Model of Reasons for Use and non-Use of the Internet in Iraq - Research Paper Example

The phenomenon of globalization and liberalization resulted in significant improvement in information technology and telecommunication sectors in both developed and developing nations. More specifically, Internet access of the people has increased considerably over the last 10 years though it varied from one nation to the other nation. However, it is confirmed that the rate of Internet development in any nation certainly contributes to its socio-economic development and hence it has immense significance.

The extent of Internet development and its access in any country is dependent upon the government policies related to the basic infrastructure development and budget allocation made towards the telecommunication sector. Hippel (2006) also found that there exists a strong link between the policies of the government related to the telecommunication sector in general and Internet sector in particular and the rate of the extent of development of Internet connectivity in any nation. In this context, one must remember that the phenomenon of globalization and liberalization facilitated more flexible policies of governments in both developed and developing nations because of which maximum opening up of the global economies was witnessed.

Moreover, the country’s geopolitical environment affects the growth rate of infrastructure and science and technology and industry which in turn would influence the rate of development of Internet connectivity. This proved to be more significant in cases of developing nations like Iraq. Iraq had to face a war with the USA and other multinational countries in the year 1992 and it devastated its economy including health services significantly. This affected the rate of development of basic infrastructure like telecommunication which in turn affected the status of Internet connectivity.

Due to the war development in the early 1990s, the international contacts of Iraq with several other nations were severely affected resulting in the poor inflow of foreign funds resulting in a severe shortage of investment capital for its infrastructure like telecommunication which has affected Internet accessibility of the people significantly.