Title: Could open source ecology and open source appropriate technology be used as a roadmap from technology colony?

Authors: Babasile Daniel Osunyomi; Tobias Redlich; Jens Peter Wulfsberg

Addresses: Institute of Production Engineering, Helmut-Schmidt-Universität, Holstenhofweg 85, 22043 Hamburg, Germany ' Institute of Production Engineering, Helmut-Schmidt-Universität, Holstenhofweg 85, 22043 Hamburg, Germany ' Institute of Production Engineering, Helmut-Schmidt-Universität, Holstenhofweg 85, 22043 Hamburg, Germany

Abstract: In the quest for sustainability, emerging economies can no longer rely on the vertical transference of foreign technologies. Therefore, the development of endogenous technologies as a driver of any sustainable national industrialisation efforts should be reoriented. Technological independence is profound in ensuring sustainability, which according to the research findings, is inhibited by the resilient status of a technology colony. A technology colony demonstrates interests in production and sales, than in idea generation, research and development (R&D), and industrialisation of new products or services. The aim of this article is to provide a brief explanation on what a technology colony is, and how it affects innovation and development. In a next step, the significance of open source ecology (OSE) and open source appropriate technology (OSAT) concepts as a roadmap to eliminate the effects of technology colonisation on the sustainable development of emerging economies are explored relying on a qualitative literature review.

Keywords: sustainable development; sustainability; technology colonisation; openness; value creation; technology transfer; open source ecology; appropriate technology; emerging economies; innovation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTLID.2016.079611

International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, 2016 Vol.8 No.3, pp.265 - 282

Received: 29 Aug 2015
Accepted: 02 Dec 2015

Published online: 05 Oct 2016 *

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