International Journal of Technology Management & Sustainable Development - Volume 3, Issue 1, 2004

This article discusses the key role played by the Brazilian telecommunications sector throughout the 1970s and 1980s in building and consolidating a sectoral innovation system (SIS) as part and parcel of a strategy to unify the existing network. The sector provided the essential conditions for the formation of a national technological capability, as was shown by the establishment of the Research and Development Centre of Telebrás (CPqD). A new debate arose, however, which led to the privatization of the Telebrás system - namely, that enhancing CPqD’s competitiveness was essential in a global market formed by strategic alliances. The global market-based strategic alliances set up in Brazil diminished the scope for CPqD and other potential actors to operate in partnership and facilitate the generation and exchange of knowledge. Consequently, the organizational status of CPqD was changed and the Brazilian sectoral innovation system was superseded by a system of global strategic alliances with traditional suppliers around the world. Questions, however, remain about prospects for R&D and innovation consequent upon restructuring of the sector.

The incubation system is discussed in this paper as an aspect of the ‘triple helix’ model of innovation in which universities feature as organizational actors interfacing the public-private/voluntary sector nexus in the process of economic growth and development. Questions arise, however, as to how effectively the incubation, and indeed the triple helix, system can be implemented in developing countries as a strategy of innovation. The introduction of the incubation system in Algeria shows the difficulties involved in implementing innovation strategies based on the ‘triple helix’ model in developing countries in general. It also shows the vulnerability of the triple helix model itself when one of the key actors does not possess the capability and power to play its role effectively. The paper explores the main issues and challenges to be envisaged in the course of implementation of innovation strategies based on the ‘triple helix’ culture. It argues that policy in developing countries like Algeria should seek to promote learning and innovation through an effective system of interactions between and within the main components of the triple helix model, namely government, university and industry.

Multiple internal and external factors shape the innovative capacity and practices of enterprises. An enterprise wishing to enhance its innovation capabilities would need to start by making an assessment of its position. Different approaches to such an assessment are put forward in this paper. Enterprises would also need to make strategic decisions about where they intend to be in the future and what course of action they would need to follow to get there. A recently developed approach that can be used to search out and identify potential faults in the innovation process is outlined. Given that innovation is a long-term process, enterprises bent on enhancing their innovative capability need to adopt business behaviour that is given less to short-term-based ad hoc practices and more to sustainable growth objectives. This paper explores assessment approaches that business enterprises could consider for enhancing their long-term competitive and growth performance through innovation.

The theory and practice of environmental management accounting (EMA) have emerged in recent decades as a response to the growth of environmental problems. EMA can be defined as the identification, collection, estimation, analysis, internal reporting, and use of materials and information relating to energy flow and environmental and other costs for both conventional and environmental decisionmaking within an organization. It is now a widely used tool in balancing the interaction between the economic, social and technological factors in the development process to achieve the conditions for sustainable environment. The rapid growth in the number of companies that are awarded ISO 14001 certificates has enhanced the development of EMA all over the world. Many governments are involved in promoting EMA. In China, the government and companies are doing their best to keep pace with the global trend of environmental protection. The main problems of EMA relate to the specification of environmental accounting information, the allocation of environmental costs, legislation issues and the lack of environmental accounting standards. Among all the available policy instruments governments could use, the paper argues that regulatory or market-sensitive instruments would be more suitable for China. It is also possible for the Chinese government to direct companies in establishing environmental reporting and environmental auditing systems.

This paper identifies technology, planning, and lifestyle as the main aspects of a holistic approach to the analysis of sustainable development in general and the sustainability of the built environment in particular. A single factor-based linear approach to sustainability issues is naïve at best and risky at worst, posing conflicts with other approaches and misrepresenting the true overarching picture that needs to be defined as a basis for setting development strategies. Integrating all the three aspects has been attempted for a holistic and effective approach to sustainable development. However, the current practice of integration involves a one-way, top-down relationship - from sustainable objectives, to technical and planning strategies, and finally to technology-driven lifestyle. In terms of the built environment, this imposed lifestyle puts under question users’ readiness and willingness to be part of the built environment. The task of solving these conflicts has often relied on education and economic incentives, which have not, however, always been effective. The paper argues that redefining the roles of technology, planning and lifestyle in a holistic framework, at least conceptually, is necessary for a sound approach to sustainable development.

Voices of the Poor from Many Lands, Deepa Narayan and Patti Petesch (eds.) (2002) New York: Oxford University Press, 528 pp., ISBN 0 8213 5049 8 (pbk), US $25.

Building Technological Capability: Issues and Prospects, Mozammel Huq (ed.) (2002) Dhaka: The University Press Limited, xxii + 256 pp., ISBN 984 05 1633 7 (hbk), TK 450.