8. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Planning and implementation of technology development policies in the developing countries does not yet find an integral place in socio-economic development, to which it is indeed a core activity. Nor is it governed by a system of proper evaluation of a country’s resource endowments, development needs and S&T potential and capabilities. In the process, R&D programmes and projects, as regards the process of technology selection and development are not well conceived or properly developed and evaluated.

Many of the problems and constraints that have been described in the proceeding sections are owing to such a state of affairs. It appears that, on the one hand, the process of technology development, including selection and undertaking of R&D programmes and projects, require a closer look and in-depth examination, and on the other, the modality of intra-country transfer of technology, specially the way a transaction takes place and is given material effect need to be subjected to a detailed investigation and critical examination with the objective of assisting Muslim countries in better transferring and utilizing indigenous technologies. It would be very useful for these countries to hold consultations and to deliberate on these at national and regional levels to increase their activities of development cooperation.

Needless to say, it is the successful utilization of technologies that can make significant contribution to strengthening a country’s technological capabilities. One of the essential condition for this is to create and sustain an industrial environment in which there obtains a continual rapport and feedback between R&D personnel and the industrialists/entrepreneurs with a close look at the market demand. Experience relating to effectiveness in indigenous technology utilization, moreover, is demonstrative of the significance of private research supported and encouraged by government.

In view of the above and in keeping with the present study, a set of recommendations are being given below, addressed to government and policy-makers, to R&D institutions and technology generators, and to industry and entrepreneurs with the expectation that they would find them useful and take appropriate measures for giving them necessary follow-up.