Mapping Electronic Gadget Usage in Urban Himachal Pradesh: A Demographic Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2024.v09.n11.038Keywords:
Social media, Social Media Platforms, Digital content, Digital Gadgets, customer EngagementAbstract
This study aims to explore the usage patterns of electronic gadgets among the urban population of Himachal Pradesh with a focus on four big cities, i.e., Shimla, Dharamshala, Solan, and Mandi. Data were collected using a purposive sampling technique from 472 respondents and analysed with the help of Dichotomy analysis to identify the usage pattern of the digital gadgets and to assess the variation in the usage pattern across the six demographic variables, i.e., Age, City, Gender, Education, Income, and Occupation. Findings reveal that people typically use more than three devices at once, with smartphones being the most popular, followed by laptops, smartwatches, Bluetooth speakers, and earphones. It was discovered that fewer people used fitness trackers. It's interesting to note that usage habits did not significantly differ among demographic groups, suggesting widespread embrace of digital technology. The report emphasizes the necessity of mobile-first policy approaches, inclusive digital literacy initiatives, and enhanced digital infrastructure.
References
Agarwal, S., & Chatterjee, P. (2018). Impact of socio-economic status on the adoption of digital devices. Journal of Digital Behavior, 7(3), 123–134.
Bhatia, V. (2019). Smartphone addiction among urban youth in Shimla: A sociological perspective. Himachal Journal of Social Studies, 12(2), 88–97.
Chaudhary, M., Sodhi, J. S., & Ahuja, M. (2021). Bridging India’s digital divide: Understanding regional inequality. Journal of Information Technology & Public Policy, 9(1), 34–49.
Dwivedi, Y. K., Rana, N. P., Jeyaraj, A., Clement, M., & Williams, M. D. (2020). Re-examining technology adoption models in the era of digital transformation. Information Systems Frontiers, 22(2), 243–257.
IAMAI. (2022). Internet in India Report. Internet and Mobile Association of India.
Kumar, N., & Bansal, A. (2020). Educational background and usage of digital tools in India. Journal of Educational Technology, 18(4), 56–63.
McKinsey & Company. (2021). Digital India: Technology to transform a connected nation.
MeitY. (2015). Digital India: Power to empower. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
NASSCOM. (2020). Unlocking value from the digital economy: India’s next big leap.
OECD. (2021). Digital education outlook 2021: Leveraging technology in education.
Poushter, J. (2016). Smartphone ownership and internet usage continues to climb in emerging economies. Pew Research Center.
Ragnedda, M., & Muschert, G. W. (2013). The digital divide: The internet and social inequality in international perspective. Routledge.
Rathore, A. S., & Ilavarasan, P. V. (2020). Understanding youth adoption of smartphones in Indian cities. Technology in Society, 63, 101387.
Sharma, R., & Sood, P. (2021). Gender and digital inclusion: Urban women’s access to gadgets in Himachal Pradesh. Indian Journal of Gender Studies, 28(3), 342–359.
Shukla, A., & Tripathi, R. (2017). City-level infrastructure and gadget adoption in India. Urban Technology Review, 6(2), 45–54.
Singh, R., & Srivastava, M. (2022). Technology adoption in Tier-2 and Tier-3 Indian cities: A behavioral perspective. Indian Journal of Marketing, 52(3), 22–35.
Statista. (2023). Electronic device usage trends in India.
TRAI. (2022). Annual report on telecom and internet penetration in India. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
UNESCO. (2020). COVID-19 impact on education: Insights and implications.
Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478.
World Bank. (2021). Digital development in South Asia: Accelerating inclusion and growth.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).