The Dilemmas of Technology: A Review Article

The state of US technology and trade as reported by a conference held on August 22, 1976, is reviewed and criticized for its irrelevance to the problems of lagging US technology. The original report emphasizes technology transfers and trade with the Soviet Union and with less-developed countries. The unprecedented rapid loss in technological leadership by the US since 1973 was attributed by two conference members to a drain of technical personnel from the productive sector to military and space programs and to a mixed bag of economic complaints. The author discredits both hypotheses and is no more convinced by other arguments pointing a finger at multinational activities or government regulations. He finds little interest in making a systematic study of the countries now out-performing the US, but suggests that such a study and a recognition of the multifaceted nature of our economy is essential.