Socioeconomic conditions related to information activity in less developed countries

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Abstract
This study relates social and economic conditions in less developed countries with measures of information activity. Using factor analysis, seven socioeconomic indicators and three information activity indicators are derived. The three information activity indicators are written communications, technology, and libraries. They reflect, respectively, the LDCs' involvement in mainstream science and publishing, the LDCs' purchase of computer technology and granting of patents, and the extent of the LDCs' libraries. Each of these three indicators are independent dimensions suggesting to policy makers that each must be considered separately in policy planning. Regression analyses are performed with each of the three information activity indicators as the dependent variable and the seven socioeconomic indicators as the independent variables. The results of these analyses show that LDCs actively buying information and other technology are less active in basic, mainstream science. This appears to be less true for those LDCs with a larger gross national product and greater affluence.