Failing to Compete

Technology Development and Technology Systems in Africa

The late Sanjaya Lall, formerly Professor of Development Economics, Oxford University (at the International Development Centre at Queen Elizabeth House), UK and Carlo Pietrobelli, Professor of Economics, University Roma Tre, Italy and UNU-MERIT, Maastricht, the Netherlands

This unique study draws on extensive fieldwork assessing technology systems in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe in the context of their export competitiveness. Its emphasis is on the role of technology systems in building industrial competitiveness and in this it finds deficiencies in the systems in all these countries, though there are also significant differences between them. Comparisons are made with more successful economies, particularly those of East Asia, and policy implications are drawn for the strengthening of technology support systems. Central to the book is its combination of academic analysis with a strong policy focus – policy implications are drawn for each case-study country.