Journal Article
What drives the production and diffusion of mobile apps? An international investigation
Authors
Publication Date
DOI
10.1002/mde.3714
JEL Classification
Key Words
Related Topics
Innovation and Structural Change
Globalization
Digitalization
Mobile apps have proliferated online in recent years, but related formal research has lagged behind. Using data on a large sample of nations over the years 2018–2020, we estimate the drivers of mobile app production. Results show that more mobile subscribers (capturing demand-pull effects) increase mobile app production. However, overall E-participation fails to exert a significant influence. Both FDI inflows and ICT imports contribute to mobile app production, as do the inputs and outputs of overall technological change (patents, researchers, and knowledge workers). These results contrast with the (mostly insignificant) results for capital formation and the rule of law.
