Is technology transfer more than a “mechanical” process?

Editorial Advisory Board     

A special case of bolus fatality

The case of a 58-year-old man is reported, who had been hospitalized for almost 30 years for paranoid-hallucinatory schizophrenia. He was found unconscious in the clinic with a scarcely perceptible pulse and irregular breathing. Attempts at resuscitation were not successful. Looking at the corpse, no findings of particular value were noted. At the court-ordered autopsy, a mouse was found in the oral cavity; the head of the mouse was stuck in the laryngeal inlet. The cause of death was ascribed to asphyxia by alimentary bolus; the cause of death was apparently the effect of choking combined with a reflex action. In the large colon (megacolon) many metal objects were found. On the basis of the evidence, it was assumed that the mouse was already dead when the patient choked on it. A disturbance in the ability to swallow as a result of alcohol or medication was ruled out, as were neurological diseases.     

Toward the privatization of the CIS weapons industry: The ‘collectivist’ option

The Russian military-industrial sector, like the economy generally is undergoing a turbulent transformation. Property rights, institutional arrangements, regulatory mechanisms and procurement demand are in rapid flux. In 1992 weapons production declined drastically, variously estimated between 20 and 67 percent, but arms contracts for 1993 are reported to be double last year's volume. This essay attempts to illuminate key elements of Russia's military-industrial transition by analyzing how property rights, tax and regulatory reforms of the sorts advocated by Alexsandr Isaev and Anatoly Chubais are apt to effect efficiency and military-industrial conversion. It is shown that while collectivist ownership could enhance economic efficiency, despite the usual Ward-Domar effects, Yeltsin's market reforms may not be sufficient to foster large scale military-industrial conversion.     

Technology transfer between the U.S.A. and Europe

The premise is that technology gaps have an important impact on the economic life of nations and also have political consequences. Expressions of concern about the technology gap between Europe and the United States have become steadily less frequent in the recent years. The purpose of this paper is to find out whether some of the lessons that can be drawn from the European technology gap of the '60s contribute to the understanding of the present United States-European technology exchange controversies. This is accomplished by (1) reviewing the European arguments, (2) trying to find out how revelant they have proven to be after a few years, (3) investigating better ways to assess the impact of technological differences with reference to current United States arguments about technology export, and (4) attempting to derive some conclusions on policy implications of transferring technology. It was concluded that important policy decisions have been made and are still being made by technology importing countries with little analytical background on the cost and advantages of achieving a technological capacity. In addition, policy decisions by technology exporting countries are most likely to be made with little knowledge of the real phenomena involved.     

Fostering and managing innovation in the forest service

This article discusses innovation and recommends ways the USDA-Forest Service can foster and manage the process. It is based on an analysis of field observations, a broad literature survey, and discussions with nearly 200 Forest Service people and some outside innovation-management professionals. The recommendations, although couched mainly in Forest Service terms, are general and can be adapted to virtually any organization.