The China Information Technology Handbook

Miltiadis D. Lytras and Patricia Ordez de Pablos Department of Computer Engineering and Informatics, University of Patras, Greece Dept. of Business Administration and Accountability, University of Oviedo, Spain China is a fast-growing emerging economy and current impressive economic growth rate of almost 9 percent annually. Its contribution to global GDP growth since 2000 has been almost twice as large as that of the next three biggest eme- ing economies (India, Brazil and Russia) combined. Some even refer to China as the mother of emerging markets and transition economies. Directly or indirectly the Chinese economy has influenced interest rates, prices for raw materials and wages in the western established economies. Currently China is the most R&D intense of emerging market countries and is seventh of all countries in the world. Its economic power is exemplified by the fact that it is - pected to be the fifth largest source of outward foreign direct investment during 2004- 2007. Working with Chinese firms has become a reality for the vast majority of m- agers in Western countries. With its high growth rate, the presence and impact of the Chinese economy will only become larger. With Chinas importance on the global scale set to grow faster than ever shows a unique window to observe the changes that will chart the course of the future in this region of the world. One of the keys to dealing with China is und- standing the complex dynamic between rapid change and tradition.