Exploring geographic variation in corporate broadband adoption; evidence from Irish small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Pontikakis, Dimitrios and Collins, Patrick (2010) Exploring geographic variation in corporate broadband adoption; evidence from Irish small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Telecommunications Policy, 34 (3). pp. 144-161. ISSN 0308-5961

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Abstract

Despite its growth experience, Ireland still lags behind in international league tables on broadband adoption and within Ireland great disparities exist between central and peripheral regions. This paper explores the context-specific determinants of broadband adoption among Irish small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), attempting to shed some light on the sources of the considerable geographic variation in particular. Drawing from determinants of broadband adoption identified in literature the authors develop a number of plausible hypotheses. Using cross-section data from a ComReg survey of Irish-based SMEs, a logit model of broadband adoption is estimated. Among other factors, a company's industrial sector and other demand proxies are good predictors of broadband adoption. Controlling for other factors, regional ISP market concentration appears to be negatively associated with the probability of broadband adoption. It is argued that, in the absence of more detailed information, statistics on regional-level market structure could be a promising indicator of the supply-side.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	broadband, Ireland, competition, spatial disaggregation, diffusion
Subjects:	P900 Others in Mass Communications and Documentation
Department:	Faculties > Business and Law > Newcastle Business School
Depositing User:	EPrint Services
Date Deposited:	27 Sep 2010 12:55
Last Modified:	19 Nov 2019 09:53
URI:	http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/1174

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