Powerpoint.

1. RAMIFICATIONS OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
ROBERT TSILIYIANNIS

2. WHAT IS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND
SOCIAL CAPITAL?
• THE DIGITAL DIVIDE CAN BE DEFINED AS, “THE GULF BETWEEN THOSE WHO
HAVE READY ACCESS TO COMPUTERS AND THE INTERNET, AND THOSE WHO
DO NOT.”(WIKIPEDIA, 2016)
• SOCIAL CAPITAL CAN BE DEFINED AS, “THE NETWORKS OF RELATIONSHIPS
AMONG PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN A PARTICULAR SOCIETY, ENABLING
THAT SOCIETY TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY.”(WIKIPEDIA, 2016) NOT HAVING
ACCESS TO SOCIAL CAPITAL IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE AWARE.

3. WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE CAPITAL AND HUMAN
CAPITAL?
• KNOWLEDGE CAPITAL, ALSO CALLED INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL, IS THE
INTANGIBLE ASSET THAT REPRESENTS VALUABLE IDEAS, METHODS,
PROCESSES AND OTHER INTUITIVE TALENTS THAT BELONG TO A
COMPANY.(GOOGLE.CO.ZA, 2016)
• HUMAN CAPITAL REFERS TO THE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND EXPERIENCE
POSSESSED BY AN INDIVIDUAL OR POPULATION, VIEWED IN TERMS OF
THEIR VALUE OR COST TO AN ORGANIZATION OR COUNTRY. (HC,2016)

4. CONSEQUENCES OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
• THE DIGITAL DIVIDE CAUSES SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS IN STRUGGLING
PARTS OF THE WORLD. ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY IS MORE RESTRICTED IN
THE POORER LESS DEVELOPED PARTS OF THE WORLD SUCH AS AFRICA,
INDIA AND SOUTHERN PARTS OF ASIA. THESE POORER NATIONS ARE
UNABLE TO AFFORD THE INITIAL START UP COST TO BE ABLE TO INVEST
INTO TECHNOLOGY TO ALLOW THEIR NATION TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AND
MAINTAIN INTERNET ACCESS. (DIVIDEDBYTECHNOLOGY.CO.UK, 2016)

5. CONSEQUENCES OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
• HAVING LIMITED TO NO ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY PUTS POORER AND LESS
DEVELOPED PARTS OF THE WORLD AT EVEN MORE OF AN ECONOMIC
DISADVANTAGE. (3.BP.BLOGSPOT.COM, 2016)

6. CONSEQUENCES OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
• BY A COUNTRY NOT HAVING INTERNET ACCESS, IT MEANS THAT SCHOOLS
ARE UNABLE TO TEACH COMPUTER AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS AND TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE HUGE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE
WEB. WITH A LACK OF IT SKILLS PEOPLE FROM THESE COUNTRIES ARE
UNABLE TO COMPETE AT AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL AGAINST MORE
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, WHICH PUTS THEM AT A COMPETITIVE
DISADVANTAGE.( 3.BP.BLOGSPOT.COM, 2016)

7. CONSEQUENCES OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
• IN CONTRAST TO THE POORER COUNTRIES, RICHER COUNTRIES BENEFIT
FROM MORE HIGHLY TRAINED CITIZENS WHICH WILL LEAD TO ECONOMIC
GROWTH WHEREAS POORER COUNTRIES WILL NOT GROW OR DEVELOP,
UNTIL THEY GET ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY.
• COUNTRIES THAT DON’T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS ARE UNABLE TO CARRY
OUT E-COMMERCE AND E-BUSINESS PUTTING THEIR COMPANIES AT A
SIGNIFICANT DISADVANTAGE WITH IN THE GLOBAL MARKET.

8. HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT ASSIST TO
SOLVE THE ISSUES?
• GOVERNMENT CAN ASSIST IN NUMEROUS WAYS TO SOLVE THE ISSUES
SURROUNDING ACCESS.
• GOVERNMENTS SHOULD ACT BY DEVELOPING AND USING E-
GOVERNMENT TOOLS IN ORDER TO ENHANCE E-READINESS, ENCOURAGE
AND EDUCATE THE USAGE OF ICT, AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF
ICT SKILLS IN A NON-DISCRIMINATORY MANNER.

9. HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT ASSIST TO
SOLVE THE ISSUES?
• GOVERNMENT CAN OFFER CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES OF TECHNOLOGY SO THAT POORER
COUNTRIES CAN START USING COMPUTERS AND HAVE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY.
• IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES CAN BE PUT IN PLACE IN ORDER TO
GIVE THE COMMUNITIES A CHANCE TO ENGAGE AND LEARN NEW TECHNOLOGY.
• IT IS IMPORTANT THAT GOVERNMENT PROVIDES WORKSHOPS, TALKS AND FACILITIES IN
ORDER TO HELP THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.
• GOVERNMENT MUST ALSO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALS WITH TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS A
COMPUTERS AND AN INTERNET CONNECTION SO THAT COMMUNITIES CAN START
COMPETING WITH RICHER COUNTRIES.

10. END