Research on Information Resources Industry and its Role in Economic Development

Abstract

With the increasing popularity and rapid development of information technology, the role of information resources to economic development become increasingly prominent. Based on industry information resources definition, the paper proposes a three-stage industry structure of information resources industry, including product stage, transmission stage and information services stage. Through the industrial structure study, this paper summarizes the five major characteristics of information resource industries: information flow and logistics are homogeneous, upstream and downstream links are reversible, intermediate links may be jumping, strong industrial integration, one-way open-loop and closed loop. The information resource is endogenous and exogenous. Therefore the paper studies the role of information resources promoting economic development, provides reference for management and development of information resources. Information resources industry conform the traditional growth model in the production cycle. But when the output is lower than that expected, new information resources make production into new growth cycle.