Modeling IT for Growth: How China’s Informatization Index System Informs its Development Policy

摘要

China's information industry has now become its most powerful industry, and this in-tendedrnresult is a consequence of China's strategic informatization policy. This paperrnfocuses on the informatization process of over two decades. It introduces the back-groundrnand strategy; the implementation and challenges facing China; and the emer-gencernof a paradigmatic view that frames cultural background, assumptions, and basicrnprinciples. The aim of this paper is: ⅰ) to provide a framework to understand China'srnperspective on the impacts of information technology, and ⅱ) to describe the methodol-ogyrnbeing used to direct China's informatization. The paper's primary emphasis is onrnChina's "Informatization Index System," (IIS) which is its most important tool for measur-ingrnthe achievement of current informatization development, and for setting goals forrninformatization in the future. Consistent with the Chinese belief that change should berngood and the understanding that informatization is an on-going incremental process,rnevolving step by step, this paper raises some questions for further improving the modelrnfor China's IIS.rnThe opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not represent their insti-tutionsrnor any other person or entity.