The Global Diffusion of the Internet Project: An Initial Inductive Study

This report proposes a framework for analysis of the diffusion and absorption of the Internet worldwide and applies that framework to an initial set of 13 diverse countries, nine of which are in proximity to the Persian Gulf. The framework’s
dimensions provide a vehicle for uniformly assessing both the extent and quality of Internet use and supporting infrastructure within a country. The determinants explain why the Internet developed the way that it did in each country, and provide a basis for assessing the prospects for the future. The analysis is directly related to issues of importance, particularly national security, to the governments concerned, and implications for U.S. national security are examined.