occurred in the following categories: data centers, software for companies and IT services (Table I).
Table I. World expenditure in the ICT sector
Source: [8].
Fig. 2 presents the dynamics of world expenditure in the ICT sector in 2016–2018.
Fig. 1. Dynamics of world expenditure in the ICT sector in 2016–2018.
Despite the gradual elimination of borders and the establishment of close relations among countries, there is still an obvious asymmetry, which also manifests itself in the level of access to information resources. Highly developed countries accumulate the majority of information resources. Their investment in the development of science, technical education, information infrastructure, as well as the development of various projects, significantly exceeds the contribution of under-developed countries. Countries with a high level of development are able to spend much more funds on the knowledge sphere. Effective legislation on intellectual property enables them to assert their right for scientific developments. The phenomenon of monopolization in information sphere has such negative consequences for society as stratification of the population on the grounds of intellect, an increase in the demand for employees of the information sector as compared with the traditional one and an obvious gap in their income. The capability of highly developed countries to provide jobs in this area leads to labor migration of interested qualified employees from countries with lower potential [9]. Thus, examining the global ICT market, it can be reported that out of 250 largest world companies in this industry from 34 countries, 116 companies (46 %) belong to the USA and 39 (16 %) to Japan [11]. Thus, the essence of digital inequality lies in the polarization of the world’s countries in terms of possessing effective knowledge and the ability of its implementation in the form innovation, which, in turn, ensures a country’s income growth [9].
Summarizing the opinions of many scientists working on this issue, digital inequality can be defined as follows: it is a gap between the world’s countries in terms of access of their citizens, households and business entities to modern ICT and its effective use for the purpose of economic growth and development, caused by asymmetry of scientific, socio-economic, institutional and technological achievement levels, which threatens to deepen international disproportions and escalate imbalances among countries. That is, digital inequality reflects the differences among and inside countries in terms of access to infrastructure, including computers and the Internet or even such “regular” communications as fixed telephone lines. The digital gap may exist between developed and developing countries (global gap) or within one country (national gap). It can manifest itself in various demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, income or different areas (for example, urban and rural). Most often, the gap is manifested in various conditions of people’s access to ICT. Mobile access, the number of Internet users and personal computers are also indicators that determine the gap size. It is often the case that a particular country can achieve a comparatively high level in some area, for instance, mobile access, but at the same time, it may lag behind in terms of the Internet access index.
By researching global digital inequality, the International Network of UNESCO Chairs in Communications (Orbicom), based on the developed Infostate index, identifies four groups of countries depending on the ICT development level (Table II):
— highest level — 33 countries, including 15 % of the world’s population: 22 European, 7 Asia-Pacific and 2 Arab countries, as well as Canada and the USA;
— high level — 12 % of the world’s population;
— average level — more than one-third of the world’s population, including large countries, such as China and Indonesia, as well as small countries — Jamaica, the Maldives;
— low level — one-third of the world’s population, including 46 countries, 31 of which are African countries [10].
Table II. Groups of countries by the ICT development level based on Orbicom's Infostate index
Source: [10].
It can be said that one of the challenges of modern society is growing digital inequality, or digital gap, which leads to considerable geospatial disproportions in socio-economic development — digital asymmetry of the microsystem. An increase in the digital gap between the world’s regions means that part of the world community is not able to fully use the advantages of ICT resources. Hence, the level of their innovative activity is lower; accordingly, their economic potential is also low. Today, it is important to understand, which forces have accelerated the implementation of ICT. For this purpose, it is necessary to develop a policy aimed at eliminating the obstacles to the introduction of ICT in each individual region, country and even city. Despite the obvious leadership of highly developed countries, the global gap is gradually narrowing due to the dynamic development of such countries as the UAE, Macedonia, Bahrain, Vietnam, Nigeria, Greece and Cape Verde. At the same time, overcoming digital inequality would contribute to the economic growth and integration of backward countries, raising the level of educational, medical, managerial and other services and providing the active attraction of investments and, consequently, the complex-proportional development of the microsystem.
Rapid changes in the level of computer capability, reduction in prices for silicon chips and electronics, as well as achievements in the area of wireless connection have made powerful technologies accessible in many parts of the world, which used to lag behind in terms of technology application. This allows developing countries to obtain significant advantages by joining the information society, especially if a country is focused on raising the level of its readiness for digital transformations. Thus, developing countries enrich themselves by participating in the global digital network gaining the ability to use digital goods and add “value” to the whole community. Obviously, readiness for such changes is increasingly important for the developing world. This readiness creates new opportunities for companies and individuals, erases barriers, which previously presented an obstacle on the way to information, goods and services, and promotes the improvement of cultural, social and political well-being. Among new opportunities offered to countries willing to raise the
