Healing the Digital Divide With Digital Inclusion: Enabling Human Capabilities
Date
2023
Authors
Fisk, R.P.
Gallan, A.S.
Joubert, A.M.
Beekhuyzen, J.
Cheung, L.
Russell-Bennett, R.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Journal article
Citation
Journal of Service Research, 2023; 26(4):542-599
Statement of Responsibility
Raymond P. Fisk, Andrew S. Gallan, Alison M. Joubert, Jenine Beekhuyzen, Lilliemay Cheung, and Rebekah Russell-Bennett
Conference Name
Abstract
The “digital divide” refers to societal-level inequalities of digital access, capabilities, and outcomes. To explore how the digital divide affects customers experiencing vulnerability, service interactions in essential service settings (health care, education, and social services) were empirically investigated and practices service system members might adopt to address vulnerability were identified. This research upframes the pillars of service inclusion framework to define human capabilities that result from service inclusion practices. Three research topics were addressed: how the digital divide affects vulnerability (RQ1), how the digital divide can be addressed through service inclusion practices (RQ2), and how service inclusion practices enable human capabilities for digital inclusion (RQ3). The findings illuminate: (1) how service employees can engage in service inclusion practices to address the digital divide (by letting go of rules and perspectives, sharing control, providing services beyond job scope, and facilitating social connections), and (2) how these service inclusion practices build human capabilities for digital inclusion (by building basic skills and capabilities for meaningful outcomes through role modeling, coaching, customer-to-customer mentoring, and expanding networks). Contributions include conceptual models of service inclusion practices and fostering digital inclusion that specify a new meso level service organization pathway for healing the digital divide
School/Discipline
Dissertation Note
Provenance
Description
First published online December 5, 2022
Access Status
Rights
© The Author(s) 2022