디지털 경제시대의 정부정책방향 : 정책의 혁신과 Benchmarking

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Development of the information technology (IT) industry as depicted by the Internet is rapidly changing the analogue economy into the digital economy.
Digital economy is the economy in which a broad range of information is systematically analyzed through digits expressing continuous analogue signals with 「a combination of 0s and 1s」so that it can be applied to the decision making process. As we approach this digital era, the existing energy-intensive social structure is shifting toward a knowledge and information-intensive one. In other words, a pyramid type, vertical, specialized and Taylor type organization is moving toward one that is properly networked as well as intensely concentrated so that information can flow naturally within inside.
As the areas of human activities expand from off-line to on-line, digitalization is now "a matter of survival" rather than that of choice worldwide. It has become necessary to establish strategy that responds to the super-rapid digital revolution and secure an edge in international digital competition in order to maintain continued national competitiveness. Don Tapscott (1997) enumerated ten information technological changes in the digital economy. Moreover, Prof. Thurow of Harvard University (1999) forecasted that: "In the digital economy where discontinuity in technological advances is repeated time after time, only those nations and industries that boldly discard their outdated technologies and adapt new technologies will succeed."
In the digital economy, the importance of dual direction multimedia is growing as the three technological factors - the computer (computer, software, and services), telecommunications (telephone, cable, and satellite), and contents (entertainment, publishing, and the information provider) - organically integrated. That is to say, in the digital economy, technological innovation and the creation, diffusion, and application of knowledge assets are becoming the new metaphors. Regarding technological innovation as an endogenous variable of economic growth, which began with Schumpeter in the 1960s, the OECD (1998) developed a model of the national innovation system in which a nation's performance is decided by the following elements; innovation and networking ability of the industry, the science system that creates scientific knowledge, regional innovation systems, global networking, and industrial clustering. Furthermore, technological innovation has a close relationship with the creation, diffusion, and application of knowledge assets. Efforts are currently underway, centered upon the OECD, to gauge those economic impact effects.
The digital economy, with the enlarging gaps taking place between "those who are informed" and "those who are not" within the flood of information, is restructuring industry with failure of enterprises that do not adapt to digitalization and birth among nations. Therefore, for the time being, the outlook is for the advanced nations like the US, Japan and European states to enjoy the advantages of the digital economy. In all reality, those nations show little difference, and have been engaged in systematic preparations for the digital revolution since the late 1980s. Things they share in common include: 1) providing environments appropriate to on-line industrial activities, 2) strengthening the capacity of science and technology, 3) creation of new industries and strengthening clustering, 4) building a cooperative system for enhancing the capabilities and values of industries, and 5) nurturing creative human resources and creating social environments for giving favorable treatment to them.
Meanwhile, the development of the digital economy also has far reaching effects not only on the on-line industries, but on off-line industries like the existing manufacturing sector as well. Economic growth throughout the would caused by the development of information and telecommunications ranges from 10-20%, and the spill-over effect of technology diffusion in the on-line industries is very huge. Development of the medical industry using applied CAD-CAM and development of the automobile industry using electronic devices goes without mentioning. The rapid increase in internet sales of such things as stock exchanges and airplane tickets and the development of home shopping through electronic commerce has also led to reduction of at least 2% and at most 40% in the logistical cost. Sachs (1999) explained this exemplifying the US market.
In responding to such changes, Korea also must change. The role of the government is very important especially because Korea is in the early stage of digital economy. The Korean government also recognizes the importance of the digital economy. Unfortunately, however, Korea's governmental bureaucratic system, due to its behavioral habits of maintaining the vested interests, lack of specialties, and the state of the bureaucratic system that dislikes change, does not show big changes.
Therefore, the following are the tasks that the Korean government must undertake in order to go forward. First, improve the laws and the systems for building the digital economy. Second, raise the science and technology innovation capabilities that determine national economic competitiveness and expand the R&D budget. Third, promote venture firms that strengthen the competitiveness of the industries related to the digital economy and invite foreign advanced technology industries to Korea. Forth, establish policies that nurture and attract specialized human resources who are lacking in the fields of e-business and IT. Five, foster a favorable atmosphere in society for scientists and engineers, and make it possible to discover individuals with talent in science at an early stage.
As the influence that the digital economy brings with it in the future has no limit, it would be desirable for Korea to strengthen networking so that a win-win strategy can be realized instead of pursuing a zero-sum game. The government should build a basis for this. As only about 20% of the world's population now enjoys the advantages of the digital economy, it is also necessary for the Korean government to join the world community in efforts to expand that figure.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Ⅰ. 서 론
• Ⅱ. 디지털 경제에 관한 이론적 고찰
• Ⅲ. 디지털 경제의 주요 동인 분석
• Ⅳ. 디지털 경제시대의 혁신정책 과제
• Ⅴ. 한국에 주는 시사점과 개선방안
• Ⅵ. 결론