IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Spring 2014 - 19

COMMENTARY

SAMIR PATEL

SIRI MALEY

KHANJAN
MEHTA

Appropriate Technologies
in the Globalized World: FAQs

T

echnological innovation over the past century has revolutionized our society's ability to solve problems. A byproduct of this
movement is the advent of appropriate
technology, an approach to address challenges in
the developing world through creative and peoplefocused product development. Appropriate technology (AT) recognizes that social, environmental,
cultural, political, and economic concerns are just
as important as technical requirements in the design
of innovative products and services [1]. For example,
Husk power Systems converts rice husks into electric
power in rural areas of India's poorest, most remote
state [2]. The success of Husk power is as much in
their technological solution, as their consideration
of socio-cultural realities in the design of their revenue model. Treadle pumps, like those produced by
KickStart, help farmers increase their cultivable land,
extend their growing seasons, improve their crop quality, and thus, augment their income [3]. The driving
force behind these technologies is a desire to employ
human-centered approaches to empower communities in addressing their own economic, sociocultural,
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MTS.2014.2301855
Date of publication: 10 March 2014

IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE

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SprING 2014

political, and environmental needs. Such technologies can improve the lives and livelihoods of individuals living in resource-constrained environments
in many ways, from improved access to food, water,
and healthcare to long-lasting shelter and employment
opportunities [4].
There are many competing theories about what constitutes "appropriate" technology and how to define
and balance "people-centered" goals against other
dimensions of sustainability. The challenge of defining "appropriate" technology has been discussed at
length in AT literature for decades. Despite some differences, this discussion has come to some agreement
on a core group of design tenets that span from the
cultural (e.g., compliance with societal norms), to the
consumer (e.g., community ownership model), to the
technological (e.g., environmental friendliness). However, the relevance and intended implications of the
tenets have evolved with the gradual globalization of
challenges, resources, and economic systems. One of
the most significant outcomes of globalization has been
the rapid proliferation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), which have democratized
the creation, access, and utilization of knowledge. This
knowledge, especially when melded with indigenous
knowledge, enables individuals and communities to
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