African Continental Free Trade Area and regional trade in ICT and digital technologies

Adams, Kweku, Attah-Boakye, Rexford, Yu, Honglan, Chu, Irene and Mali, Dafydd ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3582-2429 (2024) African Continental Free Trade Area and regional trade in ICT and digital technologies. Journal of International Management, 30 (4). ISSN 1075-4253

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Abstract

This study examines the impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on regional trade in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Digital Technologies (DT) sector across 43 African countries from 2014 to 2021. Employing the augmented gravity model and confidence-level estimations, it highlights AfCFTA's mediating role in enabling ICT&DT trade on the continent. Using hierarchical regression analysis of a panel dataset comprising 5,160 observations, the findings imply that trade openness and productive capacities not only facilitate trade in the ICT&DT sector but also result in positive spillover effects across various economic sectors. This study contributes to the international business literature by refining the application of the gravity model to capture the need for sector-specific analyses to unpack institutional dynamics and dis-enablers of trade. It identifies AfCFTA as a pivotal yet underexplored element in the global trade landscape, highlighting its potential as Africa seeks a more prominent role on the global stage. The research stresses the significance of digital empowerment and policy reforms to maximise the benefits of regional integration under AfCFTA.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors
Uncontrolled Keywords: afcfta,ict and digital technologies,regional trade,trade enablers,trading bloc,business and international management,finance,strategy and management ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1400/1403
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Social Sciences > Norwich Business School
Related URLs:
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 27 Aug 2024 13:30
Last Modified: 19 Nov 2024 01:31
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/96357
DOI: 10.1016/j.intman.2024.101156

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