Information and Communications Technology

World Wide Web

Simultaneity

Neuroscience

Control variable

Statistics

Chromatography

Embedded system

Panel data

Nexus (standard)

Variables

Variable (mathematics)

Economics

Market economy

Computer science

Classical mechanics

Business

Globalization

Physics

Psychology

Mathematics

Estimator

Political science

Public economics

Econometrics

Sustainable development

Mathematical analysis

Globe

Instrumental variable

Chemistry

Sample (material)

Tobit model

Telecommunications Policy

The objectives of this paper are to investigate the effect of ICT on sustainable development and the mechanisms through which the effect is modulated. The focus is on a sample of 140 countries around the globe for the period 2000–2019. The methodology involves the: (i) Fixed Effects estimator to control for individual heterogeneity, (ii) Driscoll and Kraay estimator to control for cross-section dependence between panels, (iii) the Mean Group estimator to take into account the averages between panel groups, (iv) the system GMM to correct for unobserved heterogeneity and simultaneity bias and (v) the instrumental variable Fixed Effects Tobit to take in to account the limited range in our dependent variable. The results show that ICT has a positive and significant effect on sustainable development. Whereas overall net effects are positive, the findings are contingent on the choice of the ICT measurement, the geographical location of the economy and the income group category. The study recommends policy makers to take into account ICT and the advantages it offers in the elaboration of measures for the sustainable development agenda.

ICT for sustainable development: Global comparative evidence of globalisation thresholds