IGNOU FST CHAPTER 28 Q1(Assignment 2017)

Q)Detailed account on ways of technology transfer
Ans)Let us see what the features of the import of technology are
Import of Technology
This form of transfer involves transferring the external expertise associated with the capabilities of more developed nations to the lesser developed nations, who require it for accelerated industrialization. This can be done in several ways: through licensing, joint ventures with foreign firms, direct foreign investment, etc. Its efficiency depends on many factors like the supplier's ability and desire to transfer, the recipient's socio-economic and cultural environment and communications processes
Clearly, technology import could be advantageous. A major gain is that it would help to save considerable time, money and energy by skipping the stages which other countries had to pass to achieve the present level of development. But in practice import of technology has a lot of problems and disadvantages.

      The buying of technology may be very expensive. Take, for example the buying of the latest defense          aircraft from France. Though we have saved money on going through the various stages of research and    development, we still have to pay large sums of money to buy these aircraft outright.This is because the price includes the developmental expenditure that France incurred in this connection!So we end up  paying for research and development, and that too in foreign exchange.Further, the R&d within the country also remains undeveloped. 

• Imported technology often comes with restriction or "political strings" attached to it by the supplier. For example, For example India used to import enriched uranium from the united states to use in its fission reactors. A time came when the US government insisted that we sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferaton treaty, otherwise they would stop the supply. India refused to do so and argued that this was not a condition in the original agreement
• The suppler often unloads obsolete technology on the recipient, sometimes at a very high cost. Since the receiving country doesn't have the technology, it may not even know how outdated the offered technology might be.An example of this is the example of automobile industry in which we continue to be saddled with models that are no more in demand in the developed country or in the parent country.Also since the end of the World War II, one of the major industries of industrial development has been that of the domestic conveniences, such as air conditioners, refrigerators and electronic goods like the TV,VCR etc. Once the domestic market in Europe and USA was saturated, markets were created in the developing countries for the finished products, and later for the sale of related technologies.Since in these areas technology change are the quick change ones, what is transferred to the technologies are the quick change ones, what is transferred to the developing countries is outdated.
• The receiving country may have to depend on the donor country, especially in crucial areas like defence equipment.The donor may sell a defence aircraft, but with the condition that the receiver always buys spare and ancillaries from them, the receiver may never become self sufficient.
• When a country imports technology from more than one country for an industry, then the spare parts may not fit into various models.As you know, the technology for Maruti, Fiat and Ambassador cars was imported from three different countries, namely Japan Italy and Britain; and the spare parts don't fit into the others. So the scale of production of spare products will vary, thus increasing the cost of production.
• A multi national corporation of a developed nation may give technological know how to developing nation with the restriction that the knowledge is not to be shared with the other developing nations. This ensures their direct hold over different countries.

Lab to field
It has been the policy of the Government of India, from the time of Independence, to achieve self-relaince by developing indigenous technology in as many areas of industry as possible. We, therefore, had created a chain of laboratories in all areas. The National Research and Development corporation(NRDC) was set up in 1953 for falicitating the transfer of technology from the laboratories of national R&D institutes to the field. These institutes offer their processes for commercial exploitation to NRDC.
If indigenous efforts are not considered adequate at the policy making level of the different ministries, a new policy is formulated for updating technology and for the import of technology from the developed countries.The department of science and technology, planning commission Science and Engineering Research Council and various Scientific Advisory communities attached to the ministries monitor the technological needs of India.
Export of Technology
India had gained experience in various fields of technology. Thus we are in a position to assist a lot of developing nations in the process of technological advancement .India exports technology to a large number of Asain, Middle-Eastern, African and Latin American Nations.