Measuring the digital divide at regional level. A spatial analysis of the inequalities in digital development of households and individuals in Europe

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to identify the spatial inequalities in digital development (digital divide, DD) of households and individuals in Europe at regional level. Digital development is understood as the level of access to and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in households and by individuals. This study has been undertaken using the following methodology: 1) factor analysis to identify the key variables of use of and access to ICTs in households and by individuals in European regions on the basis of data provided by Eurostat; 2) construction of a synthetic index, the household and individual digital development index (HIDDI) on the basis of identified factors; 3) analysis of the spatial autocorrelation of digital development to identify, delimit and quantify spatial patterns and clusters in European regions. The results of this study lead to the conclusion that the digital development of households and individuals in European regions is founded on broadband Internet access. In this context, the level of digital development and the DD of European regions is based on households and individuals’ daily use of e-commerce, e-banking and e-government services. However, the use of social networks in households with broadband shows less DD in Europe. The values obtained by using the HIDDI for each European region reveal that the maximum DD between these is 37%, with the spatial autocorrelation analysis identifying a NW-SE pattern in Europe. Thus, a region’s level of digital development is directly related to that of its neighbours; and geographical proximity/vicinity is an element to take into account when analysing the disparities of the DD.