Factors affecting ICT adoption among rural users: A case study of ICT Center in Iran

• Published in: Telecommunications policy 2013-12, Vol.37 (11), p.1083-1094
• Main Authors: Khalil Moghaddam, B., Khatoon-Abadi, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adoption; Case studies; Computer centers; Digital divide; ICT; ICT Center; Information technology; Iran; Regression analysis; Rural areas; Rural development; Studies; Technology adoption; Telecommunications policy
• ISSN: 0308-5961; 1879-3258
• DOI: 10.1016/j.telpol.2013.02.005

Rural ICT centers are the initiative of the third millennium and widen the accessibility horizons of information and Communication Technology among disadvantaged groups of societies, and play a significant role in rural development processes. Adoption of new technology in rural Iran has been the main challenge and focal point of all agricultural extension activities since the modernization era of the 1950s. Consequently the rapidly growing gap between urban and rural economy has reinforced the critical role of ICT in creating an equal society. Identifying the factors which foster adoption of ICT is among the important challenges of alleviating digital divide. ICT centers attract different groups within rural communities and create a forum for unprivileged rural settlers to learn about and to use computer and internet. This paper attempts to identify the factors influencing the adoption of ICT in rural Gharn Abad's ICT center of Golestan Province. The sample included 218 individuals, who were selected by stratified random sampling method. Survey method was used, and data was analyzed by correlation as well as multiple regression techniques. Based on the results, the existence of ICT center itself, with various funding sources, reinforced the adoption regardless of the users' economic status. At the same time, the other factors such as individual, social, the households' informative & communicative, as well as the innovation related factors were found influential. This case study could be used as a sample for planning, establishing, and developing the ICT centers in the other similar situations. •A model for ICT adoption in rural ICT centers of Iran has been presented.•Among the five studied factors, only the economic factor has not affected ICT adoption.•The most influential variable is ‘user as a Tele worker’.