Technological leapfrogging: Implications for developing countries

Abstract

Introduction Technology comes with mixed blessings. It considerably enhances human muscular and mental capabilities, and conditions our living surroundings to make it more and more comfortable. However, often inadvertently, its application is also degrading the geophysical environment, disrupting the ecological balance, and disturbing the evolutionary nature of the social change processes. Furthermore, abuse or careless use of technology is threatening total annihilation of human life on earth. And yet, there is cause for hope. To improve the quality of life of the teeming population of the underdeveloped world, to undo the negative impacts of the past and present technological activities of the industrialized world, and also to provide a deterrent to self-destruction or irresponsible acts of carelessness-we need technology now more than before. In other words, we need technology for sustainable development. There is no unique path to development. Experiences gained by the early developers and the newly industrialized countries, show that neither the size of the population nor the natural resources endowment can guarantee a country’s economic success or failure. However, experience also shows that technology seems to matter more. Based on this recent realization, the productive and efficient utilization of technology is considered as central to the economic development process of the present world, both developed and developing. It is now well accepted that technology plays a decisive role in every sector of national development-be it food production, education, energy, or communication and transportation. The widespread recognition of the crucial role of technology in national development has led to considerable international deliberations on the issues related to technology policy formulation and planning in the developing countries. The countries of the Asian region are, thus, paying increasing attention to the application of technology for development. However, recent studies [7, 81 have shown that, although there are expressed interests, most of the efforts in using technology as a strategic variable for socioeconomic development planning in the developing countries have still remained problematic. These