情報化の産業・社会へのインパクト

抄録

It has taken quite a while for “informatization” to progress, yet currently, it is expanding at an alarming pace.
“Informatization” is the intensive utilization of IT, Information Technology.
At present, the contributing boosting factors of “Informatization” are realized through both supply and demand components; namely, the expansion of Information Technology, widespread use of the Internet, and the introduction of re-engineering, mainly by corporate enterprises of developed countries.
“Informatization” will ultimately resolve into a network society which will run close to a “perfect marketplace”, where information is passed on instantly-ignoring the time/space constraint-at low cost. As a result, intermediary business agents that evolved from the information gap as an added-value will lose existence value, and hence disappear, while optimization of global procurement of materials and components will be made possible, thereby, increasing efficiency in procurement and sales. Furthermore, consumer lifestyles will change. Therefore, companies are expected to face up to the evolution of a network society and approach business expansion accordingly.
The biggest problem facing the network society is the digital divide.
Moreover, a new type of Information Appliance is in demand for this network society-one with easy operation along with high quality network capability and digital security-which will take over the role of personal computers.
In Japan, as part of corporate reform strategies, investment in IT is in full swing. In fact, IT investment is said to be the driving force behind Japan's capital investment. In addition to IT investments by corporate enterprises, “informatization” is accelerated by widespread use of the Internet, and furthermore, new stock exchange markets have been set up, all resulting in the emergence of Internet-related entrepreneurs in Japan. This phenomenon is expected to stimulate the industry and economy of Japan, which has been suffering from post-bubble stagnation. Yet on the other hand, “Internet-bubble” is a new phrase that has emerged up recently, indicating that this may end up as a one-off trend. “Informatization” itself is irreversible; therefore, deregulation, for example, is needed to encourage further entrepreneurs entering the market, and appropriate management of the newly opening stock market is expected, all in an effort to stop this becoming a one-off boom.
The future of 21st century Japan depends on whether or not Japan can adapt into the network society. This means we must urgently construct both a societal system and corporate strategy that respond to the Age of the Information network.