Incorporating the Dominant Social Paradigm into Government Technology Transfer Programs

This paper examines problems implicit in transferring technology from developed countries to lesser developed countries. This is done from the perspective of the dominant social paradigm, and argues that the limited success of governmental transfer programs can be attributed to paradigm conflicts between the developer of technology and the recipient. The conclusion suggests that the effectiveness of government technology transfer programs can be improved if a dual approach is adopted. For transfers to lesser developed countries, the initial step should be to understand the differences in paradigms, and this should be followed by the development of appropriate technologies that enhance the development potential of the recipient in terms of the recipients' values and worldviews. (C) 2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.