A study of the relationship between the use of information and communication technology and creative activities in rural areas

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13270
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 04020:Human geography-related
• Research Institution: Kochi University
• Principal Investigator: Satake Yasukazu 高知大学, 教育研究部人文社会科学系教育学部門, 講師 (50834008)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ICT / 創造的活動 / クリエイティブ人材 / テレワーク / 副業・兼業 / 中山間地域 / 高知県

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between creative activities and information and communication technology (ICT) in rural areas from the perspective of regional revitalization. This study focused on offices as one of the locations for creative activities, and examined the impact of ICT on their location and the access to creative human resources, as a case study in Kochi Prefecture, Japan. In addition, the relationship between residents' activities and ICT in tourism management was discussed. These results showed the potential of ICT utilization to bring about new creative activities in rural areas, but also implied structural problems that prevent the use of ICT in creative activities.

Free Research Field

人文地理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本では世界に先駆けて農村地域にまでブロードバンドが整備されており、農村地域で高速かつ安定したICTが利用可能である。欧米の研究ではブロードバンドが「あれば」効果が期待できるという論調となるのに対し、本研究は実態調査を行うことで、欧米の議論にみられる理論的検討に対して実証的にアプローチすることができた。また本研究の成果から、農村地域のように創造的人材の乏しい地域においてもICTの活用により創造的活動へ展開できる可能性を示唆することができた。