• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.177-185
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• 2015

The gender difference in social roles affects digital devices' utilization differences in man and woman even in the 21st Century. Prior studies analyze the digital divide (genders, ages, etc.) from the assessment perspectives of digital equipment, such as PCs. In the area of high speed internet, most functions of PCs have been replaced with smartphones, and around 80% of the mobile phone users adopt smartphones. Subsequently the inequality of physical access to the digital devices is no longer a criterion for digital divide. The focus on digital divide should be shifted from the physical access to other factors, such as socio-technical or socio-cultural ones. This paper examines utilization of women's digital equipment, in particular, preparing for tourism activities, which is popular but sensitive to the technology. A survey was conducted with participants of [Suncheon Garden Expo] 2013. The results of this study capture the inactive use of digital devices particularly women over 50s. This phenomenon (high utilization of the digital devices for social or informative purposes, but low utilization of the digital payment) implies other aspects of Korean women (economic independence, low self-assertion, technical difficulties, etc.), which is considered from the socio-technological convergence perspective. This study also has a practical implication on the side of the digital device developers as well as marketing, where the qualitative communication is likely to be incorporated for the women over 50s.

• Informatization Policy
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.56-81
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• 2020

The purpose of this research is to empirically examine the effects of motivation and skill for digital devices and the Internet on the use of online services in the severely disabled people. In addition to the general effect of digital divide, particularly for the case of severely disabled people, the effects of physical and mental inconvenience of individuals were taken into account and the moderating effect was confirmed by classifying the groups that need help with online activities and those that do not. The 2018 Digital Divide Survey data of the National Information Society Agency was used for the study. As a research method, path analysis and multi-group analysis using a sequence access model to Internet use were performed. As a result, it was confirmed that even in the case of the disabled, the motivational factor affects the skill for digital device operation and Internet use, and this access skill sequentially affects the use of online services. In particular, it was found that the effect of strategic and technical skill for internet use is the most important for the use of online services for the disabled rather than the motivation or a simple operational skill for digital devices. In addition, it was found that even in the disabled group, those requiring help in using the Internet was more passive in using the online service than the rest in the group. The results of this study suggest the need for stronger capacity for physical access as well as support in building strategic and technical skills that enhance responsibilities and protect from risks in using the Internet among the people with disabilities.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.1-19
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• 2022

As the untact culture spreads, the digital divide, which is a problem of access to digital information for the vulnerable, can appear as information inequality in various fields, including the social and cultural field. This study identified the digital divide level for the vulnerable population and analyzed the effects of information accessibility, demographic and social characteristics, and physical and mental health characteristics on the information level. As a result, the higher the accessibility of information, the smaller the digital divide and the greater the digital utilization, so it is necessary to increase the accessibility of information devices and increase the ability to utilize them. In addition, the higher the age, the more women than men, and the lower the income level, the greater the digital divide, so it is necessary to increase digital capabilities through detailed class-specific programs for the vulnerable. Finally, it was found that the digital divide and the level of digital literacy had a significant effect on the life satisfaction and daily life satisfaction of the vulnerable. The expansion of competency-building education programs to enhance information utilization capabilities by changing the paradigm to a digital inclusion policy should be continuously operated.