Exploring the impact of ICT usage among indigenous people and their quality of life: operationalizing Sen’s capability approach

ABSTRACT Numerous indigenous communities suffer from digital divide issues affecting their social, cultural, and economic well-being. As various technologies contribute both to creating opportunities and responding to social and cultural changes, it is imperative to explore the wider impacts of information and communication technologies (ICT) on improving living standards, individual knowledge, and awareness development in these groups of people. We conducted this study in Bangladesh and investigated the connection between ICT usage and Sen’s (1999) freedom factors with the objective of measuring quality of life. After an initial qualitative pilot study, a structured questionnaire was administered (n = 250). Data were analyzed using structural equation modelling. Results suggest that a strong relationship between ICT usage and Sen’s freedom factors exists in the development of indigenous people’s quality of life. Political freedom has a substantial effect on economic freedom for development. Moreover, economic freedom creates social opportunities as well as transparency.