As a partner of WIP, the Center for Social Development of Chinese Academy of Social Science (CASS) launched its Internet research at the end of 1999. Administratively supported by the former State Council’s Informatization Office, the CASS Internet research is independently designed and directed by deputy director Guo Liang, CASS Center for Social Development. Compared with the WIP survey, the CASS research has the following characteristics:
l It focuses on urban residents rather than being a national survey because only about 6 percent of the population in China is Internet users.
l It is based on door-to-door household interviews rather than telephone surveys because many Chinese households do not have phones, and we could not expect the respondents to answer the complicated questionnaire over the phone.
l There are different surveys for adults and teenagers because of differences between the two groups.
l In addition to the survey, we also conducted case studies in small cities (see the CASS Report, Approaching the Internet in Small Chinese Cities).
Future Research:
Sample Expanded to ALL Cities
Considering the international comparison in WIP and the case study results in the year 2003 that many people in small cities are using the Internet, we intend to expand the survey to all the cities in China, instead of only choosing some cities by our own, targeting 10,000 respondents aged 16-70. So in the coming 3 years, the CASS Internet survey will cover ALL the cities in China. From 2008, we will try to do a real national random sample, in addition with an add-on user sample, if Internet users are not enough in the national sample.
Longitude Research
The research is designed as a longitude research tracking the Internet impact on the same group of people. Yet we failed to do so partly because the lack of funding. We will try to continue the panel studies if the funding allows.
E-commerce
With the rapid growth of Internet use and the development of delivery system and the credit/debit card, E-commerce is playing more and more important role. We will add more questions, in reference with WIP questions, in the coming surveys.
Broadband and Wireless
The broadband and wireless access to the Internet in China has been mushrooming since early last year. Hence more questions will be asked about the usage and impact.
Teenagers
Considering many Internet users are young students and the questionnaire to them should be different from adults, we propose a special survey targeting 7,000 teenagers in 7 cities.
Media Coverage and Comments
“The Internet has the potential to contribute significantly to the future of the people of China. Professor Guo’s findings show that in China, the Internet has ability to expand the flow of information and spur economic growth.”
Zoë Baird, Chairman of Markle Foundation
“I've been very impressed by the work that Guo Liang and his team have done. Their surveys on Internet use in China are the best available and definitely worth reading.”
Michael R. Nelson
Director for IBM Internet Technology and Strategy
“I have reviewed Dr. Guo's research and find it to be extremely valuable. Not only is his methodology sound, but his choice of areas to research shows great insight on the market and advanced analytical thought. His research describes the behavior of the emerging interactive industry in China not heretofore available. It will provide data to scholars and business people for years to come.”
Scott Woelfel,
Co-founder and former President & Editor-in-chief of CNN.com
“The surveys, conducted by the government-backed Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, are the most extensive on Internet use in China to date.”
Charles Hutzler, Wall Street Journal
“The political dimensions of the report apart, the CASS findings are highly regarded, as there are few other reports of comparable depth and detail mapping China's Internet potential and penetration.”
Jayanthi Iyengar, Asia Times
“Guo's survey's findings offer an unusual window into how the Internet is transforming politics in China.”
Patrick Casey, Associated Press
“This project is a long term panel study, at the same time, a part of collaborating project of WIP in China with extensive social and economic value and a global scope.”
Chen, Yinwei, China Youth Daily
“The country's most extensive academic research on the subject to date.”
Chua Chin Hon, The Straits Times
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