The Impact of Mobile Phones on Poverty and Inequality in Developing Countries

Jeffrey James is Emeritus Professor of Development Economics at Tilburg University, the Netherlands. Previously he was Research Fellow at Queen Elizabeth House Oxford and Assistant Professor of Economics at Boston. University in the USA. His research is focused on information technology and development.

Introduction.- The Diffusion of Mobile Phones in the Historical Context of Innovations from Developed Countries.- To What Extent are the Poor Engaged With Mobile Telephony.- A Pro-Poor-Bias: Leapfrogging and the Internet.- Micro, Macro and Scaling Effects.- Patterns of Mobile Phone Use in Africa.- Mobile Phones and Safety in Developing Countries: Further Evidence.- Mobile Phone Use in Africa: Implications for Inequality and the Digital Divide.