Digital competences in the Economy 4.0 and their determinants

Objective: The article aims to assess the differentiation of the level of digital competences of young adults and identification of factors influencing the level of these competences among respondents disadvantaged by the digital divide. Research Design & Methods: The article discusses the differences in the level of digital competences among young adults in Poland. The determinants of the level of digital competences among respondents at risk of digital exclusion were identified and, based on a regression tree analysis, it was indicated which of them best predict a low level of digital competences. Material from our own research conducted on a nationwide sample of 1,000 respondents was used. The catalogue of digital competences was taken from The European Digital Competence Framework (DigComp). Radar plots, box-plot plots, and regression trees were used to analyse the data. Findings: As a result of the research, determinants of the low level of digital competences were identified, such as the type of place of residence, the level of education, and the level of social and cognitive competences. Moreover, it has been shown that the level of digital competences of people at risk of digital exclusion is only slightly differentiated by gender. Implications/Recommendations: Reducing digital competence deficits is possible by participating in the education process. While competence gaps among young people can be reduced through formal education, in the case of professionally active people this is possible mainly through participation in informal and non-formal education. In the light of the research results, the development of digital competences requires the simultaneous development of cognitive and social competences. Contribution: The article fills a research gap in the field of digital competences of young adults in Poland. Individual digital skills were measured and factors that differentiate their level were identified. It was also indicated which of the identified determinants best predict the risk of digital divide among young adults in Poland, which is the novel factor in the paper.