jain

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Technology in general and the Internet in particular have often been seen as the "great equalizer" in that it provides a level playing field for all individuals in the society in terms of competing for social and economic opportunities. However, technology philosophers such as Andrew Feenberg have argued that technology diffusion mirrors the existing social order. Which of these worldviews actually holds is an open question, and in this research, we try to answer it using data on adoption of multiple technologies by individuals in the US over different time periods. Our results suggest that technology diffusion largely takes place along existing social class lines, and that the arrival of newer technologies ensures that the digital divide perpetuates.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 44th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS-44 2010
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2011.398
State	Published - Mar 28 2011
Externally published	Yes
Event	44th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS-44 2010 - Koloa, Kauai, HI, United States Duration: Jan 4 2011 → Jan 7 2011

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
ISSN (Print)	1530-1605

Other

Other	44th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS-44 2010
Country/Territory	United States
City	Koloa, Kauai, HI
Period	1/4/11 → 1/7/11

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Engineering(all)

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10.1109/HICSS.2011.398

Cite this

Wattal, S., Hong, Y., Mandviwalla, M., & Jain, A. (2011). Technology diffusion in the society: Analyzing digital divide in the context of social class. In Proceedings of the 44th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS-44 2010 Article 5718600 (Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences). https://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2011.398

Technology diffusion in the society: Analyzing digital divide in the context of social class. / Wattal, Sunil; Hong, Yili; Mandviwalla, Munir et al.
Proceedings of the 44th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS-44 2010. 2011. 5718600 (Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Wattal, S, Hong, Y, Mandviwalla, M & Jain, A 2011, Technology diffusion in the society: Analyzing digital divide in the context of social class. in Proceedings of the 44th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS-44 2010., 5718600, Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 44th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS-44 2010, Koloa, Kauai, HI, United States, 1/4/11. https://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2011.398

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Technology diffusion in the society: Analyzing digital divide in the context of social class

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