Inequalities in hourly wages of Chilean entrepreneurs: The role of internet access and gender, educational, and territorial gaps
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22370/pe.2025.18.5103Keywords:
Entrepreneurship, Internet Access, Wage GapsAbstract
The advent of the Internet has benefited humanity across multiple dimensions, including increased business productivity and access to new markets. This study examines the effect of Internet access on hourly earnings among entrepreneurs in Chile, incorporating an inequality perspective based on gender, educational attainment, age, and geographic location. Using representative microdata from the 2022 CASEN Survey, the results reveal that connected entrepreneurs earn significantly higher incomes than those without digital access, with an average increase close to 60%. However, these benefits are not distributed equitably. Relative improvements are greater among women and older adults, yet they do not suffice to close existing structural gaps. Likewise, the highest economic returns are concentrated among individuals with higher education and those residing in urban areas, while the effects are more modest in rural contexts or among individuals with lower human capital. In this regard, digital connectivity functions more as an amplifier of preexisting advantages than as a redistributive mechanism. The study underscores the urgency of implementing public policies that promote digital inclusion with an intersectional and territorial focus, capable of ensuring that the benefits of technology effectively reach groups historically excluded from economic development.
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