مینا مظفر

Abstract

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become one of the key pillars of economic and social development in recent decades, drawing increasing attention to household consumption behavior, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-۱۹ pandemic. This study aims to examine the economic and social factors affecting ICT expenditures by comparing the consumption behavior of Iranian households in two time periods: before the pandemic (۲۰۱۹) and after it (۲۰۲۲). The data used were extracted from the Household Income and Expenditure Survey conducted by the Statistical Center of Iran, and the Tobit model was estimated separately for urban and rural households. Explanatory variables include household income, years of education, age and gender of the household head, and household size. The results show that although the coefficients of some variables changed in the post-COVID period, a test for equality of coefficients across the two periods revealed no statistically significant differences in the determinants of ICT expenditures. This finding may indicate a relative stability in the factors shaping technology consumption behavior among Iranian households when facing major crises.

Keywords:  COVID-۱۹, cross-sectional analysis, digital divide, household, ICT, Iran, Tobit model