The Meaning of Technological Mastery in Relation to Transfer of Technology

The acquisition of technological mastery—that is, of the ability to make effective use of technological knowledge—is critical to the achievement of self-sustaining development. Transfers of technology are substitutes for local mastery rather than sources of it. Consequently, the part played by transfers of technology in the process of development, while important, is nonetheless limited. This article considers the role of technology transfer with specific reference to industrial technology, and places it in the broader context of the relationship between the acquisition of technological mastery and the development of an efficiently functioning economy. Based on a review of what is known about technical change in industrial enterprises in less-developed economies and on a case study of one economy's experience, it demonstrates that indigenous effort to assimilate technological knowledge is of overriding importance in the achievement of technological mastery. Various types of technological mastery are distinguished together with the different categories of effort associated with their acquisition. The consequences of increased mastery are also discussed, together with the factors that determine when it is appropriate to rely on transfers. Finally, the authors suggest that further research is needed to determine how technological mastery ought to evolve in relation to industrial development.