Appropriate technology

 Appropriate technology is designed for continuous production and consumption in light of community’s’ political, cultural and environmental condition which ultimately enhance the quality of people’s lives. Until now, a number of appropriate technologies has been developed. A typical appropriate technology product is relief goods like Lifestraw, agricultural technologies like Super MoneyMaker Pump and educational programs like XO-1 of OLPC(One Laptop Per Child).

Appropriate technology, technology in human form

 

Movement of appropriate technology

  Appropriate technology is an ideological movement originally articulated as intermediate technology by the 1960’s economist Dr. Ernest Friedrich “Fritz” Schumacher. Schumacher had been developing the idea of intermediate technology for several years and he credited his ideas to Gandhi in addition to Buddhism.

 

The concept of appropriate technology was started with a term ‘intermediate technology’ made by 1960’s economist Schumacher.

Intermediate technology movement has been active by ‘small is beautiful’ written in 1973 by Schumacher. Unlike super technology which produce mass products based on huge capital, intermediate technology is towards small scale of production activities which can be done by local people with rather simple technology and small capital. Therefore intermediate technology is low-priced and a small scale which doesn’t cause human alienation and gives pleasure of work while processing technologies. Since then intermediate technology movement had been active while Schumacher’s ‘Small is beautiful (1973)’ is widely read. At that time, activists preferred to use ‘appropriate technology’ because they thought ‘intermediate’ might refers to the stage of incomplete technology or gives inferior impression. Later ‘appropriate technology’ is used more often than intermediate technology.

 

 

 

Technology for the third country’s aid

 

 

 

 

Declaration of Sussex announced by scientists of Sussex University contains information that developed countries should increase aid by utilizing science technology to assist developing countries in 1970.

 

Over 1960 to 1970, interest in appropriate technology for developing countries had been grown up. Intermediate technology is far superior to primitive technology but compared to super technology, it is rather simple.

Technology begun to receive attention as a leading force of economic development as the United States and the Soviet Union competed with technology and Japan and Germany succeed in recovering industrialization through technology development. Especially the claim that it can be effective to assist developing countries was strongly raised.

Intermediate technology development group(ITDG, Intermediate Technology Development Group, present Practical Action) founded by Schumacher in 1966 has committed to developing technologies which can solve the problem of poverty in developing countries and help the countries become self-reliant.

 

Some scientists of University of Sussex in England announced Sussex Manifesto in the 1970’s, it contains claim that developed countries should increase aid by utilizing technology to assist developing countries.

 

Like these, the efforts to develop appropriate technologies for community to achieve economic and social development has been continued. The definition and evaluation of ‘appropriate technology’ concept is slightly different in the United States and Europe.

The position of technology, the definition and function of technology and expected effects etc. can vary depending on the history and perspectives of each country or institution.

However, critical mind and philosophy occurred at the beginning of the appropriate technology movement has lasted considering that still a variety of formal or informal organizations, research institutes and universities are involved in developing and relief activities.

Especially, in 2000s, it seems to be active that the effort to develop a suitable appropriate technology for developing countries as the effectiveness of aid to the developing countries refers to the capacity of recipient countries.

 

 

Appropriate technology as alternative technology

 

 

 

The concept of ‘sustainable development’ is addressed in MDFs published by UN in 2000s. Appropriate technology movement has been started to address the problem of poverty in the 3^rd world but an alternative technology development that can respond to environmental issues is the most successful in modern society.

In the late 1960s there were institutions which developed appropriate technology not only for the 3^rd world but that can be applied to developed countries.

In 1969, the New Alchemy Institute of America (present The Green Center) and Farallones Institute were established. They conducted a study on water, energy and construction from the ecological point of view.

On the other hand, appropriate technical agencies and departments were created at US government level.

Carter government decided to establish NCAT (National Center for Appropriate Technology) in 1976 as a solution to energy conservation and solar panels were also installed in the White House.

Alternative technology movement has ups and downs due to social climate, each timing, political atmosphere or location. But overall, the concerns about environmental problems are gradually increasing as well as the efforts to develop while not destroying ecosystems nor wasting irreproducible resources.

Since the late 1970’s as the concept of ‘sustainable development’ is created and diffused, seeking a balance between development and preservation while achieving environmentally and socially sustainable development has become a major problem in the world.

These problems led to MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) announced by UN in 2000s.

 

 

Design revolution for the marginalized 90%

 

 

 

Paul Polak has pointed out that the existing way of donation led to the appropriate technology movement to fail. Polak said that appropriate technology should be developed by a proper business man to succeed.

After once appropriate technology movement suffered a failure, a new perspective and approach to appropriate technology has emerged.

he biggest changes is that the criticism about the existing humanitarian access was emerged and market-oriented point of view arose.

Representative who changed viewpoint is Paul Polak who developed IDE (International Development Enterprises) and wrote ‘Out of Poverty (2008)’. He pointed out that the existing way of donation led to the appropriate technology movement to fail. . Polak said when appropriate technology should be developed by a proper business man to succeed.

His movement is looking at the marginalized 90% as customers, not the subject of charity. He said in the engineering process developer should design by studying how much they can pay for a product and what intention they have within proper price range.

Polak’s movement which develops small, less cost technologies to attract the marginalized customers’ interest who comprise 90% of the world is a design revolution which criticize the existing product design only for minor consumers who has strong solvent.

The exhibition ‘Design for the marginalized 90%’ which was held in 2007 in New York is encouraging appropriate technology movement once again.