ABSTRACT
In the second half of the twentieth century, the revolution in information technology is the main driving force of economic growth, and it plays a key role in enhancing the international competitiveness for enterprises and industries. The competition among countries is focused on scientific and technological innovation and economic strength. According to development history of technology and economy, technological innovation only contributed to 5 percent of economic growth in the beginning of the twentieth century, rising to about 15 percent in the 1920–1930s, then up to 40 percent in the 1940–1950s, 60 percent in the 1970–1980s, and even to over 70 percent in 1990s (Li, 1999). In the United States, technological progress contributed to 40 percent of economic growth from 1929 to 1978, allocation of resources was 20 percent, investment was 15 percent, improved the labor force quality was 12 percent, and 13 percent of economic scale. Technological innovation contributed to 63.9 percent of economic growth in Britain in 1950–1962, Germany was 81.9 percent, Japan was 65 percent in 1952–1968, South Korea was 56.4 percent in 1955–1970s, Hong Kong was 46.5 percent in 1955–1970s. China was 19 percent in 1952–1982, increased to 30.3 percent in 1979–1990, and reached 40 percent in 1991–1995 (The Institute of China Information Industry, 2006). The above discussion suggests that the technological innovation is an important source of modern economic growth, and also an important way of keeping sustainable industrial growth and improving industrial competitiveness.
