The Relationship Between Internet Usage and Decision Making: The Case of Information Technology (IT) Manager in China

Abstract

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This study investigates the relationship between Internet usage and the effectiveness of decision-making for information technology (IT) managers in the People's Republic of China. Based on the feedback of 123 managers from eight multinational IT companies in China, it was found that the Internet is effective in facilitating managerial decision-making. With China's entry to the WTO, the rate of Internet adoption will continue to accelerate. The ability to fully utilize the Internet's capability will increase the effectiveness of managerial decision-making, a key factor for enterprise competitiveness. This study is valuable for three key reasons: (1) China's Internet population is growing explosively and will rank among the largest in the world in the next several years; (2) Few studies in this area are found using data samples from China; and (3) IT managers are faced with critical decision-making everyday during volatile economic conditions.