Measuring Participation in the Digital Economy: A Guide for Inclusive Research and Design

Motivation:

Major digital divides persist and there is no common framework or indicator set to measure inclusive participation in the digital economy, especially in low‑ and middle‑income countries.

Methods:

The paper synthesizes leading definitions (e.g., G20, OECD, ADB) and proposes a practical, equity‑ and gender‑centered framework—designed for mobile‑first contexts and with particular attention to the self‑employed and MSMEs—to guide data collection and study design.

Results:

it delivers a toolkit and structured lens to track people‑level participation—covering readiness, skills, use of digital public services and platforms, and integration into economic activities—so researchers and implementers can diagnose gaps and inform targeted policy and program decisions.

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