Technological Leapfrogging

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Technology Promotes Development:

The Growth Report 2008 identified key factors for growth;

Engagement with global economy

Specialising exports

Transfer of key technologies

Of the 13 countries that showed the most sustained growth they had all absorbed knowledge from the rest of the world. It showed that knowledge gained from global economy is the basis of economic catch up and sustained growth.

Innovation and Higher Education:

In order to develop, countries need to invest in innovation and education to ensure growth is sustained;

Patents - exclusive right of ownership and possession of intellectual property e.g. James Dyson invented...

Higher education - university education is needed for long term economic development

In 2002, 312 thousand patents were granted around the world. More than a third of these were granted in Japan. Just under a third were granted in the US. A quarter of all territories had no new patents in 2002 so will not profit from these in future years as others will.

Leapfrogging - what is it?

Technological leapfrogging is a way of overcoming some of the barriers of development e.g. mobile phones

A country moves from having no telephone service to having modern mobile phone network

Mobile Phones in Afghanistan:

Abdul Wakil lives in Daw Koo. He first used a mobile phone in 2008 and it has transformed the way in which he runs his small dry goods store. They used to have to go into the city to order products but now they can order over the phone

72% of Afghans are now covered by mobile telephone signal where only 1% have access to a fixed telephone line

The ongoing Russia - Afghanistan conflict since 1979 left the country littered with landmines and unexploded bombs so laying and maintaining landline telephone cables is very dangerous