Technology Policy and The Diffusion of Computing: A Study in Asia-Pacific Nations

该项目涉及对一个独特的纵向数据库进行科学分析，该数据库关于技术政策在12个亚太国家普及计算方面的作用。其目的是：(1)描述计算技术国际传播的发展趋势；(2)加深对政府技术政策与计算传播之间关系的理解；(3)评估环境因素，特别是经济发展和计算基础设施对计算传播的影响。该方法涉及对计算扩散的范围、速度、广度和模式与两组自变量--环境因素和技术政策--之间的关系--按国家、跨国家和长期--进行量化分析。这些分析将使用1980-1992年期间已经收集的数据，每个国家每年都会补充这些数据。量化分析将通过参考每个国家的政治、经济和基础设施环境、其政府技术政策及其传播结果的定性案例来支持。这些分析还将由每个国家的熟悉政府技术政策和计算传播的专家审查。这项研究的结果将是对环境因素和政府技术政策对一国内和跨国计算机生产和使用普及的相对影响的新理解。结果还将包括一个国家总体经济状况与计算传播之间关系的一般模型；以及一个独特而有价值的数据库，其他学者可以用来研究相关的科学和政策问题。

This project involves the scientific analysis of a unique, longitudinal data base on the role of technology policy in the diffusion of computing in twelve Asia-Pacific countries. The purposes are to: (1) describe evolving trends in the international diffusion of computing technology; (2) develop understanding of the relationship between government technology policy and the diffusion of computing; and (3) assess the effect of environmental factors, especially economic development and computing infrastructure, on the diffusion of computing. The method involves quantitative analysis--by country, across countries, and over time--of relationships between the extent, rate, breadth and pattern of computing diffusion and two sets of independent variables: environmental factors and technology policy. The analyses will use data already collected for the period 1980-1992, which will be supplemented annually for each country. The quantitative analysis will be bolstered by reference to qualitative case histories of each country's political, economic and infrastructure environment, its government technology policy, and its diffusion results. The analyses also will be reviewed by experts in each country who are familiar with government technology policy and computing diffusion. The results of the research will be new understanding about the relative influences of environmental factors and of government technology policy on the diffusion of computing production and use within a country and across countries. The results also will include a general model of the relationship between general economic conditions in a country and computing diffusion; and a unique and valuable database that other scholars can use to pursue related scientific and policy questions.