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The internet-growth link: An examination of studies with conflicting results and new evidence on the network effect

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  • Vu, Khuong M.

Abstract

Choi and Hoon Yi (2009), using panel data for 207 economies over the period 1990–2000, find that the Internet has significant positive effects on economic growth. Maurseth (2018), re-examining Choi and Yi's work with the dataset extended to 2015, produces the opposite results: the effect of the internet on growth is negative and significant. Motivated by this intriguing issue, this paper conducts a rigorous examination of the growth effect of the internet on growth in a special way. It first uncovers the problem that plagues the approach employed by the two studies. It then proposes a modified model, which overcomes this problem and controls as far as possible the concerns of endogeneity and omitted variable bias. The paper finds solid evidence on the effect of internet penetration on growth and the existence of the network effect. That is, the growth effect of internet penetration in a given country increases as the size of its internet network expands.

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  • Vu, Khuong M., 2019. "The internet-growth link: An examination of studies with conflicting results and new evidence on the network effect," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(5), pages 474-483.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:telpol:v:43:y:2019:i:5:p:474-483
    DOI: 10.1016/j.telpol.2019.04.002
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    Cited by:

    1. Jean C. Kouam & Simplice Asongu, 2022. "The non-linear effects of fixed broadband on economic growth in Africa," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 50(5), pages 881-895, August.
    2. Zhang, Wei & You, Jianmin & Lin, Weiwen, 2021. "Internet plus and China industrial system's low-carbon development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    3. Vu, Khuong & Haraguchi, Nobuya & Amann, Juergen, 2021. "Deindustrialization in developed countries amid accelerated globalization: Patterns, influencers, and policy insights," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 454-469.
    4. Abdulqadir, Idris A. & Asongu, Simplice A., 2022. "The asymmetric effect of internet access on economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 44-61.
    5. Simplice A. Asongu & Samba Diop & Ekene ThankGod Emeka & Amarachi O. Ogbonna, 2024. "The role of governance and infrastructure in moderating the effect of resource rents on economic growth," Working Papers 24/027, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    6. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2023. "Foreign Direct Investment, Information Technology, And Total Factor Productivity Dynamics In Sub‐Saharan Africa," World Affairs, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 186(2), pages 469-506, June.
    7. Anass Arbia & Khalid Sobhi & Mohamed Karim & Mohammed Eddaou, 2023. "FDI, Information and Communication Technology, and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Morocco," Advances in Management and Applied Economics, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 13(6), pages 1-10.
    8. Nchofoung, Tii N. & Asongu, Simplice A., 2022. "ICT for sustainable development: Global comparative evidence of globalisation thresholds," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(5).
    9. Asongu, Simplice A. & Odhiambo, Nicholas M., 2020. "Foreign direct investment, information technology and economic growth dynamics in Sub-Saharan Africa," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1).
    10. Simplice A. Asongu & Samba Diop, 2022. "Resource Rents and Economic Growth: Governance and Infrastructure Thresholds," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 22/072, African Governance and Development Institute..
    11. Bakari, Sayef & Tiba, Sofien, 2020. "The Impact of Internet on Economic Growth in North Africa: New empirical and policy analysis," MPRA Paper 100609, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Gautham Vadakkepatt & Andrew Bryant & Ronald Paul Hill & Joshua Nunziato, 2022. "Can advertising benefit women’s development? Preliminary insights from a multi-method investigation," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(3), pages 503-520, May.
    13. Anass Arbia & Khalid Sobhi & Mohamedou Karim & Mohammed Eddaou, 2023. "FDI, Information and Communication Technology, and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Morocco," Post-Print hal-04207179, HAL.
    14. Xu, Xu & Reed, Markum, 2021. "The impact of internet access on research output - a cross-country study," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    15. Vu, Khuong M & Asongu, Simplice, 2020. "Backwardness advantage and economic growth in the information age: A cross-country empirical study," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    16. Phan, Van-Phuc, 2023. "Is the internet penetration pro-poor? Evidence from a panel data analysis," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(8).
    17. Ndubuisi, Gideon & Otioma, Chuks & Owusu, Solomon & Tetteh, Godsway Korku, 2022. "ICTs quality and technical efficiency: An empirical analysis," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(10).
    18. Simplice A. Asongu & Paul N. Acha-Anyi, 2020. "Enhancing ICT for productivity in sub-Saharan Africa: Thresholds for complementary policies," African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(7), pages 831-845, November.
    19. Vu, Khuong & Hanafizadeh, Payam & Bohlin, Erik, 2020. "ICT as a driver of economic growth: A survey of the literature and directions for future research," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(2).
    20. Muhammad Noshab Hussain & Zaiyang Li, 2024. "Dynamic Appertain Between Telecommunication Infrastructure and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence of OIC Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 1973-1992, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Internet; Growth; Network effect;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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