Blending of new and traditional technologies

The increasing pace of technological change is putting great strain on social and economic structures the world over, especially in the developing countries. One approach to easing the introduction of new technologies is by integrating these technologies with traditional methods of production.

Here the ILO presents a series of case studies on a wide variety of projects from the cloning of palm trees in Malaysia to the use of microcomputers in Third World rural development. Other topics include photovoltaic electricity supply in Upper Volta, the use of satellite remote sensing in West Africa and the integration of microelectronics in the textile industry.

From these studies a clear set of prerequisites emerges: the criteria by which success is to be measured must be established, demands on financial and human resources must not be too great, the new technology must relate easily to existing conditions and it must not radically alter associated skills and input requirements.

Covering both theoretical and practical issues, this book provides many new insights and clear guidelines to the feasibility of introducing -new technologies into traditional areas of production.