The impact of IT use on migration intentions in rural communities

The main goal of this study is to identify potential factors that close the urban–rural digital gap, as well as to determine how one's ‘degree of personal IT use’ enhanced through digital gap bridging efforts affects rural–urban migration intention. To accomplish the goal, an integrated structural model was established. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to residents in rural areas in Korea. Of 302 responses collected, 272 were usable. PLS (Partial Least Squares) were used for analysis. Main effects and moderating effects were both investigated. Perceived usefulness for job and perceived playfulness turned out to be the strongest variables influencing personal IT use in the rural area. However, influence of interpersonal norm and social norm were not significant. Elder people having positive perception of IT use are less likely to leave for urban areas. More educated people tend to more optimistically evaluate the value of IT use; however, they are more likely to leave for urban areas. Lower income families tend to have less negative perception of IT use as their degree of IT use increases. The findings stress the importance of rural adult education and extension, as well as IT infrastructure construction. The contribution of this study is to provide the ground work for a government or policy maker with the purpose of closing the digital gap and minimizing rural–urban immigration in selecting which group to target.