{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,23]],"date-time":"2025-10-23T10:54:59Z","timestamp":1761216899916,"version":"3.41.2"},"reference-count":56,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2005,6,1]],"date-time":"2005-06-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1117584000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2005,6,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>Seeks to argue that the peculiarities of sub\u2010Saharan Africa, in terms of its socio\u2010cultural diversity, low economic development, linguistic factors, HIV\/AIDS pandemic, gender discrimination, low ICT awareness and so on, demand a new model of addressing the digital divide.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>Paper largely based on literature survey and an assessment of the existing models of addressing global digital divide.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>Sub\u2010Saharan Africa has certain peculiarities in high levels of poverty, high prevalence of HIV\/AIDS, repressive regimes, civil wars, diversity of cultural and linguistic factors, gender discrimination, etc. that require new models for bridging the digital divide and that recognise the uniqueness of the sub\u2010continent.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>More research is needed to determine new models of bridging the digital divide that can help sub\u2010Saharan Africa to leapfrog into the information age.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>More attention is needed to alleviate poverty and meet people's basic needs for livelihood if attempts to integrate ICT into their lives are to be effective.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>Sub\u2010Saharan Africa has largely relied on models of the developed countries to bridge the digital divide without paying close attention to how various technologies can effectively be integrated in the lives of the people to alleviate poverty and consequently stimulate ICT uptake. This paper provides some solutions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/00330330510595706","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2005,5,9]],"date-time":"2005-05-09T18:05:20Z","timestamp":1115661920000},"page":"122-138","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":44,"title":["Peculiarities of the digital divide in sub\u2010Saharan Africa"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"39","author":[{"given":"Stephen M.","family":"Mutula","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Adam, L. and Wood, F. (1999), \u201cAn investigation of the impact of information and communications technologies in sub\u2010Saharan Africa\u201d, Journal of Information Science, Vol. 25 No. 4, pp. 307\u201018.","DOI":"10.1177\/016555159902500407"},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b2","unstructured":"Adedeji, A. (2002), \u201cFrom the Lagos plan of action to the new partnership for African development and from the final act of Lagos to the constitutive act: whither Africa?\u201d, keynote address prepared for presentation at the African Forum for Envisioning Africa, Nairobi, 26\u201029 April, available at: http:\/\/64.233.179.104\/search?q=cache:AEoDAGQW7l0J:www.worldsummit2002.org\/texts\/AdebayoAdedeji2.pdf+Lagos+plan+of+Action&hl=en."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b3","unstructured":"Adeyemi, B.M. (2002), \u201cProblems and challenges of automating cataloguing processes at KDL library, University of Ibadan\u201d, African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 213\u201022."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b4","unstructured":"Africa Region's Knowledge and Learning Center (1999), \u201cSahelian languages, indigenous knowledge and self\u2010management\u201d, Indigenous Knowledge Notes, No. 13, pp. 1\u20104, available at: www.worldbank.org\/afr\/ik\/iknt13.pdf."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b5","unstructured":"Assigbley, Y. (2000), Report of Activities of Association of African Universities Ad Hoc Committee on University Libraries in Africa, Association of African Universities, Accra."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b6","unstructured":"Australian Information Economy Advisory Council (1999), National Bandwidth Inquiry, Report of the Australian Information Economy Advisory Council, Canberra."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b7","unstructured":"Avert.org (2004), HIV & AIDS in Botswana, available at: www.avert.org\/aidsbotswana.htm."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b8","unstructured":"Ballantyne, P. (2002), \u201cCollecting and propagating local content development\u201d, INASP Newsletter, No. 20, available at: www.inasp.info\/newslet\/jun02.html#2."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b9","unstructured":"Bolowana, A. (2004), \u201cHigh costs of mergers\u201d, available at: www.themercury.co.za\/index.php?fSectionId=283&fArticleId=2284687."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b10","unstructured":"Chasia, H. (2002), The NEPAD ICT Programme: To Accelerate Development of Communications in Africa, NEPAD Secretariat, Sandton."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chen, W. and Wellman, B. (2003), Charting and Bridging Digital Divides: Comparing Socio\u2010economic, Gender, Life Stage, and Rural\u2010urban Internet Access and Use in Eight Countries, NetLab Centre for Urban and Community Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, available at: www.amd.com\/us\u2010en\/assets\/content_type\/DownloadableAssets\/.","DOI":"10.7551\/mitpress\/6900.003.0026"},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b12","unstructured":"Chifwepa, V. (2003), \u201cThe use of the intranet and internet by teaching staff of the University of Zambia\u201d, African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science, Vol. 13 No. 2, pp. 119\u201032."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b13","unstructured":"Digital Divide Network (2004), Digital Divide Basics, available at: www.digitaldividenetwork.org\/content\/sections\/index.cfm?key=2."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b14","unstructured":"Dutta, S., Lanvin, B. and Paua, F. (2004), The Global Information Technology Report: Towards an Equitable Information Society, Oxford University Press, Oxford."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b15","unstructured":"Economist Intelligence Unit and IBM Corporation (2004), The 2004 E\u2010readiness Rankings, Economist Intelligence Unit, London."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fink, C. and Kenny, C. (2003), \u201cW(h)ither the digital divide?\u201d, Info, The Journal of Policy, Regulation and Strategy for Telecommunications, Vol. 5 No. 6, pp. 15\u201024.","DOI":"10.1108\/14636690310507180"},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b17","unstructured":"Ford, H. (2001), African Content in the Multimedia Age, available at: www.eisa.org.za\/category\/technology\/content1.htm."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b18","unstructured":"Hadebe, Z.C. (2000), \u201cThe management of change: an assessment of the outcomes of change strategies at the University of Zimbabwe Library\u201d, MLIS dissertation, University of Botswana, Gaborone, pp. 1\u201012."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b19","unstructured":"International Association of School Librarianship (2002), \u201cChildren's literature resources on the internet\u201d, available at: www.iasl\u2010slo.org\/chlitres.html."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b20","unstructured":"International Telecommunication Union (ITU) (2002), World Telecommunication Development Report: Reinventing Telecom, 6th ed., International Telecommunication Union, Geneva."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b21","unstructured":"Jennings, P. (2004), \u201cTelevised interview with Former US President Bill Clinton\u201d, ABC PrimeTime [US], 18 November."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b22","unstructured":"Jensen, M. (2002), Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Africa, a Status Report presented to UN ICT Third Task Force Meeting, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, 30 September\u20101 October, available at: www.unicttaskforce.org\/thirdmeeting\/documents\/jensen%20v6.htm."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b23","unstructured":"Julie Okeyo Memorial Library (1999), Julie Okeyo Memorial Library Foundation, available at: http:\/\/joml.cyber\u2010africa.net\/backgrou.htm."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b25","unstructured":"Le Roux, C.J.B. (2003), \u201cTapping indigenous knowledge on the WWW\u201d, Department of Library and Information Science University of Zululand, Ulundi, available at: http:\/\/66.102.9.104\/search?q=cache:Io44uPRifWUJ:www.unisa.co.za\/contents\/faculties\/humanities\/docs\/CJBleRoux.pdf+Le+Roux+and+Indigenous+Knowledge&hl=en."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b24","unstructured":"Lekaukau, M. (2002), statement by the executive chairman of Botswana Telecommunications Authority at the WTDC\u20102, available at: www.itu.int\/newsarchive\/wtdc2002\/botswana.html."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b26","unstructured":"Lessig, L. (2004), Free Culture: How Big Media Uses Technology and the Law to Lock down Culture and Control Creativity, Penguin Press, New York, NY."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b27","unstructured":"Linn, E. (1999), Tomorrow's Jobs: How High\u2010Tech Are They?, Equity Coalition, University of Michigan School of Education, Ann Arbor, MI."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b32","unstructured":"M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (2003), \u201cVillage information centres: harnessing local knowledge via interactive media\u201d, Policymakers workshop, 8\u20109 October, Chennai, available at: www.eldis.org\/fulltext\/policymakers.doc."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b28","unstructured":"Macias, E., Cutler, R., Jones, S. and Barreto, M. (2002), Promoting Access to Network Technologies in Underserved Communities: Lessons Learned, Information Technology Report, No. 5014. Tomas Rivera Policy Institute, Los Angeles, CA, available at: www.trpi.org\/PDFs\/DSS_final%20rprt.pdf."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b29","unstructured":"Mayanja, M. (2002), \u201cUganda school\u2010based telecentres: an approach to rural access to ICTs: world links\u201d, available at: http:\/\/portal.unesco.org\/ci\/en\/ev.php\u2010URL_ID=9226& URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b30","unstructured":"Media Institute of South Africa (2001), \u201cBotswana media bill raises concerns\u201d, available at: www.ifex.org\/en\/content\/view\/full\/15192\/."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b31","unstructured":"Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (Botswana) (2004), The Budget Speech 2004\/2005, Government Printer, Gaborone, available at: www.gov.bw\/home.html."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b33","unstructured":"Mwiyeriwa, S.S. and Ngwira, M.E. (2003), \u201cA Malawi library consortium: learning as we go\u201d, INASP Newsletter, No. 24, p. 9, available at: www.inasp.info\/newslet\/nov03.html#8."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b34","unstructured":"National Research Foundation (2002), Brain\u2010drain and \u2010gain in South Africa: Who Loses, Who Gains?, available at: www.nrf.ac.za\/news\/braindrain.stm."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b35","unstructured":"Newzimbabwe.com (2004), \u201cZimbabwe tightens media control\u201d, available at: www.newzimbabwe.com\/pages\/ijaz7.11873.html."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b36","unstructured":"Ngome, C. (2003), \u201cCountry higher education profiles: Kenya\u201d, available at: www.bc.edu\/bc_org\/avp\/soe\/cihe\/inhea\/profiles\/Kenya.htm."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Norris, P. (2001), Digital Divide: Civic Engagement, Information Poverty and the Internet World\u2010wide, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9781139164887"},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b38","unstructured":"Paliwala, A. (2003), \u201cDigital divide globalization and legal regulation\u201d, available at: www.austlii.edu.au\/au\/other\/CompLRes\/2003\/5.html."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b39","unstructured":"Peters, T. (2003), \u201cBridging the digital divide\u201d, Global Issues: An Electronic Journal of the US Department of State, Vol. 8 No. 3, Available at: http:\/\/usinfo.state.gov\/ journals\/itgic\/1103\/ ijge\/gj08.htm."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b41","unstructured":"SADC E\u2010readiness Task Force (2002), SADC E\u2010readiness Review and Strategy, SADC, Johannesburg, available at: www.schoolnetafrica.net\/index.php?id=773."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b40","unstructured":"SADC Secretariat (1999), SADC in the Next Millennium: The Opportunities and Challenges of Information, Southern African Development Community, Gaborone, available at: www.eldis.org\/static\/DOC7242.htm."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b43","unstructured":"Sopova, J. (2003), \u201cUnesco organises seminar: Unesco and Nepad, from vision to action\u201d, available at: http:\/\/portal.unesco.org\/en\/ev.php@URL_ID=10052&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b42","unstructured":"South African Press Association (SAPA) (1999), \u201cMPs hear calls to outlaw hate speech\u201d, Dispatch Online, available at: www.dispatch.co.za\/1999\/11\/24\/southafrica\/PARLYTAL.HTM."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b44","unstructured":"Southwood, R. (2002), \u201cMozambique grapples with how to make sense of internet content\u201d, Balancing Act News Update, No. 119, available at: www.balancingact\u2010africa.com\/news\/back\/balancing\u2010act_119.html."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b45","unstructured":"Spectar, J. (2000), \u201cBridging the global divide: frameworks for access and the world wireless web\u201d, North Carolina Journal of International Law and Commercial Regulation, Vol. 26 No. 1, p. 57."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b46","unstructured":"Subair, S. and Kgankenna, F. (2002), \u201cInformation technology knowledge and skills of agricultural researchers in Botswana\u201d, African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 201\u201012."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b47","unstructured":"Tomas Rivera Policy Institute (2002), Information Technology, available at: www.trpi.org\/pages\/itPubs.html."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b48","unstructured":"Ugwuanyi, E. (2004), \u201cNigeria loses 95% oil & gas industry budget to capital flight\u201d, available at: www.vanguardngr.com\/articles\/2002\/business\/b102042004.html."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b49","unstructured":"United Nations Development Program (2001), Human Development Report 2001, Oxford University Press, Oxford."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b50","unstructured":"Warschauer, M. (2001), \u201cLanguage, identity and the internet\u201d, in Kolko, B., Nakamura, L. and Rodman, G. (Eds), Race in Cyberspace, Routledge, New York, NY, available at: www.arts.uwa.edu.au\/MotsPluriels\/MP1901mw.html."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Warschauer, M. (2002), \u201cReconceptualizing the digital divide\u201d, First Monday, Vol. 7 No. 7, available at: http:\/\/firstmonday.org\/issues\/issue7_7\/warschauer\/index.html.","DOI":"10.5210\/fm.v7i7.967"},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b53","unstructured":"Westra, P.E. (1993), \u201cNational Libraries in Southern and Eastern Africa: current state and future prospects\u201d, paper presented at IFLA General Conference, Barcelona."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b54","unstructured":"Woherem, E.E. (1993), Information Technology in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities, African Centre for Technology Studies, Nairobi."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b55","unstructured":"World Bank Group Strategy (2002), Information and Communications Technologies, available at: http:\/\/info.worldbank.org\/ict\/ICT_ssp.html."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_b56","unstructured":"Yeboah, T. (1999), \u201cThe management of information literacy skills program for science undergraduates at the University of Botswana\u201d, African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 143\u201052."},{"key":"key2022022020314670900_frg1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Warschauer, M. (2003), \u201cDissecting the \u2018digital divide\u2019: a case study in Egypt\u201d, The Information Society, Vol. 19 No. 4, pp. 297\u2010304.","DOI":"10.1080\/01972240309490"}],"container-title":["Program"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/00330330510595706\/full\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/00330330510595706\/full\/html","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,24]],"date-time":"2025-07-24T23:55:09Z","timestamp":1753401309000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emerald.com\/dta\/article\/39\/2\/122-138\/324488"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2005,6,1]]},"references-count":56,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2005,6,1]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1108\/00330330510595706"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1108\/00330330510595706","relation":{},"ISSN":["0033-0337"],"issn-type":[{"type":"print","value":"0033-0337"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2005,6,1]]}}}