Technology transfer issues, IT Policy of Nepal

Technology Transfer

Technology transfer refers to the movement of tangible assets including buildings, data, personnel, organizations, values, and capital from one location to another. Technology transfer, also known as the transfer of technology, is the process of transferring knowledge, skills, technologies, manufacturing samples, manufacturing methods, and facilities among universities, governments, and other institutions. The goal is to make scientific and technological advancements accessible to a wider audience of users so that they can be further developed and exploited to create new goods, processes, applications, materials, and services. It is closely related to knowledge transmission and might be viewed as a subset of that concept. Technology is transferred horizontally when it moves from one domain to another. Although it is believed that education is an important and helpful aspect for easing the transfer of technology, education is not the only factor for successful technology transfer. Effective planning for supporting that transfer of technology may also be a valuable aspect. The strategy should include specific suggestions for how donors and recipients might work together during the technology transfer process. The ability of the recipient and the donor to transfer technology may be a determining factor in collaboration. Assimilation, adoption, and the creation of new technologies are all unachievable without a strong willingness for technological advancement on both sides.

The most frequently employed methods of technology transfer include foreign direct investment (FDI) through joint ventures, technical collaboration, the import of machinery and equipment, technical support through human assistance, and another method through license, one-on-one contact, the exchange of patents, or a know-how agreement, among others. Technology transfer is defined by the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act of 1992 as any transfer of technology made pursuant to an agreement between a business and foreign investors on the following topics:

• Use of any foreign-developed technological formula, specialization, procedure, right, patent, or technical know-how.
• Use any trademark that is owned abroad.
• Acquiring any overseas consulting, managerial, technical, or marketing services.

Issues of Technology Transfer

• In general, the topic of eco-innovation contains many of the obstacles to innovation and the spread of technology. The three main issues that need to be addressed are externalizations, asymmetric information, and market power. The adoption process will also be challenging due to uncertainties over the innovation's attributes and future input pricing.
• The cost-effectiveness of the new technology affects how quickly it diffuses. As a result, the businesses with the greatest potential for profit from the innovation will be the ones to adopt it first. Additionally, because new technologies are frequently capital-intensive and linked to size and scale economies, access to investment money is necessary.
• According to a number of studies, market-based tools provide consumers with higher incentives to choose new technologies than do regulatory instruments. Informational issues and uncertainties are made worse in an international setting, making it extremely harder to find contracting solutions.
• Existing legal structures are always being tested in novel ways by new technologies, which helps the law change. However, more legal stability would be advantageous for creative enterprises. This is especially helpful because the legal system's operation determines the effectiveness of intellectual property rights due to the breadth of patent protection and the ineffective enforcement of IP rights.
• Environmental technologies may be widely adopted or face insurmountable obstacles depending on market forces and incentives. It is helpful to be aware of the lessons about innovation that have been learned in this context: innovation responds quickly to incentives; innovation in a given field experiences diminishing returns over time; environmental research has high social returns; and the type of policy used affects the nature of new innovations.
• Two market failures, environmental externalities, and the nature of knowledge as a public good define green technology.
• It has been demonstrated that IPRs do not represent as significant a barrier as claimed since a variety of technologies appear for reducing emissions, despite developing countries' ongoing claims that strong intellectual property rights on carbon abatement technologies impede developing countries' efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. IPR-protected technology are frequently not more expensive than unprotected ones.
• Lack of scientists and researchers, a small market, the absence of infrastructure, the quality of the business environment and governance conditions, cash-strapped governments, a bureaucratic climate, formal and informal regulations regarding economic transactions, and the inability to overstate public investments are some features and conditions of developing nations that prevent innovation.
• Environmental problems tend to be more regional or local in scope, necessitating local expertise and solutions. In addition, many technologies are more ecologically focused, making it challenging to apply them in other contexts.
• Environmental viability and acceptance on a cultural, political, and sociological level also support adoption. Businesses that successfully respond to this pressure and these indications are more likely to succeed. Consumer perceptions of eco-friendliness are murky, which frequently hinders diffusion and pricing, it is crucial to remember.
• In order to fully benefit from technology, users must have the necessary scientific background and expertise. Along with technical know-how and human resources, this also comprises research institutions and universities, both public and private. All of these contribute to lowering the costs associated with imitation, adaptation, and follow-on innovation. Information integration into production systems is more difficult the further away a host nation is from the global frontier technologically.
• While acknowledging the need for complementary elements like infrastructure, efficient government policies, knowledge institutions, regulations, access to credit and venture capital, skilled human capital, and networks for research work, stronger levels of patent protection increase technology transfer. Economic research has shown that while IP protection helps trade flows of patented goods to wealthy and middle-income countries, it has no effect on developing states.
• Environmental innovations, like many new technologies, might need maintenance help, extensive ongoing support, and training. At the beginning of adoption, it is crucial to take into account the abilities needed for ongoing repair and usage of new technologies.

IT in Nepal

In the context of a business or other operation, information technology (IT) refers to the technology of computers to retrieve, store, transfer, and manipulate data. It is also known as the field of knowledge that deals with the usage, creation, and administration of computer-based information systems. The field of information and communications technology is thought to include IT. The majority of the time, this phrase is used as a synonym for computers and computer networks, but it can also refer to other means of information dissemination like the phone and television.

The mercantile office system in Nepal adopted email services in 1993. The first Internet Service Provider (ISP) in Nepal to launch service was mercantile office system in July 1995. Currently, Nepal has roughly 30 ISPs. In metropolitan regions, these services are typically scarce. However, it is progressively taking hold across the country as a result of the low cost of computers today. The country has seen a rise in internet usage in recent years. Travel, education, tourism, and the media are the fields of information in Nepal that are most impacted by the web. The dissemination and usage of internet-based information in the nation has increased significantly during the last several years. Today, it's estimated that more than 3000000 people utilize the internet nationwide. However, the Kathmandu valley is home to the vast bulk of internet users. However, it is widely applicable nationwide.

IT Policy in Nepal

In 2000, the government adopted an information technology policy with the following primary goals:

• To increase employment by making IT more accessible to the general populace.
• To establish a society based on knowledge.
• Create a knowledge-based industry.

References

Agrawal, Govind, Dynamics of Nepalese Business Environment. M. K. Publishers.

Pant, Prem R. Fundamentals of Business Environment in Nepal, Buddha Academic Enterprises.

van der Aalst, Wil M. P. (2011), Process Mining: Discovery, Conformance, and Enhancement of Business Processes, Springer, ISBN 978-3-642-19344-6