Spatial behaviour of ICT use in households and individuals. A European regional analysis

Abstract

Recent studies show the existence of spatial inequalities between northern, southern, and eastern Europe in the provision and use of ICT infrastructure by households and individuals. Previous studies have been carried out at national levels or for rural-urban areas without analysing the existence of spatial distribution patterns. The objective is to identify spatial patterns of ICT use in households and individuals at a regional level in Europe. The research is carried out with two complex variables: "availability of broadband and daily use for commerce, banking, and e-government" or transactional use; and, "use of social networks by broadband" or relational use. With 233 NUT 2, the following is analysed: a) distribution and statistical dispersion of the degree of variability of ICT use; and 2) spatial autocorrelation with GIS to identify spatial patterns by calculating Moran's I and Getis-Ord global indexes, Moran's local Anselin, and Getis-Ord Gi∗. The result is that the relational use shows similar values among European regions with a uniform territorial distribution; and the spatial component is not a factor of equal magnitude for the transactional variable (which shows a spatial pattern featuring a northwest-southeast gradient).