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Top1. Introduction
Digital inclusion (DI) is the process of overcoming traditional digital divides, moving “from gaining access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to what people are actually able to do and achieve with ICT, including economic growth and equal social participation” (Andrade and Doolin 2016, p. 405). Despite the increasing pervasiveness of ICT, a widening digital divide persists across different countries and communities. As suggested by the nature of the Matthew effect, or accumulated advantage, marginalized communities may not benefit from rapid technological advancements (Ayanso et al. 2014; Hill et al. 2015). This suggests that without equitable access to leading-edge technologies, the advancement of ICTs exacerbates the challenges for disadvantaged groups to keep pace with the growth rates of more privileged groups (Cruz-Jesus et al. 2012). For example, in the Bay Area of the United States, self-driving vehicles have been deployed within a sharing economy platform (Harris 2015), while the internet user ratio has only reached 7% in a substantial number of African countries (Neuliep 2017). Thus, DI plays a critical role in bridging the digital divide because it not only disrupts the pattern of uneven resource distribution and imbalanced economic growth but also holds vast potential to generate benefits and tackle social challenges.
To date, numerous real-world examples have demonstrated the economic benefits and positive social changes enabled by DI. For instance, ICTs assist refugees in New Zealand in integrating into society by providing access to technology, fostering participation, and creating job opportunities, thus empowering disadvantaged groups and enhancing their control over their futures (Hund et al. 2021; Xie et al. 2022). Therefore, DI serves not only as a means to mitigate the economic divide but also as an aid in helping disadvantaged communities enhance their social standing (Khalid Anser et al. 2021). Moreover, scholars have posited that it is not only about the adequate distribution of resources but also about equitable participation in the shaping of social life (Al-Qirim et al. 2022; Li et al. 2022). In other words, the transformation of communities from exclusion to inclusion must be reflected in both the economic and social realms, embodying the principles of DI (Helsper 2008; Salinas and Sánchez 2009).
Despite the apparent benefits of DI and its importance in contemporary society, our literature review, which will be presented in a later section, suggests that current understanding of the DI process is limited, thereby hindering our ability to fully utilize it (Qureshi et al. 2021). This knowledge deficiency arises from several gaps identified in the existing literature. First, while there is a collection of studies on DI, most are primarily variance studies (Buré 2006; Hatlevik and Christophersen 2013; Jaeger et al. 2012; Kohli and Melville 2019). These studies have contributed valuable insights for the development of the DI concept, yet there is a need for more in-depth investigations into the process through which DI evolves. This research is crucial for structuring the key factors identified in the literature into a process theory, which sequences them to examine how and in which order DI unfolds. Second, and moving the research objective to an earlier stage, the underlying mechanisms by which ICT promotes economic and social development are not fully explored. This is crucial because increased use of ICT does not automatically lead to individuals feeling more economically and socially included (Crump and McIlroy 2003; Hund et al. 2021; Madon et al. 2009). In essence, DI is more concerned with self-determination, emphasizing that it is an action “done by people rather than to them.” (Andrade and Doolin 2016, p. 406)