Appropriate institutions for appropriate technology : a framework for analysis and guidelines for AID roles

QUESTIONS OF THE SOCIAL EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY ARE ALWAYS PRESENT BUT ARE RARELY GIVEN THE SUSTAINED ATTENTION WHICH THEY SHOULD BE. TECHNOLOGY IS INSINUATED INTO SOCIAL AND CULTURAL SITUATIONS. THE LOCAL SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION AFFECTS THE ROLES TECHNOLOGIES HAVE AND HOW THEY ARE USED. THE DECISION-PROBLEM IN APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT HOW TO SATISFY LISTS OF CRITERIA OF WHAT APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES ARE OR OUGHT TO BE. IT IS A TRADEOFF PROBLEM IN WHICH JUDGMENTS NEED TO BE MADE ABOUT COSTS AND BENEFITS, IMPACTS AND OPPORTUNITIES. IN MAKING THOSE DECISIONS, IT IS NECESSARY TO ANTICIPATE WHAT THE TERMS OF THE TRADEOFFS WILL BE AND TO CONTINUE ASSESSING THE TERMS OF THE TRADEOFFS. ONE WAY TO DO THIS WITHOUT SACRIFICING CHANGE IS TO COMPARE INTERVENTION AND EXPLICATION STRATEGIES. THE FORMER SEEKS TO MINIMIZE SOCIAL EFFECTS, THE LATTER TRIES TO USE THEM. EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE CAN MAKE A SHORT-RANGE CONTRIBUTION BY PROVIDING THE MATERIALS TO ENTER A DIFFUSION STREAM. IN THIS KIND OF CONTRIBUTION, THE ASSISTANCE ROLE IS DEFINED IN RELATION TO ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF INITIATING AND MAINTAINING A DIFFUSION STREAM. EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE CAN MAKE A LONG-RANGE CONTRIBUTION BY SEEKING TO CREATE AN INTEGRATED PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY THAT CAN DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN PERSPECTIVES, STANDARDS AND EXPERIENCE. IN THIS KIND OF CONTRIBUTION, THE ROLE OF ASSISTANCE IS THEN DEFINED IN RELATION TO THE JOINING TOGETHER OF ALTERNATIVE SUBSTANTIVE (DISCIPLINARY) STRANDS OF THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY.