3 Review(s)

The proper choice of technology is a complex decision, particularly for developing countries, as it depends not only on local needs and conditions but also, importantly, on the national political context and, increasingly, on the international environment. This technological choice carries with it the genetic code of the nation's future development. Many developing countries which lack the needed infrastructure do not have real options; others with a reservoir of scientific and engineering skills and explicit SIT strategies, can indeed choose between alternatives. Turning to the technologies themselves, these cover a wide spectrum: traditional technologies that are low-cost, low-energy and often better suited to meet basic needs; more sophisticated technologies which are highly knowledge-intensive and require large capital outlays for research, product design and manufacturing; and still others which depend upon a blending of modern technology with traditional methods to create products and processes more suited to local needs. Even within the group of advanced technologies, there is considerable differentiation, and those at the lower end of the product cycle are clearly within reach by the newly industri- alizing countries.