A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctoral of Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology

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The primary aim of this study is to provide a greater insight in the complex phenomenon of technology transfer. Technology transfer is a process whereby a technology generated in one place is being adapted and utilized or diffused in other places. In this study, the technology transfer problem has been studied in the context of the spatial aspect of the innovation diffusion process. The success or effectiveness of transfer depen ds to a large extent on the capabilities of the transferer and the selection, adaptation and assimilation capabilities of the recipient of the technology. A mathematical model of the technology transfer process is presented here, which incorporates both time and level parameters of technology diffusion. The specific level parameter used is a measure of the technology assimilation capability, which is based upon the state of technological development and the technological gap between the transferer and the recipient. Factor analysis technique has been used for developing the technology index which is a measure of the state of technological development of a country. The technological substitution models a4re time models for studying the pattern of diffusion. It has been shown that Blackman model, Fisher-Pry model and Mansfield model are special cases of the time-level technology transfer model developed in this study. Transfer of computer technology and agricultural mechanization technology in lelected countries are considered in this dissertation for illustrating the applicability and usefulness of the model. Various simulation runs were conducted for determining the optimal source for effective transfer. Lastly, a general simulation methodology is presented for finding the optimal partners for effective flow and assimilation of any given technology. The results obtained from the study provides much strong support for the wellknown idea of "Technological Co-operation amongst the Developing Countries (TCDC)"