The Architecture of Global Technological Diffusion
Infrastructure-embedded technologies took a median of 26.5 years to go from 10% to 50% of US households, five times as long as stand-alone products; today no low-income country has passed 50% internet use, and the poorest trail the rich by 20 to 34 years or more on the technologies that matter most. Income, schooling, institutions, finance, power and place explain 86% of cross-country diffusion, vaccination escapes them, and at equal income each 10 points of diffusion goes with 19% lower child mortality.