University of Surrey Study: Digital Inclusion Funding 'Misses the Mark' Despite Two Decades of Investment

A peer-reviewed study from the University of Surrey, published in Management and Organization Review and widely reported on May 9, 2026, found that millions across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania remain excluded from meaningful digital participation despite sustained international investment. Drawing on evidence from 122 studies across the Global South, the core finding was that the biggest barrier to impact is fragmentation — governments, private sector actors, and international organizations consistently act in parallel but rarely in genuine partnership. The study called for coordinated multi-stakeholder digital inclusion frameworks with binding accountability mechanisms, rather than isolated single-pillar programs that fail the most marginalized communities.