Abstract
This study focuses on whether information and communication technology (ICT) contributes to economic growth in countries with better human development index as compared to those with a lower index. The study uses panel data estimation methods those are robust to dependencies across countries and heterogeneity from 1990 to 2016 in developing Asian countries. The results documented that countries with better human development index and mobile phone usage promote economic growth, whereas Internet users do not seem to do so. Despite that, human development index itself is a critical factor that contributes to economic growth in Asian countries. Finally, both mobile phone usages contribute to economic growth, but Internet usage does not seem to do. These new findings recommend that whereas better human development is regarded as crucial for mobile phone usage, it appears to be inappropriate for Internet usage. An additional feature is that the study uses the most robust panel data estimation method that produces more effective and reliable estimates.
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Abbreviations
- ICT:
-
information and communication technology
- SSA:
-
sub-Saharan African
- R&D:
-
research and development
- MG:
-
mean group
- FMOLS:
-
fully modified ordinary least square
- DOLS:
-
dynamic ordinary least square
- GMM:
-
generalized method of moment
- ARDL:
-
autoregressive distributive lag
- VAR:
-
vector autoregressive
- PMG:
-
pooled mean group
- FE:
-
fixed effect
- RE:
-
random effect
- OLS:
-
ordinary least square
- GDP:
-
gross domestic product
- HDI:
-
human development index
- DK:
-
Driscoll-Kraay
- CD:
-
cross-sectional dependence
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Acknowledgments
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the editor in chief Philippe Garrigues and four reviewers for their useful comments and suggestions.
Funding
This research was supported by the Projects of the National Social Science Foundation of China (No.: 15XJL006) relate to first author. In relation with corresponding author this work is also supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71673063), Foreignization Project of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (16ZD03) and Soft Science Project of Guangdong Science and Technology Department (71673063).
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Zhang, J., Danish The dynamic linkage between information and communication technology, human development index, and economic growth: evidence from Asian economies. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 26982–26990 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05926-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05926-0