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Patterns of Mobile Phone Use in Developing Countries: Evidence from Africa

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  • Jeffrey James

Abstract

According to traditional welfare economics welfare occurs at the point where a good is purchased and some amount of utility is assumed to derive therefrom. According to Sen and others however one needs to look in addition to what use is made of the good after purchase. This paper throws new light on this process by means of a large new data-set that examines use patterns of mobile phones in 11 African countries. The main hypothesis is that this technology will be most widely used in countries lacking in viable alternatives to the use of mobile phones e.g. where public transport is weak or roads are poor. The results tend to support this view though there remains much to be explained. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

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  • Jeffrey James, 2014. "Patterns of Mobile Phone Use in Developing Countries: Evidence from Africa," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 119(2), pages 687-704, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:119:y:2014:i:2:p:687-704
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-013-0510-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jeffrey James & Mila Versteeg, 2007. "Mobile phones in Africa: how much do we really know?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 84(1), pages 117-126, October.
    2. James, M.J. & Versteeg, M., 2007. "Mobile phones in Africa : How much do we really know?," Other publications TiSEM 71c384dd-b246-4fa0-a046-d, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
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    Cited by:

    1. Maral Jamalova & Constantinovits Milán, 2020. "The Comparative Study of the Relationship Between Smartphone Choice and Socio-Economic Indicators," International Journal of Marketing Studies, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(3), pages 1-11, March.
    2. Haroon Ur Rashid Khan & Khalid Zaman & Anwar Khan & Talat Islam, 2017. "Quadrilateral Relationship Between Information and Communications Technology, Patent Applications, Research and Development Expenditures, and Growth Factors: Evidence from the Group of Seven (G-7) Cou," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 133(3), pages 1165-1191, September.

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