The Upside of Digital for the Middle East and North Africa

The Upside of Digital for the Middle East and North Africa
Author :
Publisher : World Bank Publications
Total Pages : 183
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781464816642
ISBN-13 : 1464816646
Rating : 4/5 (646 Downloads)

Book Synopsis The Upside of Digital for the Middle East and North Africa by : Ana Paula Cusolito

Download or read book The Upside of Digital for the Middle East and North Africa written by Ana Paula Cusolito and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2022-05-02 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The argument that digitalization fosters economic activity has been strengthened by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Because digital technologies are general-purpose technologies that are usable across a wide variety of economic activities, the gains from achieving universal coverage of digital services are likely to be large and shared throughout each economy. However, the Middle East and North Africa region suffers from a “digital paradox†?: the region’s population uses social media more than expected for its level of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita but uses the internet or other digital tools to make payments less than expected. The Upside of Digital for the Middle East and North Africa: How Digital Technology Adoption Can Accelerate Growth and Create Jobs presents evidence that the socioeconomic gains of digitalizing the economies of the region are huge: GDP per capita could rise by more than 40 percent; manufacturing revenue per unit of factors of production could increase by 37 percent; employment in manufacturing could rise by 7 percent; tourist arrivals could rise by 70 percent, creating jobs in the hospitality sector; long-term unemployment rates could fall to negligible levels; and female labor force participation could double to more than 40 percent. To reap these gains, universal access to digital services is crucial, as is their widespread use for economic purposes. The book explores how fast the region could approach universal coverage, whether targeting the rollout of digital infrastructure services makes a difference, and what is needed to increase the use of digital payment tools. The authors find that targeting underserved populations and areas can accelerate the achievement of universal access, while fostering competition and improving the functioning of financial and telecommunications sectors can encourage the adoption of digital technologies. In addition, building societal trust in the government and in related institutions such as banks and financial services is critical for fostering the increased use of digital payment tools.


The Upside of Digital for the Middle East and North Africa Related Books

The Upside of Digital for the Middle East and North Africa
Language: en
Pages: 183
Authors: Ana Paula Cusolito
Categories: Business & Economics
Type: BOOK - Published: 2022-05-02 - Publisher: World Bank Publications

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The argument that digitalization fosters economic activity has been strengthened by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Because digital technologies are general-purpo
The Upside of Digital Devices
Language: en
Pages: 266
Authors: Nicole Dreiske
Categories: Family & Relationships
Type: BOOK - Published: 2018-05 - Publisher: Health Communications, Inc.

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Trying to police and protect a child from screen time is unquestionably one of the most confusing and frustrating responsibilities of good parenting. It's a tou
Computers, Software Engineering, and Digital Devices
Language: en
Pages: 576
Authors: Richard C. Dorf
Categories: Computers
Type: BOOK - Published: 2018-10-03 - Publisher: CRC Press

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In two editions spanning more than a decade, The Electrical Engineering Handbook stands as the definitive reference to the multidisciplinary field of electrical
The Road Ahead
Language: en
Pages: 356
Authors: Bill Gates
Categories: Business & Economics
Type: BOOK - Published: 1996 - Publisher: Penguin Group

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In this clear-eyed, candid, and ultimately reassuring
The Great Promise of Educational Technology
Language: en
Pages: 193
Authors: Dan Mamlok
Categories: Education
Type: BOOK - Published: 2021-10-11 - Publisher: Springer Nature

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book critically looks at the tensions between the promise to transform education through the use of digital technology and the tendency to utilize digital