Information Communication Technology Capital and Total Factor Productivity across sectors in Korea

Korean Abstract: 1970∼2005 . . , , , . , 2000 , . . , .English Abstract: This paper examines empirically whether information and communication technology (ICT) has improved total factor productivity at industry level in Korea, considering time lag between ICT capital accumulation and improvement of productivity. To evaluate if ICT is pervasive enough to raise productivity, ICT capital stock of Korea is compared with those of advanced economies. From the perspective of aggregate economy, the ICT capital in Korea has increased fast since the mid-1990s and became comparable with advanced economies. However it is mostly attributed to rapid growth of ICT-producing industries. In other industries, ICT capital is still less accumulated than advanced economies. Growth accounting results exhibit that the productivity has risen faster since 2000 in industries using ICT intensively, but looking into specific industries, it is not likely for ICT to be the main factor of productivity improvement except in business service industry. Regression results provide some evidence that ICT is useful in raising productivity only after considerable amount of time allowed. To fully exploit the positive effect of ICT on productivity, it may be necessary for the Korean economy to create institutional environment facilitating complementary innovations as well as ICT capital accumulation.