Global management, people, and the digital divide - Essay Example

Global Management, People, and the Digital Divide Emergence of computers and their advanced peripherals has played a significant role in revolutionising the modern society. These vital advances make it possible for the contemporary populace to gain access to professional and social networks traversing the entire globe. The developments further point to an increasingly sophisticated and crucial information and communication technology (ICT) framework. Regardless of the significant role played by advanced ICT infrastructure in the 21st century, this field is not devoid of digital divide cases.

The latter are particularly common among the underprivileged in society, given the numerous expenses associated with ICT adoption. In poverty stricken areas, many people do not enjoy the benefits afforded by ICT, such as internet accessibility and networking. This is why such regions extensively rely on markets and donor driven aid to build their ICT infrastructure (Jonathan, 2005, pp. 22-25). However, failure to access such funds continues to widen the gap between the poor and the rich, especially in regard to internet accessibility.

This inequality is rampant not only in developing countries, but in developed ones as well. In recognition of the identified digital divide, donors are increasingly considering the need to bridge this gap, through creation of low cost technologies, which can aid in enhancing internet accessibility in these regions. An excellent example is the recently adopted laptop per child policy, which seeks to ensure that children in underprivileged societies attain some level of technological advancement (Strover, 2003, pp. 275-277). The program further seeks to ensure that students experience a media rich environment both at home and school, which will make them more creative and critical with information technology.

The program is also instrumental in increasing opportunities for students to overcome educational inequality. The One Laptop per Child (OLPC) program is a high profile initiative designed to bridge the digital divide, by providing poor kids with low cost computers that support network capability. These laptops are specifically designed to handle low-power supply, as well as, the ruggedness of poor rural and urban regions (vanDuersen and vanDijk, 2011, pp. 895-905). Additionally, the laptops’ software features graphical programs and user interface that are designed to enhance learning.

For instance, in the largely rural state of Maine, students from poor backgrounds have benefited from the OPLC program by acquiring means to access information through networking and internet accessibility (Halford and Savage, 2010, pp. 945-952). This clearly shows that the OLPC program is set to provide an all-inclusive digital infrastructure. Approximately 3-4 million laptops have been distributed with immense success in the South, since inception of the OPLC program in 2005 by Nicholas Negroponte.

Therefore, if the same program is well executed in other underprivileged societies it would serve to boost education systems and give students a chance to access and familiarise with the digital environment (Selwyn, 2004, pp. 345-360).In summation, even though the digital divide poses a significant threat to ICT development, concerted efforts like the OLPC programme will aid in bridging it and enhancing technology education outcomes. Such programmes will afford needy students the substantive resources they require to keep abreast with the rapidly developing world of technology.

With such ICT improvement efforts, there will be enhanced equality in information accessibility and technological development. Finally, in support of these strategies, government policies should be tailored toward encouraging programme sponsorship from willing donors and market participants. BibliographyHalford, S., and Savage, M. 2010. Reconceptualising Digital Social Inequality. Information, Communication & Society, 13(7), pp. 937-955Jonathan, S. 2005. The Social Exclusion Debate: Strategies, Controversies and Dilemmas.

Policy Studies, 26, pp. 3-27. Selwyn, N. 2004. Reconsidering Popular and Political Understandings of the Digital Divide. New Media and Society, 6(3), pp. 341–362. Strover, S. 2003. Remapping the digital divide. The Information Society, 19, pp. 275-277.VanDuersen, A., and VanDijk, J. 2011. Internet skills and the internet divide. New Media and Society, 13, pp. 893-911.