Week 4 - Chapter 2 Organizational Strategy, Competitive Advantage, and Information Systems

 The Digital Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Challenges and Solutions 
Investopedia / Jiaqi Zhou

Introduction:

Throughout this week, we discovered the impact of a digital divide, particularly how covid-19 exposed and intensified disparities with internet access in the US. Chapter 2 focuses on the lack of reliable broadband access and its effect on public health, telework, education and rural low-income communities, leaving many at a disadvantage, especially considering lockdown conditions.

Main Reflection:

Throughout this week's reading, IS has become not only my learning focus, but also the focus of many. IS, has become an essential asset to modern life, and the lack of broadband access limits the opportunities for millions of people to participate in work, study, healthcare and connectivity with friends and family. Furthermore, the digital divide isn’t limited to internet availability – it also involves connection speed, affordability and quality. (Rainer & Prince, 2022).

Focusing on distance education for a moment, an interesting fact which draw my attention, was the fact that education officials in South Carolina and Texas dispatched school buses equipped as Wi-Fi hotspots to rural and low-income neighbourhoods to allow distance student access to the internet in the US. (Rainer & Prince, 2022). If we consider how distance students can maintain regular attendance with minimal access to the wifi, how did so many students participate in schooling during the pandemic?

Challenges and questions:

The economic barrier of broadband expansion stands out as the largest challenge I faced when considering solutions to the various areas discussed.  Because private internet service providers (ISPs) prioritise profit, they are reluctant to invest in low-population, high-cost rural areas. (Pew Trusts. 2020).

I have witnessed the effects of the digital divide during the pandemic. Many of my peers, as well as I, have struggled with unreliable internet while attending online classes, researching for projects or work. Unstable wifi has forced us to utilise public wifi or hotspot to print/ submit assignments, participate in lectures and continue participating in class material.

Conclusion:

Covid has highlighted our dependence on broadband/ wifi in modern society. While there have been funding movements, ISP initiatives and community-driven solutions, a long-term solution is yet to be put into place and requires a substantial investment and shift in how we perceive internet access. Is wifi a luxury or a necessity?


Bibliography: 

Pew Trusts. (2020). How states are expanding broadband access. Retrieved from https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2020/02/how-states-are-expanding-broadband-access

Rainer, R. K., & Prince, B. (2022). Introduction to Information Systems, International Adaptation. Retrieved from https://online.vitalsource.com/reader/books/9781119860020/epubcfi/6/16[%3Bvnd.vst.idref%3Dc02]!/4/2[c01-sec-0001]/8[c01-sec-0004]/4[c01-sec-0005]/12[c01-sec-0010]/6/1:54[out%2C%207%20

Taylor, K. (2025, January 29). The digital divide: What it is, and what's being done to close it. Investopedia. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com


Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 2, 2025 at 1:26 AM

    This is very well structured. Very good information used

    ReplyDelete

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