نظام ملی نوآوری تکنولوژیک: پیوند دانشگاه-صنعت

This article presents a general survey of the role of technology in economic development, examines the present conditions of supply and demand for technology in Iran, and recommends policy measures that the government might take to accelerate the technical progress. The article analyzes the nature of demand for technology by firms, and emphasizes the role of higher education-as a main supplier- to carry out domestic research to design modern technology. Furthermore , it examines the role of the government to ensure that the new technologies are widely diffused in the appropriate sectors. The author indicates that the development of an adequate technological capacity requires a climate conducive to technological advancement. Therefore, an economic structure different from the present one is clearly necessary for successful carrying out of industrialization process in Iran. Just as large firms play an important role in determining the quality and quantity of products, so too corporations tend to dominate the bulk of industy. Since technol ogy is a critical element in their competitiveness, the firms should pay greater attention to it. On the other hand, small firms need to maintain and enhance their competitiveness. This in turn requires the ability to use the new technology. Innovation and availability of new materials have a profound impact on design, productivity, and maintenance of products. Industry must maintain relationships with academic research centers because no corporation can any longer expect to meet its technological knowledge by itself. The potential inherent iil closer cooperation of industry and higher education for improvement in products and processes, and even break through events should be realized. The author concludes that, for the institutions of higher education the problem to tackle is how best to manage the research. The government can foster closer linkages between the industry and higher education through cooperative arrangements for funding of research projects directed at pre-identified problems.