Determining appropriateness for management of appropriate technology: an empirical study using factor analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Appropriate technology’s significance has been growing due to the burgeoning interest in constraint-based innovation that transforms plausible challenges into practical solutions. However, the notion of technological appropriateness in appropriate technology management remains under-explored, following a prescriptive trajectory from earlier studies. This study assesses factors that establish appropriateness in a developing country context using a multi-case design approach. The cases involve both organisations and institutions that are engaged in the design, development, and dissemination of appropriate technologies. The empirical data obtained from the cases are analyzed using an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to determine the appropriateness for the management of appropriate technology. The findings generate four factors that define appropriateness. They include entailing appropriate design for sustainability, participatory mode of development, sustainable rural delivery mechanism, and indigenous knowledge development. The seminal contribution of this study provides a predictive understanding of appropriateness for effective technology functioning at the grassroots.