Technical Forecasting For The Third World

Abstract

The main thrust of this contribution is to highlight technological forecasting techniques which have the greatest relevance to developing countries. The paper draws upon certain research findings concerning the casual connections between research, technological forecasting and the man‐development. Technological forecasting and the management of change are sophisticated and significant tools of managing in advanced nations. Technological change, in fact, is one of the most important dynamic factors responsible for economic growth and improvement of life style. Yet, “blue sky” and basic research and futures forecasting activities in the lesser developed countries and in the Third World generally are unimpressive, if not non‐existent. As a consequence, there is a bias toward solving problems and meeting the needs of advanced countries. Furthermore, research findings demonstrate that the technological gap between advanced and lesser developed countries continues to widen and the standards of living between the two sets of nations become more disparate. “Blue sky” and basic research and futures forecasting (the critical first steps in the research — innovation‐high‐living‐standard nexus) although risky, are low‐cost and therefore, can be taken by the LDC's.

Citation

Weinrich, J.E. (1982), "Technical Forecasting For The Third World", Management Research News, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 5-5. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb027799