33 IT : (A Review on a Comparative Advantage in IT Service Sector Among Korea-China-Japan: Focusing on Productivity Analysis)

Abstract

Korean Abstract: 사업 서비스는 기업의 전문성 강화 및 효율성 제고는 물론 산업전반의 효율성 개선과 구조 개선에 기여할 수 있다는 측면에서 최근 중요한 산업으로 주목받고 있다. 특히 IT 서비스 산업은 국제적 거래가 활발하고 여타 산업군의 생산성 향상에도 중요한 영향을 미치는 것으로 알려져 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 한·중·일 3국간 IT 서비스 산업 여건에 대한 종합적 비교우위 검토를 통해 3국간 협력활성화 방안을 중심으로 한 정책적 시사점을 도출하고자 하였다. 이를 위한 방법론으로 먼저 한·중·일 3국의 IT 서비스 산업 현황 및 여건을 살펴보고, 비교우위의 핵심적 요인이라 할 수 있는 생산성 분석과 보완적인 지표로서 제도적 요인에 대한 비교분석을 수행하였다. English Abstract: IT service sector is considered as an important industry as it could enhance the efficiency of enterprises, improve a country’s economic structure by advancing productivity of other industries. Thus, this research attempts to draw policy implication towards cooperative activities among Korea, China and Japan based on an analysis on a comparative advantage of the IT service industry, focusing on productivity analysis. First, looking into the main features of the IT service industry in Korea, China, and Japan, the three countries commonly showed high proportion in the System Integration sector, sales concentrated in few conglomerates, low intra-trade and investment proportion within the region and low front back industry relating effect. Meanwhile the IT service sector in Korea and China has shown high growth rate. Second, as a result of the productivity (efficiency) analysis, productivity gap between the three countries exists but the gap is narrowing between China/Korea and Japan. However it seems that the gap reduction is based on a chasing effect from the efficiency gap reduction at corporate level rather than from the technological advance effect. Also, we have discovered that each country’s institution framework including ICT technology related domestic regulations, transparency, bureaucracy, and government policy has substantial effect on productivity in IT sector. Based on the paper results, we attempt to draw the following implications to further enhance cooperation in IT service sector between the three countries. First, Korea need active initiatives to lower the barrier to entry for the IT service government procurement market. Korea also needs to aggregate company level data to conduct a productivity comparison. Moreover, considering the high competitive environment focused on the system integration sector among the IT service industry, Korea needs to diversity its support toward other strategic IT service industries. Last but not least, active supporting policies from the Korean government towards improving conditions for innovative small businesses and training professional manpower are also needed to maintain and advance Korea’s comparative advantage in the IT service sector.