Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
8.7
Suggestions for Survival and Ethical Behaviour
in a Period of Brutal Technology Transfer
The large corporations involved in technology transfer have very significant finan-
cial, technical, political and other resources. As discussed above, they are often
ruthless and not concerned about ethics, though they may be concerned about pre-
senting a positive image. On the other hand, their lack of knowledge of local condi-
tions is a disadvantage, and their lack of ethical behaviour can sometimes be
counterproductive, for instance, as discussed above with regard to not using and
even alienating the local technical experts.
It may seem very difficult for small local firms or individuals to have any chance
of surviving in a situation of technology transfer dominated by these large corpora-
tions. However, these small local firms also have strengths on their side that they can
use. In particular, they have knowledge of the local situation and a range of local
contacts. They are also in a good position to find out what will work locally if they
do not know already. While they may not be able to compete with large corporations
with regard to pay and other benefits, they are in a position to treat their workers
respectfully and enable them to use their technical skills. Small firms can also be
more democratically and less hierarchically organised with everyone having a say
in decision-making. All these factors can be attractive to potential employees and
help small firms to obtain experienced and expert personnel, which is important for
success. Individual technical experts are advised to find others with a similar per-
spective to provide mutual support and to exchange information and ideas.
Collectives are generally stronger than individuals, and there is, for instance, a need
for organisations of technical experts concerned about ensuring an ethical technol-
ogy transfer process which benefits the majority and preferably the whole
population.
Carrying out high quality work is also important. Small firms and groups of
experts are in a good position to do this, whereas large firms which deliberately
ignore the best local talent are unlikely to produce high-quality work. A certain
amount of hard work is always necessary to achieve anything, particularly in the
initial phases. However, there is also a need for an appropriate balance between
work and other aspects of life. It is also not just a case of hard work but effective
work. In general, even small organisations which employ the best local talent will
work much more effectively than very large organisations which do not.
The nature of the overall technology transfer process is largely determined by the
extent to which governments give over power to foreign corporations, which are
largely motivated by profit and less interested in the development and prosperity of
the countries they are transferring technology to. In the Polish case, a free market
approach was very damaging and gave over too much control to foreign corpora-
tions leading to exploitation rather than benefits to the people of the country. Once
such companies are given a foothold, it is much more difficult to dislodge them or
at least reduce their influence and bring their activities under national control than
if they had not been admitted or better controlled in the first place.
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