Technology: Crucial for Economic Development in Low/Middle-Income Countries - Essay Sample

Introduction

Technology plays a crucial role in economic development and advancing the innovation level in the low and middle-income countries. Advancement in technology is vital in increasing the production capacity and increasing the efficiency with which businesses are conducted. Technology has had a profound impact on the economies of developing countries through the reduction in various costs of production and coming up with adequate quality standards to enhance operations of the business. Development of technology requires huge responsibility from all the players to be socially responsible, and be aware of the impact of the technological impact on society. Through being accountable during the innovation, organizations are able to analyze the consequences of their actions to ensure they protect the environment they operate in hence contributing to the growth of the gross domestic products of the nations. Development of low income or middle-income countries requires the application of technology responsible for stimulating economic growth by creating conducive and productive working environments. Through innovation, people are able to respond towards various economic, environmental and social challenges when they see that the technology has been applied responsibly for the common good.

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Ethics-Based and Human Rights-Based Approaches in Technology Development

Adequate development of technology requires the involvement of the various stakeholders to ensure policies that govern and aid innovation are well laid. Through this, ethical considerations are put in place to guide the ventures. Responsible application of technology will be beneficial for the combination of the human rights-based approaches and approaches that are ethically based. Strategies that are human rights-based offers a universal foundation from which developing economies can base their judgments and choices. Through this approach, those who are affected by the technological developments in the developing countries are identified and an amicable way provided through which they can meet their falling obligations (Raso, Hilligoss, Krishnamurthy, Bavitz & Kim, 2018).

The human right based approach ensures the freedom of people is not curtailed by the attempts to develop technology and for this reason, innovations should be centred on the impact they have on the rights and freedoms of people. Approaches that are ethics-based looks at what is wrong or right by considering the religious backgrounds, cultures and traditions while developing technologies that will help in bringing economic progress. Through the ethics-based approach, opportunities which are socially preferable and acceptable are identified and applied in averting costly mistakes. The two approaches should, therefore, be considered to be complementary in order to come up with mechanisms that are holistic and robust to be used to mitigate risks associated with the development of technology (Raso, Hilligoss, Krishnamurthy, Bavitz & Kim, 2018)

Understanding Technology Life Cycle help in Responsible Development of Technology in Low and Middle-Income Countries

In order to understand and appreciate the ethics and the risks associated, the technology life cycle comes in to clearly give an insight into how the life cycle enhances responsible development. The technology life cycle involves how they are designed and consequently developed, the deployment of technology, and how they are used and applied to ensure the useful derivation of the benefits desired. In the designing phase, companies making the technology can come up with the limits, during the designing phase, on what people can achieve or do using the technology which is disruptive in nature (Von Schomberg, 2014). The achievement can be made by coming up with policies that are acceptable and covering the impacts that are relevant to the technology like surveillance, privacy or discrimination.

The designing company can, therefore, decide whom to sell to depending on their accessibility of the risks vested towards the general public. The buyers of the technology should also understand the impact the technology has on the human rights and the environment they operate in hence they should be in a position to understand the assessment of the rights and ethical considerations. By being aware of the concerns, the buyer of technology can, therefore, come up with the correct way to implement the technology to ensure its development and ultimate utilization of the technology is responsibly conducted (Von Schomberg, 2014). Through the various measures by the designer and buyer of the technology, the Middle and low-income countries are able to protect their citizens from the adverse effects that could have brought by the technology.

Offering Extensive Guidance and Training on Development of New Technology

For effective deployment of technology, organizations coming up with the technology are mandated to ensure they offer adequate training and sensitizing the low-income and middle-income nations on the best way to apply the technology. By offering training, companies ensure they enforce the best practices, and they are deemed ethically responsible, and this enhances development and creates efficiency in operations in developing countries. Through incorporating training into the sales process, the users' knowledge, their insight, and capability are improved hence addressing the human rights and ethics issues. Developing countries need extensive training on new technologies and through this their perception changes regarding technology, consequently embracing it and applying the technology towards enhancing their production capacities (Salas, Tannenbaum, Kraiger & Smith-Jentsch, 2012).

Fairness, Accountability, Transparency and Disclosure

Development and application of technology require full disclosure by the designers and the sellers of the technology in regard to the risks associated and how the technology functions. For developing countries to prosper, technology must be developed and applied fairly and with a clear process of decision making. Through fairness, technology can be used to the area that is key for development without making others feel discriminated (Lauwo & Otusanya, 2014). When technology is applied equally, people appreciate, and there is a joint effort to make it grow as there is a sense of ownership. In essence, inclusion translates to results as people work together, and this forms a crucial avenue for more innovations on how to improve the technology.

For countries with low or middle income, success in the implementation of technology is based on how various stakeholders are held responsible for their actions. Decisions and approaches that lead to environmental degradation will face rejection from the local communities even if the technology is of many benefits. The designers and buyers of technology should, therefore, take charge of the implication the technology will have in the environment and the community way of life (Lauwo & Otusanya, 2014). Additionally, people are encouraged to embrace technology for economic growth and jointly take responsibility and promote technological efforts made to ease the way people conduct businesses. Technological projects that require the involvement of the government and financial supports call for the government to be accountable for the innovations and the possible consequences it brings to the general public. An accountable government steers the economy forwards through appropriate accountability of the technologies introduced in the country.

Regulation of Technology Development by the Governments

Effective application and prosperity of a nation depend on technology depends on the extent of government involvement in regulating the technological advancements being introduced. The government in conducting this mandate ensures the rights for innovations are not interfered with, but instead those with innovative ideas are encouraged to advance their innovations in line with the existing ethical context and without the contravention of the human rights (Jarvis, 2012). Governments in low-income countries are in a prime position to enhance the innovation capacities in their countries by enacting laws that enhance innovations and coming up with the frameworks within which the technological innovations will be applied responsibly to derive the maximum social benefit as desired.

Licensing and giving patented rights by the government protects the innovators and encourage them to come up with better ideas that can be used to develop the economy. The government can, therefore, control the innovations made by closely following up their executions to ensure the public remains safe. Through this, technology can be developed successfully and with confidence through the development phases to ensure maximum productivity. The government can also enact laws that regulate the application of technology and for taking action against those applying technology at the expense of the societal rules (Jarvis, 2012). Through government regulations, technology is developed responsibly in conformity to the ethical standards and human rights as enshrined under the law.

Integration of Ethical Aspects Into the Company’s Culture While Developing Technology

Development of technology requires it to be embedded into the culture and norms of the society. Organizations that develop technology should incorporate the ethical aspects and human right aspects into the organizational culture. Through this approach, organizations are able to develop technology that combines the cultural aspects of a given region. The aim is to ensure that the religion, beliefs and ideals of the people are considered while developing technology. Technology that reflects the way of life of people and taking into account their values gains acceptance hence thrive in the region. People appreciate and utilize such technologies making it develop, leading to societal progress (Asif, Searcy, Zutshi & Fisscher, 2013).

Adequate Prediction of Disruptive Technologies

At times technology can be disruptive and disastrous to human beings depending on how they are applied or the motives for their application. Among the disruptive technology is an artificial intelligence that tends to mimic how human being thinks and react to various circumstances. Despite the vast application of the technology, it possesses a threat to people as it tends to inhibit the innovation level as people do not become aggressive to discover new ways of doing things differently (Brown, Dennis & Venkatesh, 2010). When coming up with technology an assessment should be made as to the effect of such technology on how human beings think and operate. The primary purpose is for the technology to complement human activities but not to replace the humankind. Artificial intelligence is a big threat hence the need to limit its application when developing technology responsibly. Cooperation is therefore required from key developed countries in controlling the effect of artificial intelligence on the innovation capacities of the low income developing economies (Brown, Dennis & Venkatesh, 2010). Adequate prediction of such technologies allow for the right course of action to avert the risks associated with the technology, and through this, responsible technologies that lead to economic progress are identified and monitored to achieve maximum output in developing nations.

Creation of Frameworks and Bodies to Monitor Technological Development

Long term vision and objective of the nations are responsible for ensuring the technology developed to aid in the attainment of such purposes. Existence of lega...