Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship (벤처창업연구)

The Korean Society of Business Venturing (한국벤처창업학회)
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Impacts of ICT Development on Income Inequality

ICT 발전과 소득불평등 간의 관계 분석

  • Cho, Wooje (School of Business Administration, University of Seoul) ;
  • Jung, Yoonhyuk (School of Media & Communication, Korea University) ;
  • Kim, Sahangsoon (School of Business Administration, University of Seoul)
  • 조우제 (서울시립대학교 경영학부) ;
  • 정윤혁 (고려대학교 미디어학부) ;
  • 김상순 (서울시립대학교 경영학부)
  • Received : 2020.01.20
  • Accepted : 2020.02.19
  • Published : 2020.02.29
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Abstract

The development of information and communication technology (ICT) provides many opportunities for businesses to increase productivity, to have better relationships with customers and suppliers, and to develop new products more efficiently and effectively. However, recently, there have been claims that ICT development in a country would increase income inequality of the country. In this debate, we examine the impact of ICT development on the income inequality at the country level. Data of 28 OECD countries were used for our study. According to results of the analysis, a country with a higher level of ICT development is likely to have a lower the level of income inequality. There have been many concerns that development of ICTs may result in a higher level of income inequality mainly because wealthy companies or individuals can more affordable to utilize advanced ICT and ICTs have replaced labor. However, there has been no such identified impact, at least in recent OECD countries. Rather, we can expect ICT development to play a role in lowering income inequality of a country.

정보통신기술(ICT)의 발전은 기업들과 개인들에게 많은 혜택을 주고 있다. 하지만, 최근 이 혜택이 대기업과 고소득 개인에게만 편중되어 정보통신기술의 발전이 소득불평등을 악화시킨다는 주장이 나오고 있다. 이러한 주장은 첨단 정보통신기술을 도입하고 활용하는데 사용되는 자본이 결과적으로 노동을 대체하면서 노동자의 수입이 자본가에게 돌아가게 되고, 이 영향으로 소득불평등 정도가 높아진다는 논리로 뒷받침되고 있다. 또한, 첨단 ICT 활용에 상대적으로 유리한 대기업이 중소기업에 비해 경쟁력을 강화하여 기업 간 격차도 더 벌린다는 우려도 있다. 반면, 인터넷은 중소기업이나 저소득 개인이 적은 비용으로 정보, 지식, 콘텐츠 등을 접근하고 획득할 수 있기 때문에 소득불평등을 개선한다는 주장도 설득력이 있다. 이와 같은 논쟁에 있어 본 논문은 OECD 28개 국가들의 거시적 지표 데이터를 사용하여 한 국가의 정보통신기술의 발전이 해당 국가의 소득 불균형에 미치는 영향을 실증분석 하였다. 분석 결과에 의하면 정보통신기술의 발전 정도가 높을수록 소득불평등 정도는 낮은 것으로 나타났다. 즉, 적어도 최근 OECD 국가들에게서는 ICT 발전이 소득 불균형을 악화시키는 영향은 발견되지 않았으며, 오히려 완화시키는 역할을 기대할 수 있는 것으로 나타났다. 추가적으로 분석한 ICT 발전 정도가 지니계수 변화율에 미치는 영향에 대한 실증 분석에서도 ICT 발전 정도가 높은 나라일수록 지니계수가 줄어들 확률이 큰 것으로 나타났다.

Keywords

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