Leapfrogging into knowledge economy: Information and communication technology for human development

Modern-day economic growth is focused on productivity and innovation, which puts information and technology integral to economic policy issues. In this context, ICT has a significant position as it increases efficiency, promotes information dissemination, and enhances innovation, resulting in a global shift in social and human development processes. The purpose of this research is to examine the significance of ICT diffusion in fostering human development in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries from 2005 to 2019. ICT diffusion is measured using a principal component analysis (PCA)- based composite index that combines telephone, mobile, broadband, and internet usage. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) created Human Development Index (HDI) serves as a proxy for human development. To adjust for any confounding bias, macroeconomic indicators, such as gross domestic product (GDP), inflation, and trade are also included. Utilizing econometric methods robust to cross-sectional dependence (CSD) such as the dynamic common correlated effect (DCCE) estimator, Driscoll-Kraay (DK) regression, and the Dumitrescu-Hurlin (DH) causality test, the study highlights the strong positive relationship between ICT and HDI. In addition, GDP boosts HDI owing to productivity gains. Similarly, trade expansion, in addition to its direct effects, also influences HDI by boosting economic growth. Inflation, on the other hand, has a negative impact on the HDI. Consequently, the study recommends a cohesive setting that unifies ICT with human development in this modern framework.