Lee, Jae Whoan (1992). Information Dependency and Information Development in Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs): the Case of the Republic of Korea (ROK). (Doctoral dissertation, University of California, Los Angeles, 1992). UMI Dissertation Services, 99, 999.

Introduction

This dissertation discusses dependency issues as related to information development in Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs). The theoretical foundation was drawn from theories in “dependency” and of “information societies.” The main assertion of the dependency school – the more dependency, the less development – was applied for a test of relationship between dependency on foreign scientific and technical information (STI) resources and indigenous STI development in NICs.

The dissertation utilizes a case study method to explore the causes and results of dependency on foreign scientific and technical information in – The republic of Korea (ROK). The economic factors that might have influenced the ROK’s dependency on foreign STI were identified. The social factors that might have associated with the R&D personnel’s dependency on foreign STI resources were investigated.

Regarding the development of information area, the dissertation discusses general features in the ROK’s national information policy and infrastructure as well as major changes in the process of producing, organizing, and gatekeeping indigenous STI. The R&D personnel’s pattern of using foreign STI resources and technologies were identified. The dissertation also discusses the socio-economic progress toward an information society in ROK for the past decades (1980-1991).
Major findings include:

1. There is a significant relationship between social dependency and information dependency;

2. The more dependent on foreign technologies for economic development, the more dependent on foreign STI resources;

3. The more dependent on foreign STI resources, the less productive at the domestic level of S&T research;

4. The more productive at the international level of S&T research, the further along is the evolution toward an information society;

5. The more investment to the R&D sector, the further along is the evolution toward an information society. *

· Attributes of an Information Society are (a) economic structure, (b) consumption of information, (c) technological infrastructure, and (d) multidimensional approaches. The dissertation uses the definitions used in the pioneering work of Bell and Muchlup, along with the definition used in Japanese studies. It attempts to define an information society from a multidimensional perspective.

· Many studies have introduced several measurement tools to calculate the total amount of information that a society produces, to measure a society’s power to consume information, or to measure the size of information workforce in a society’s total occupational structure.

Methodology

This dissertation has two propositions:

1. There is a significant relationship between social dependency (SDY) and information dependency (IDY) at the individual R&D member level; and
2. There are significant relationships among economic dependency (EDY), information dependency (IDY), information development (IDT), and evolution towards an information society (EIS) at the national level.

Hypotheses and Variables

Hypotheses	Independent variables	Dependent variables
One	SDY	IDY
Two	EDY	IDY
Three	IDY	IDT
Four	IDT	EIS

Proposed Relationships between Variables in Hypotheses

At the individual R&D member level SDY – [1] à IDY == [2] è IDT the more SDY, the more IDY – positive the more IDY, the less IDT – negative – not tested in this study
At the national level EDY – [3] à IDY – [4] à IDT – [5] à EIS 3. the more EDY, the more IDY – positive 4. the more IDY, the less IDT – negative 5. the more IDT, the more EIS – positive
SDY	Social Dependency (individual)
IDY	Information Dependency (individual & national)
EDY	Economic Dependency (national)
IDT	Information Development (national)
EIS	Evolution towards an Information Society (national)

Need for Research Update

· Measurement/framework/definition of information society from a multidimensional perspective needs update. The advent of the Internet and its related technology has tremendous impact on the traditional attributes of information society – namely economic structure, information consumption, and technological infrastructure. Review of current literature – from 1990 to 2000, will properly reflect a multidimensional perspective of information society at present time.

· Classical measurements that have been used in the United States and other developed countries will be adopted in the context of developing countries e.g. Thailand. The measurement will take into account the attributes of the Internet and its related technology.

· To address related aspects on global information society, global digital divide – between the have and have-not countries, and the international information flow. One of the Lee’s findings in his dissertation was “the more productive at the international level of S&T research, the further along is the evolution toward an information society and the more investment to the R&D sector, the further along is the evolution toward an information society.” How would an agricultural society like Thailand transform herself into an information society? or Should Thailand transform herself into an information society?

Last updated: April 18, 2001