中文摘要
发展中国家的企业、劳动者和消费者正日益通过互联网彼此连接, 并与世界其他地区相连。正如技术乐观主义者所期望的那样, 这种连接能否变革贫困经济体, 抑或经济发展存在更深层次的障碍? 关于这一主题的研究正在迅速增长。本文基于 153 项研究, 概述了关于互联网连接在多大程度上、以何种方式影响经济发展的现有证据。不出所料, 估计结果因研究情境、具体结果变量以及所研究的互联网形式的不同而差异很大。总体而言, 文献表明, 在许多(尽管并非所有)情境中, 互联网都带来了相当大的经济影响。
Abstract
Firms, workers, and consumers in developing countries are increasingly connected to each other and to the rest of the world through the internet. Can this connectivity transform poor economies, as technology optimists hope, or are there more deeply rooted barriers to economic development? Research on the topic is growing rapidly. In this article we provide an overview of existing evidence from 153 studies on the extent to which, and how, internet connectivity affects economic development. Not surprisingly, estimates vary widely with the context, particular outcome, and form of internet studied. Overall, the literature points toward sizable economic impacts in many—though not all—settings.