Abstract:

The article proposes a macro-level scale effect calculation method based on the growth accounting frame-work, and conducts a preliminary calculation of the scale effect of China's digital economy based on input-output data and statistical yearbook data from 2002 to 2020. The calculation results show that: first, the scale effect of China's digital economy shows cyclical fluctuation characteristics along with economic growth. Second, during the post–crisis period from 2009 to2011, the scale effect of the digital economy caused by China's insufficient effective ICT investment was gradually evolving into a negative state caused by overinvestment in ICT. Third, the period from 2012 to 2017 was the second development and prosperity period of China's Internet. Finally, the changing trend in the contribution of intermediate goods investment in China's digital industry can be divided into three stages. The 2013-2015 stage showed a slightly negative performance, while the two stages before and after showed a positive scale effect.

Key words:

digital economy, scale effect, ICT capital calculation