TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
PAGE (S)
BACKGROUND ………………………………………………………………..1-4
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM………………………………………...4-5
RESEARCH QUESTIONS .....................................................5-6
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY…………………………………………....6
RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS………………………………………………....6-7
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY………………………………………...7
SCOPE OF THE STUDY……………………………………………….......7-8
LIMITATION.......................................................................8
METHODOLOGY ................................................................8-9
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK .............................................9-13
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
PAGE(S)
CONCEPT OF TECHNOLOGY…………………............................16-20
TECHNOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENT INDEX……………………….....20-24
CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT …………………………………………..24-28
CONCEPT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ………………………...28-33
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ………………………………….....33-36
SUMMARY……………………………………………………………………....36-37
CHAPTER THREE
COMPARISON OF THE CONCEPTS OF TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PAGE (S)
INTERCONNECTIVITY BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.......................................................42-44
EVALUATION OF NIGERIA’S EFFORTS AT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT………………….....44-58
.
COMPARISON OF NIGERIA’S PERFORMANCE IN IMPROVING
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGICAL
ADVANCEMENT AMONGST SELECTED COUNTRIES.......…………....58-74
SUMMARY……………………………………………………………………..........74-75
CHAPTER FOUR
CHALLENGES TO NIGERIA’S EFFORTS AT
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT AS THE
FOCUS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT...………………………………..78-83
STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING TECHNOLOGICAL
DEVELOPMENT TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINED
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA.....................................83-87
SUMMARY……………………………………………………………………..........87
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
CONCLUSION………………………………………………………..................90-92
RECOMMENDATIONS………………………………………….....................92
REFERENCES
BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………..............88-96
ABSTRACT
1. This research was carried out to compare the concepts of technology and economic development in order to establish the importance of the former in boosting national economic development. The study was geared at determining 4 distinct objectives. These were to compare the concepts of technology and economic development. Thereafter, Nigeria’s performance in advancing technology was compared with selected countries. Some factors that hinder technological development in Nigeria were also examined. Finally, strategies were proffered on the means of improving technological development in Nigeria as a prerequisite for enhancing her economic development. Indeed, Nigeria has faced challenges in addressing critical issues required to make life better for the nation through technology development. Accordingly, this research proposed some strategies that could assist the government in addressing these challenges.
2. The descriptive research method was used for the study. The research revealed that technology and economic development are interconnected concepts with similar objectives geared towards improving the lot of society. It was further discovered that Nigeria’s technology base has not yet been able to provide sustained economic development for the nation. Furthermore, it revealed that technological advancement factors are not being adequately addressed as key enablers of economic development. In comparison with selected countries, it was discovered that Nigeria has inadequacies in its technological development efforts. These were discovered in areas of technology transfer agreements, R&D funding, technical education, corruption and other economic development factors. However, these shortcomings could be remedied in order to make technology a tool in enhancing the nation’s economic development.
3. To reverse the poor state of Nigeria’s technology-base, improved funding for R&D and technical education was considered expedient. In addition, the FG government was implored to encourage the private sector to be more committed to R&D efforts, set up bottom-up community development programmes to mitigate poverty at the grassroots and complete the construction of the ASCL. These strategies if employed would result in achieving sustained economic development for the nation.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
The world’s economies have over the last few decades, undergone dramatic transformation as nations strive for economies driven by technology (Nelson, 2005:7). To compete favourably in the global arena, a nation must have an economy composed of firms that constantly innovate and maximise the use of technology (Nelson, 2005:9). The importance of technology is evident in the way it bridges the gap between countries and citizens through televisions, satellites, cellular phones and commercial products. Technology-based economic development has therefore, become the means through which a nation’s economic base can thrive.
Technology represents a positive force that enhances human capabilities and expands resources. In his 1987 treatise on the Concept of Technology, Milton Lower contrasts the conventional view of technology as “gadgetry” or “individual creativity” (Milton, 2005:15). Rather, he describes technology as an “intangible asset” belonging to the community which serves as a basis for cumulative economic change (Milton, 2005:15). In this context, technology can be seen as not just the latest in high-tech weapons but the generalised knowledge of a people about how the world operates. This leads not only to inventions by a few, but appropriate implementations of new ways of developing things in tools and processes by many for economic development.
State support for technological advances in the industrialised nations is evident in their drive to remain significant in the international system. Through technology, nations such as the United States of America (USA) and Britain create wealth, improve their defence systems, provide better health care and enhance the standard of living of their citizens (Soderbaum, 2000:15). Clearly, the level of advances in technology suggests that states lagging behind in technology-based knowledge are more likely to be marginalised.
Despite advances in technology and the continuing impact on world civilisation, most developing countries have made little effort locally to transform their societies technologically (Soderbaum, 2000:17). As a result, they continue to suffer from political and economic underdevelopment. Accordingly, the economies of most developing states are characterised by remote health facilities, high rates of unemployment, low educational standards and poor standards of living. However, while this may be true, some developing states such as Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and South Africa amongst others have made remarkable technological advances (Soderbaum, 2000:20). Through the implementation of appropriate institutional frameworks, these developing countries have designed policies for developing indigenous technology. This accounts for one of the major reasons why China recently emerged as the world’s second largest economy after the USA (Akinlo, 2007:24).
In Nigeria, the absence of appropriate institutionalised frameworks continues to retard the nation’s technological advancement (Dike, 2005:12). This has greatly undermined her economic development especially in relation to other developing economies. The concept of technological development in Nigeria evolved through the years after her independence in 1960. During this time, British firms dominated production and distribution organisation in Nigeria (Dike, 2005:12). The focus of the Federal Government (FG) then, was to gradually reduce the nation’s dependence on Britain. To this end, existing companies were encouraged to improve their technological development, while efforts were directed at technology transfer from Britain and other developed nations. Thus, between 1960 and 1981, Nigeria witnessed massive importation of capital goods and establishment of very crucial industries such as the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, Ajaokuta steel industry and Nigerian Machine Tools Company amongst others (Dike, 2005:14). However, most of these industries have not been able to adequately advance the nation’s technological development.
Since the 1980s, Nigeria’s technological drive h
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