Information technology’s impact on development : how does information technology contribute to development in poor countries?

Abstract

The goal of this thesis is to highlight how information technology is being used in new and innovative ways in poor countries to help promote development. I have looked at the impact of mobile phones, radio and the Internet, and I show that the potential gains from the use of information technology are substantial. Such technologies make services such as health care, education and banking available to a larger portion of the world’s population, and help making markets more efficient by making information easily accessible. As technology is becoming cheaper and more common throughout the developing world, the gains from using it can potentially be very large and improve the lives of poor people