Macroscopic Growth Process and Stage Analysis of Information Systems of Chinese Manufacturing Enterprises

This paper develops a general law of the macroscopic growth process of information systems of Chinese manufacturing enterprises. Based on the classical study of Nolan, we collected related history data of information systems construction by means of an investigation of 207 manufacturing enterprises in China. Then, taking the annual total expenditures on information systems as index, we divide the information systems growth process with the optimal partition method. As a result, information systems macroscopic growth process of Chinese manufacturing enterprises from the end of 1970’s to present is divided into five stages, i.e., germination stage (1970's - early 1980's); initiation stage (the middle of 1980's -1992); diffusion stage (1993-1998); fast development stage (1999-present); harmonious development stage (in future). At last we analyze the characteristics of each stage from the distribution proportion of enterprises size, starting to implement informatization and build a LAN, application field, investment content, development mode of information systems and forecast the development trend.