RAMIFICATION OF

DIGITAL DIVIDE
NONCEBO STHOKOZILE NGQULUNGA
15022564

What is Digital Divide

Digital divide is a term that refers to the gap between demographics and regions
that have access to modern information and communications technology, and those
that don't or have restricted access. This technology can include the telephone,
television, personal computers and the Internet.

Well before the late 20th century, digital divide referred chiefly to the division
between those with and without telephone access; after the late 1990s the term
began to be used mainly to describe the split between those with and without
Internet access, particularly broadband.

The digital divide typically exists between those in cities and those in rural areas;
between the educated and the uneducated; between socioeconomic groups; and,
globally, between the more and less industrially developed nations. Even among
populations with some access to technology, the digital divide can be evident in the
form of lower-performance computers, lower-speed wireless connections, lower-priced
connections such as dial-up, and limited access to subscription-based content.

The digital divide typically exists between those in cities and those in rural
areas; between the educated and the uneducated; between socioeconomic
groups; and, globally, between the more and less industrially developed nations.
Even among populations with some access to technology, the digital divide can
be evident in the form of lower-performance computers, lower-speed wireless
connections, lower-priced connections such as dial-up, and limited access to
subscription-based content.

The reality of a separate-access marketplace is problematic because of the

rise of services such as video on demand, video conferencing and virtual
classrooms, which require access to high-speed, high-quality connections that
those on the less-served side of the digital divide cannot access and/or afford.
And while adoption of smartphones is growing, even among lower-income and
minority groups, the rising costs of data plans and the difficulty of performing
tasks and transactions on smartphones continue to inhibit the closing of the gap

Examples of Digital Divide

ICT Information Communications Technology.

the digital split, is a social issue referring to the differing amount of

information between those who have access to the Internet (specially
broadband access) and those who do not have access.

Digital Divide on Social Capital

Social capital is seen in different perspectives and interpreted

differently and in different understandings of the gaps.

The key aspect is how the division impacts on social capital.

Social capital is about specific benefits that are achieved from the use
of social networks as reciprocity, trust, co-operation and information.

It creates value for people that are connected to each-other.

Users engaged in social networks as facebook and twitter are building

social capital and increasing social and communication skills

[IIE Module Guide]

Digital Divide on Knowledge Capital

Access to data , information and knowledge is critical to the success of

the company.

These existed and they were sorted within the digital spaces that had
limited access previously and less digital literacy.

Less access to digital literacy companies will struggle to make a

success of their companies

Digital divide on Human capital

Below is a simple matrix which can be applied at many different levels

of analysis.

It is two dimensions that allows societies or organisations to be

mapped out according to how they score on both human and social
capital.

Any scores are crude and the matrix points to the possibility more
than theoretical that high levels of social and human capital.

The assumption obviously is that it is preferable to have high lecel of

both forms of capital and the policy challenge is how to shift ourselves
into the quadrant.