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High Tech Indicators : 2007 Questionnaire

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RESPONSE CATEGORIES: Most questions request responses on a scale ranging from 1 to 5 (question E ranges from 1 to 6), but note that the scales vary from item to item, as indicated. For some items, "2" and "4" are not explicitly defined; in those cases, take them to be intermediate in value. Be sure to mark your answers for each question.

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First name: Ml: Last name:

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A. For which country or region are you responding? (Please check one target country only; complete a new survey response for each different country, if you are familiar with 2 or 3):

                                               

B. Please assess your familiarity with technology-intensive development in this country:

  1. Less familiar (i.e., limited familiarity with the country or with technology-intensive products in this part of the world).
  2. Moderately familiar (i.e., somewhat familiar with these issues and the country; or, perhaps, quite familiar with the country, but not particularly familiar with concerns specific to technology-intensive products).
  3. Highly familiar (i.e., very knowledgeable about such issues in this country).
  4. Expert (i.e., considerable personal experience in the country or extended study of technology-based products there over several years).

                                                          

C. To what extent does this country's government evidence a deliberate strategy to promote technology-intensive production and/or knowledge-based services for export?             

  1. No evidence of a strategy for achieving export competitiveness for technology-intensive products.
  2. [Between 1 and 3]
  3. Country has an identifiable (explicit or implicit) plan to promote technology-intensive development for export as part of a broader development strategy.
  4. [Between 3 and 5]
  5. Country has strong national commitment to being competitive in technology-intensive products as a central element in export-oriented economic development plans and/or actions.

                                                 

D. To what extent do this country's basic cultural values associate technology and technological change with desirable social development?

  1. Not at all
  2. Slightly
  3. Somewhat
  4. Mostly
  5. Generally regarded as the key to social development

                                                 

E. How closely do influential groups (e.g., unions, trade associations, religious organizations) in the country associate technology with desirable social development? For instance, one could imagine some groups not being favorably disposed toward introduction of more technologies. Or, some societies may emphasize redistributive measures, such as land reform, over technology-intensive industial development.

  1. "Influential groups" are not a major political force in this country.
  2. Most groups do not believe technology is important to their increased social well-being.
  3. [Between 1 and 3]
  4. Most groups accept changing technologies as part of their lives, but are not committed to technological innovation as the key to social development.
  5. [Between 3 and 5]
  6. Most groups accept emphasis on effective use of advancing technologies as the key to social development.

                                      

F. Please rate the presence of an "entrepreneurial spirit" in this country. That is, to what extent are its citizens, especially the business community, predisposed toward innovative action and economic risk-taking?

  1. There exists little or no entrepreneurial activity; the business community is highly risk-averse.
  2. There exist "pockets," or highly circumscribed domains, of entrepreneurial activity.
  3. There exists a moderate amount of entrepreneurial activity.
  4. Considerable entrepreneurial activity is present in several key sectors of the economy.
  5. Entrepreneurship and innovative business activity is very strong and widespread.

                                                          

G. Aside from the amount of financial resources, it is also important to assess the extent to which such resources can be mobilized to support technology-intensive development. Please judge the mobility of capital in this country.

  1. Available financial resources are rigidly committed to relatively few sectors or organizations; reallocation is very difficult.
  2. [Between 1 and 3]
  3. Available financial resources can be mobilized and reallocated, but tend to be slow to respond to innovative opportunities.
  4. [Between 3 and 5]
  5. Available financial resources are fluid and highly responsive to new areas that promise payoff.

                                        

H. Please rate the quantity and quality of skilled labor available in this country.

  1. Would-be manufacturers find only minimal numbers of able manufacturing workers; information-based services lack suitably skilled workers.
  2. [Between 1 and 3]
  3. The majority of the work force is potentially capable (i.e., functionally literate), but there is a limited supply of workers with manufacturing and/or information-based services experience.
  4. [Between 3 and 5]
  5. An extensive and reliable pool of well-trained and experienced manufacturing and/or information services workers is available.

                                        

I. To what extent is this country capable of replenishing and increasing its supply of qualified, graduate-level (post-baccalaureate) scientists and engineers via local (indigenous) training and educational institutions?

  1. Local institutions do not have graduate science and engineering programs to any significant extent; virtually all scientists and engineers receive advanced training abroad (e.g., fewer than 5% are trained locally).
  2. About 20% of the country's scientists and engineers receive advanced training locally.
  3. A majority of scientists and engineers receive advanced training abroad, but significant numbers receive such training locally (perhaps, 33% or so).
  4. Perhaps 50% receive advanced training locally.
  5. Two-thirds or more of the country's scientists and engineers obtain their graduate training locally.

                                         

J. How would you characterize this country's contribution to the international pool of significant scientific and technical knowledge?

  1. Essentially no indigenous science or engineering research is done.
  2. Some scientific and engineering research is done, but few papers or patents are produced by local scientists or engineers.
  3. The nation's scientific and engineering community is beginning to contribute to the international literature and patents.
  4. The nation's scientific and engineering community contributes significantly to the international literature and patents.
  5. The nation's scientific and engineering community is among the leaders in a number of technology-intensive fields internationally.

                          

K. To what extent do research and development (R&D) activities in this country relate to industrial enterprise?

  1. No significant R&D activity with industrial relevance is taking place in the country.
  2. Some R&D activity with potential industrial relevance takes place, but there is essentially no linkage to industrial enterprise.
  3. R&D activity with potential industrial relevance takes place, but linkage to industrial enterprise is weak.
  4. R&D activity with industrial relevance takes place and is moderately well linked to industrial enterprise.
  5. Significant R&D activity with industrial relevance takes place and is effectively linked to industrial enterprise.

                            

L. To what extent are foreign-owned firms encouraged to do business in this country?

  1. Operations by foreign-owned firms are prohibited.
  2. Severe restrictions are placed on foreign-owned firms.
  3. Operations of foreign-owned firms generally remain isolated from indigenous business enterprises (e.g., "platform" manufacturing for direct export).
  4. Foreign-owned firms are encouraged to operate in the country but there are no explicit mechanisms to transfer knowledge to indigenous businesses.
  5. Foreign-owned firms are encouraged to operate in this country and to integrate some of their efforts with indigenous business to foster transfer of knowledge.

                            

M. The acquisition of "technological mastery" (the ability to make effective use of technological knowledge) is critical to development of technology-intensive products and/or information-based services. To what degree has this country achieved technological mastery?

  1. Most technology-intensive processes and products and high-value knowledge services are imported and utilized with no local adaptation or improvements.
  2. Some capability to modify and improve production processes and/or knowledge services exists.
  3. Indigenous capability exists to establish new production facilities and products and/or knowledge services.
  4. Indigenous capability exists to generate new knowledge services and/or production facilities and products embodying advanced technology plant and equipment.
  5. R&D capability exists to generate new technical knowledge leading to original, technology-intensive products and/or knowledge-based services.

                                 

N. To what extent does a system of indigenous producers of components for technology-intensive products exist?

  1. Virtually all such components must be imported.
  2. [Between 1 and 3]
  3. Although many such components must be imported, local producers supply some components.
  4. [Between 3 and 5]
  5. Local producers supply most such component needs.

                                

O. Please rate indigenous industrial management capabilities to develop, produce, and market technology-intensive products and/or knowledge-based services

  1. Few indigenous managers possess significant training or manufacturing experience.
  2. [Between 1 and 3]
  3. Some skilled managers compare well with managers in successful firms internationally.
  4. [Between 3 and 5]
  5. An expansive indigenous supply of skilled, experienced managers exists across a broad spectrum of industries.

                                

P. Please characterize present and future technology-intensive production and knowledge-based services in this country. Judge the nature overall, and for each of 10 sectors for which you feel reasonably familiar: first, today, and second, 15 years in the future. Please elaborate on any of your responses in the block at the end.

  1. Essentially no capacity in this sector.
  2. Nearly all capacity in this sector is relatively low value-added.
  3. Some indigenous capability in this sector, largely of standard products and/or services.
  4. Considerable indigenous activity in this sector with products and/or services well-respected for quality and value in international markets.
  5. Extensive indigenous activity in this sector with products and/or services considered technically advanced, "state-of-the-art" in international markets.

Sector

Present Production Capability

Likely Capability in 15 Years

Overall Technology-intensive products

Aerospace

Chemicals & Plastics

Computers

Software

Machine Tools & Robotics

Medicine & Biologicals

Scientific/Precision Equipment

Telecommunications Equipment

Information-intensive Services

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