Technological Fix 2 How far does technology determine

Technological Fix 2. How far does technology determine development and resource use ? a) Link between economic development and technological change b) Implications of technological ‘leapfrogging’ c) Unforeseen costs and benefits of technological innovation d) Issues of externalities of technology Learning Objectives: • Understand that economic development and technological innovation are closely connected • Identify how the widening gap between economies can be overcome through technology and knowledge transfers

Starter • What key factors are the cause of wide spread disparity in technology access?

Technology promotes Development The Growth Report 2008 identified key factors for growth - Engagement with the global economy - Specialising exports - Transfer of key technologies Of the 13 countries that showed the most sustained growth they had all absorbed knowledge from the rest of the world. It showed that knowledge gained from the global economy is the basis of economic catch up and sustained growth

Innovation and Higher Education • In order to develop countries need to invest in innovation and education to ensure growth is sustained 1) Patents - Exclusive right of ownership and possession of intellectual property e. g. James Dyson invented. . . ? 2) Higher education University education is needed for long-term economic development

In 2002, 312 thousand patents were granted around the world. More than a third of these were granted in Japan. Just under a third were granted in the United States. A quarter of all territories had no new patents in 2002, so will not profit from these in future years as others will.

Leapfrogging – What is it? • Technological leapfrogging is a way of overcoming some of the barriers of development e. g. Mobile phones • A country moves from having no telephone service to having modern mobile phone network • Using information on p. 238 -239 OUP produce a small case study card regarding mobile phones in Afghanistan • ‘ To what extent is leapfrogging helping to reduce the technology gap that exists between countries’

Plenary - Leapfrogging mind map Technological Leapfrogging