Countries, if they can afford it, should make the acquiring of technology a stated goal for all public sector projects. But it’s usually the private sector that is in taking the lead in making technological changes.
Why is this so? I believe the issue is one of incentives in the public sector, or the lack of it. There should be a system of competition among bureaucrats across counties, provinces and state. Those who have proven successful in one county should be given bigger state wide responsibilities in an adjoining state.
The other issue is leadership. There may be a will on the top, but lower rungs resist the idea of competition when the public sector is supposed to be an iron rice bowl.
A change of mindset from the top echelons to the lowest rung is required. If it doesn’t come from within, it has to come from outside the country. Only when other countries surpass the less efficient ones will it catalyse the latter into action.
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