Mobile phones are one of the most common information access devices with almost 31% of the global population having access. This exploratory study investigated usage patterns of, and attitude about, cell phones among university students in a mature market (United States) and a rapidly growing new market (India) by surveying students in each country. Key findings from the study include similarities in the usage of phones to communicate with others and in the perception of mobile phone usage in public settings, and differences in the use of text messaging and opinions regarding driving and mobile phone usage. Overall these results suggest students in India use mobile phones differently from their American counterparts. In a developing market like India, mobile phones may be the primary and only phone to which students have access.
Headings:
Information science / International aspects
Multiculturism
Surveys/Knowledge Management India United States University students
MOBILE PHONE USAGE PATTERNS AMONGST UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN INDIA AND USA by Sayan Chakraborty
A Master’s paper submitted to the faculty of the School of Information and Library Science of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in
Information Science.
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
April 2006
Approved by
_______________________________________
Diane Kelly
Table of Contents
Introduction.....................................................................................................................1
Literature Review.............................................................................................................3
Importance of