The information resources utilization index: a case study in China
Program: electronic library and information systems
ISSN: 0033-0337
Article publication date: 1 February 2016
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel method for measuring the utilization of information resources (IRs) in order to provide a complementary index for existing information development indices and to reveal the links between the use of IRs and the readiness of ICT.
Design/methodology/approach
This research mainly employs three types of research methodologies: literature study was conducted for defining the term of IRs and for finding the common features of the relevant indices; methods to construct composite indicators are used for developing a theoretical framework, selecting variables, imputation of missing data, normalization of data, weighting and aggregation of the novel index; a case study is carried out to provide a typical application for the index and to reveal the underlying links between the use of IRs and the readiness of ICT.
Findings
This paper for the first time proposes a method to measure the utilization of IRs from a Chinese perspective and provides its theoretical foundations, conceptual frameworks, main steps and curial techniques. Further, correlations between the use of IRs and the readiness of ICT in China between 2009 and 2011 are also descried.
Practical implications
Measuring the utilization of IRs provides the authorities with an alternative tool to monitor the evolutions a country toward information society. In addition, the novel index presented in this paper can also serve as a method to indentify the gaps among regions in deploying their IRs.
Originality/value
This is the first paper to introduce a new measure for utilization of IRs and is also the first paper to reveal links between the use of IRs and the readiness of ICT as well as Gross Domestic Product in China.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was funded by Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 71133006), National Social Science Foundation of China (No. 12 & ZD220; No. 13 & ZD184) and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities and the Research Funds of Renmin University of China (No. 15XNA006).
Citation
Borjigin, C., Feng, H., Zhang, B. and Zhao, G. (2016), "The information resources utilization index: a case study in China", Program: electronic library and information systems, Vol. 50 No. 1, pp. 2-15. https://doi.org/10.1108/PROG-07-2013-0041
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited