Smart Phone Usage & Its Effect on Senior Citizens Empowerment "A Cross Sectional Study in Lahore"

Abstract

ABSTRACT Smartphones are inventions that currently provide immense benefits to empower the users in society. However, not all the users of society are using smart phones, more specifically, for this research study senior citizens’ (60+) are a demographic group displaying such an attitude. Bearing this in mind, this research study aimed to identify, examine and explain the effect of the usage of smartphones on seniors’ empowerment in Lahore within the 60 years old and above population. For this purpose, a conceptual framework, was formed drawing factors from the literature. Two variables from the literature were brought to consideration, which were use of technology (smartphone) and empowerment. For the research method, a quantitative approach was selected that involved the data collection method by a questionnaire survey that resulted in 159 respondents in the final phase. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS, where the results found that the formed hypotheses was supported, and the factor of smartphone usage influence the senior citizens’ empowerment. From these results, it was understood that senior citizens’ feel empowered by frequently used the basic features of smartphones such as making a phone call, SMS, email, and browsing. The contributions of this research are viewed to be in the field of industries, that through trainings they can encourage the usage of smart phones within the senior citizens’ population. Secondly, this research can inform the enlighten policy makers when forming decisions that encourage the use of smartphones within the seniors’ population. Regarding limitations, these existed in the form of finance and time. To overcome the limitations, this research recommends further studies that apply qualitative research and/or to provide a comparison between the other areas or cities of Pakistan.