Bridging the Gap: Digital Skills for Digital Transformation

Nino Papachashvili () and Tamta Mikaberidze ()
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Nino Papachashvili: Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University
Tamta Mikaberidze: Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University

A chapter in Technology and Society - Boon or Bane?, 2025, pp 179-198 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This chapter investigates how digital skills shape digital development and contribute to narrowing the global digital divide, focusing on the intricate relationship between educational attainment and digital competencies. The study employs a sequential mixed-methods approach, combining a comprehensive literature review with a rigorous quantitative analysis of cross-country data. Utilizing standardized indicators, specifically the ICT Development Index and Digital Skills Indicator 2.0, a multifactor linear regression model was constructed and applied to test the influence of education-level digital skills on ICT development. The findings confirm a strong positive correlation between digital skills and national digital development, yet highlight persistent disparities across regions, age, and gender. Crucially, individuals with no or low formal education demonstrated a statistically significant positive influence on digital development outcomes, challenging conventional assumptions and underscoring the substantial impact of adaptive, informal skill acquisition. Conversely, the direct influence of medium and high formal education levels was found to be statistically insignificant. Limitations include reliance on aggregate country-level data, which may mask within-country disparities, and constraints imposed by incomplete global longitudinal datasets. The study’s implications emphasize that policy strategies must transcend a singular focus on formal education, embracing diverse learning pathways and robust digital infrastructure. Policymakers should recognize and leverage the digital capacities of less formally educated populations, implementing targeted interventions for all demographic groups to foster an inclusive digital environment. This research offers original value by providing a nuanced understanding of digital skills’ multifaceted role, particularly recognizing the overlooked contributions of informal learning, thereby offering actionable insights for more equitable and inclusive digital transformation.

Keywords: digital divide; digital skills; digital transformation; global inequality; digital policy; skills development strategy; ICT development; education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:prbchp:978-3-032-07163-7_12

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-07163-7_12

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