The Role of Information in Technology Adoption under Poverty

  • Jinhua Zhao
Part of the Studies in Development Economics and Policy book series (SDEP)

Abstract

One of the major approaches to reducing the world’s poverty is to promote the adoption and diffusion of new technologies in less developed regions. The Green Revolution, by introducing new seeds and intensive agriculture, helped millions of people out of poverty. Efficient irrigation systems such as sprinkler and drip irrigation not only improve productivity but can also help to preserve scarce water resources. Biotechnologies and genetically modified foods have the potential to increase food production significantly in developing countries. Globalization has the potential to make new technologies available to developing countries. However, it is the successful adoption and diffusion of these technologies that will eventually determine whether developing countries can truly benefit from the globalization process.

Keywords

Equilibrium Strategy Technology Adoption Early Adopter Adoption Rate Farm Type 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Banerjee, A. V. (1992) ‘A Simple Model of Herd Behavior’, Quarterly Journal of Economics, 107 (3): 797–817.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Berndt, E. R., R. S. Pindyck and P. Azoulay (1999) Network Effects and Diffusion in Pharmaceutical Markets: Anti-Ulcer Drugs’, NBER Working Paper 7024 ( Cambridge, Mass.: National Bureau of Economic Research ).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. Besley, T. and A. Case (1993) ‘Modeling Technology Adoption in Developing Countries’, American Economic Review, 83: 396–402.Google Scholar
  4. Besley, T. and A. Case (1994) ‘Diffusion as a Learning Process: Evidence From HYV Cotton’, Research Program in Development Studies Discussion Paper 174 ( Princeton, NJ: Princeton University ).Google Scholar
  5. Bikhchandani, S., D. Hirshleifer and I. Welch (1992) ‘A Theory of Fads, Fashion, Custom, and Cultural Change as Information Cascades’, Journal o fPolitical Economy, 100 (5): 992–1026.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Caplin, A. and J. Leahy (1998) ‘Miracle on Sixth Avenue: Information Externalities and Search’, Economic Journal, 108: 60–74.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Case, A. (1992) ‘Neighborhood Influence and Technology Change’, Regional Science and Urban Economics, 22: 491–508.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Chamley, C. and D. Gale (1994) ‘Information Revelation and Strategic Delay in a Model of Investment’, Econometrica, 62 (5): 1065–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Choi, J. P. (1997) ‘Herd Behavior, the “Penguin Effect”, and the Suppression of Informational Diffusion: An Analysis of Informational Externalities and Payoff Interdependency’, RAND Journal of Economics, 28 (3): 407–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Foster, A. and M. Rosenzweig (1995) ‘Learning by Doing and Learning from Others: Human Capital and Technological Change in Agriculture’, Journal of Political Economy, 103: 1176–209.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Goolsbee, A. and P. J. Klenow (1999) ‘Evidence on Learning and Network Externalities in the Diffusion of Home Computers’, NBER Working Paper 7329 ( Cambridge, Mass.: National Bureau of Economic Research ).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Jin, S., J. Huang, R. Hu and S. Rozelle (2005) The Creation and Spread of Technology and Total Factor Productivity in China’s Agriculture’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics (submitted).Google Scholar
  13. Keller, W. (2004) ‘International Technology Diffusion’, Journal of Economic Literature, XLII: 752–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Rosegrant, M. W. and R. E. Evenson (1992) ‘Agricultural Productivity and Sources of Growth in South Asia’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 74: 757–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Shampine, A. (1998) ‘Compensating for Information Externalities in Technology Diffusion Models’, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 80: 337–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Sunding, D. and D. Zilberman (2001) The Agricultural Innovation Process: Research and Technology Adoption in a Changing Agricultural Sector’, in B. L. Gardner and G. C. Rausser (eds), Handbook of Agricultural Economics, Vol. I A: Agricultural Production ( Amsterdam: Elsevier ).Google Scholar
  17. Zhang, J. (1997) ‘Strategic Delay and the Onset of Investment Cascades’, RAND Journal of Economics, 28 (1): 188–205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Zhao, J. (2005) ‘Incomplete Information Externalities and Strategic Delay in Technology Adoption and Diffusion’, Mimeo, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© United Nations University 2007

Authors and Affiliations

  • Jinhua Zhao

There are no affiliations available

Personalised recommendations