Running Head: GLOBAL DIFFERENCES IN DIFFUSION GLOBAL DIFFERENCES IN INTERNET DIFFUSION: An Empirical Investigation into the Effects of Culture on the Diffusion of the Internet

In a world rapidly moving towards globalization, the understanding of the micro level connections between culture and the diffusion of technology is imperative. Though much scholarly attention has focused on the technology diffusion process, the cultural factors affecting this process has not received substantial attention. Basing her work on schemas developed by Hofstede (1984, 1991), Hall (1975), and Herbig (1994), Miatland (1998) presents a number of theoretical predictions about how an interactive network would diffuse given different cultural variables. The current empirical study builds on propositions presented by Miatland (1998) and examines five hypotheses linking Hofstede’s (1980, 1991) cultural variables to the rate of diffusion of the Internet globally. The study found significant support for three hypotheses linking higher levels of individuality or individualistic behavior, lower power distance or decentralized societal structures and higher tolerance for ambiguity and uncertainty to the rate of diffusion of the Internet.