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THE REGIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF NEW DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE: CAN WELSH SMES GAIN AN EDGE FROM ACCESS AND ADOPTION OF SUPERFAST BROADBAND?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2021

Dylan Henderson ,
Max Munday  and
Annette Roberts
Dylan Henderson*
Affiliation:
Welsh Economy Research Unit, Cardiff Business School, Cardiff, United Kingdom
Max Munday
Affiliation:
Welsh Economy Research Unit, Cardiff Business School, Cardiff, United Kingdom
Annette Roberts
Affiliation:
Welsh Economy Research Unit, Cardiff Business School, Cardiff, United Kingdom
*
*Corresponding author. Email: HendersonD3@cardiff.ac.uk
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Abstract

Across the United Kingdom public (and private) resources have been targeted on improving broadband infrastructure. While this has served to provide new opportunities for households and firms, there has been some debate around the ability of firms to take full advantage of the opportunities that arise through this evolving infrastructure. In this respect, there has been particular debate on how far small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have taken up the challenge of effectively engaging with the resource. Drawing on the case of Wales, this paper explores the digital maturity of a sample of Welsh SMEs. The paper provides evidence of how far SMEs are successfully engaging with the new opportunities available through broadband, and develops a typology of firms according to their engagement. The paper then explores how these differences produce policy implications.

Keywords

broadband infrastructureSMEsdigital maturityregional developmentO18O33R11
Type
Research Article
Information
National Institute Economic Review , Volume 255: NEW DIRECTIONS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND POLICY IDEAS , February 2021 , pp. 42 - 55
Copyright
© National Institute Economic Review 2021

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