Economic Impact of ICT in the Ubiquitous Information Age

本研究的目的是探讨信息通信技术在无处不在的信息时代的影响，并将其与20世纪90年代的特征区分开来。在本研究中，我们首先建立了分析框架。它们是(1)对技术的使用和生产的分析，不仅关注硬件，还关注软件和内容；(2)对三个主要经济主体的分析；公司、消费者和政府。在此基础上，我们基于总生产函数模型和增长会计模型进行宏观层面的分析，基于投入产出表进行行业层面的分析，基于问卷调查和访谈对商业部门和政府机构各领域的实证研究进行微观层面的分析。本研究表明，无处不在的信息时代伴随着宽带互联网的快速普及，自2002年以来，推动日本经济复苏的因素之一是对信息通信技术的新需求和生产，特别是在新型数字消费电子产品和宽带互联网业务领域。因此，日本在信息经济的某些领域具有全球竞争优势。换句话说，无处不在的宽带信息趋势为日本企业家带来了新的市场和商机。然而，日本经济仍存在一些需要克服的挑战。它们是企业改革和机构改革。这些改革并不是新的挑战，而是自上世纪90年代以来的要求。不完善的企业改革不能使日本企业充分发挥信息技术的优势，不完善的制度改革也不能为企业提供繁荣的商业机会。这项研究的结论是，如果日本成功地适应无处不在的信息时代，它可以实现2.5或更多的经济增长。

Purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of ICT in the ubiquitous information age and to distinguish its features from those in the 1990s.In this research, we first established an analytical framework. They are (1) analysis on both use and production of the technology focusing on not only hardware but also software and content, and (2) analysis on three major economic agents ; firms, consumers, and governments. Then we conduct macroeconomic analysis based on aggregate production function model and growth accounting model, industry level analysis based on Input-Output table, and micro level analysis based on empirical studies from questionnaire as well as interviews for the various fields of the business I sectors and government agencies.This study reveals that ubiquitous information age goes along with rapid pervasion of broadband internet use and that one of the factors that has driven Japan's economic recovery since 2002 is new demand and production of the ICT, especially in the field of new digital consumer electronics and broadband internet businesses. Consequently, Japan has an advantage of the global competition in some area of the information economy. In other words, ubiquitous and broadband information trends generate new markets and business opportunities for the Japanese entrepreneurs.Japanese economy, however, still has several challenges that should be overcome. They are corporate reforms and institutional reforms. These reforms are not new challenges but have been required since 1990s. Incomplete corporate reform will not lead Japanese firms to reap the full advantages of information technology and incomplete institutional reform will not provide prosperous business opportunities for the firms. This research concludes that Japan can achieve two and half or more economic growth if it successfully adapts itself for the ubiquitous information age.