Almost 30 years ago I suggested in an academic paper that to accelerate development in our region, instead of thinking 'technology transfer', the then commonly used concept, we should think 'technology transplant'.

There were rather compelling reasons for the idea at the time.

Today, they seem even more compelling as we import costly, ever-expanding information and communication technologies (ICT) - hardware and software - into operations of government bureaucracies, private sector and as well, our universities.

The core idea was that as in human organ replacement, the host immune system often must be suppressed to avoid rejection of the attempted transplant, in effect, for the procedure to be successful. Rejection means the organ was transferred but 'transplant' did not occur and thrive.

Likewise, transplanting seedlings from greenhouse to the field requires suitably prepared ground for healthy growth into flowering maturity.

A combine harvester developed for and used on the plains of the US corn belt is useless on Jamaican hillsides. So not only do we need sensible preparation but also choice of technological solution fitting the task at hand. The concept 'transplant' comprehensively captures these realities 'transfer' does not.

Cattle breeds

An interesting story along these lines may be told of Jamaica's unique world-renowned cattle breeds.

Jamaica's T.P. Lecky, seeking cattle to succeed in Jamaican conditions, figured the breed needed to have some key characteristics: resistance to tick fever, high milk production capacity, high beef production, light weight for mobility in difficult terrain.

In, and for, the Jamaican environment - tropical conditions - no such animal existed. He recognised that from the earliest imported breeds, our farmers had one problem licked - Jamaican-adapted cattle (cows breeding naturally for centuries in Jamaican conditions, this is, 'transplanted') developed resistance to tick fever.

But milk and beef production was too little. He embarked upon a breeding programme that gave us Jamaica Hope, Jamaica Red and Jamaica Black.

He used a range of techniques, particularly cross-breeding in order to genetically infuse into new breeds the characteristics of the Jersey, Holstein, Indian Sahiwal and purposefully selected Jamaica-adapted cows, transforming them into animals that delivered required outcomes in our environment.

The Jamaica Hope breed still presents tremendous possibilities for Jamaican advance in local agriculture, food security and foreign exchange earnings linked to cattle genetics.

After that interesting story, let's establish that technological change is universally agreed to be a central element in economic growth, representing a major part of the process of 'creative destruction' in capitalism.

It represents new ways of doing old things, creating new materials and processes: spear conquered by gun powder and bullets; horse and buggy give way to steam locomotive and automobile; sailboat to steamship to nuclear-powered submarine; insulated copper cabling gives way to fibre-optic cores.

Productivity advances by leaps and bounds.

New tasks, old techniques

Let's think now of a reincar-nated Christopher Columbus who embarked on his journey, eurocentrically described as 'discovery' of the West Indies. It is the 21st century. He is advised of an incredible new vessel. An airship powered by Rolls-Royce jets.

He comes to Palos, the place from which, as a young man, he originally embarked, with his men.

He vehemently insists that fowls he brought aboard the jet must have the overhead bins as nesting boxes so his crew can have eggs for breakfast. Fantastic! Would you believe this is exactly what we're doing in so many cases of implementing roll-out of ICT in our institutions?

We have old ways of accomplishing a variety of tasks: as in creating databases in paper files or blue books, having layers of personnel and meetings for decision-making processes and so on.

This might be an insurance company client and accounts information system, a Ministry of Tourism, an online student records management system, whatever. Expensive hard- and software of new ICT have been purchased and installed, information technology (IT) professionals are hired and trained.

Yet the functionaries, upon confronting a problem, seek a fix, not to alter their old process of doing things, but for the new system software. The IT technician is instructed to defeat or override some rule allowing old inefficient habits to prevail.

This is Columbus insisting on taking his fowls aboard 21st-century jet airship Santa Maria, to lay eggs for his crew's breakfast!

Fact is, just as we prepare ground for seedlings, suppress recipients' immune systems for a kidney transplant, likewise a host or recipient institution needs to be prepared for absorption of tech-nology transfers so they become 'technology transplants'.

This requires sometimes a change in people's and institutions' orientation for a complete 'buy-in', to the process of technical change ultimately driving cost savings, enhanced efficiency and expanded growth. There are too many situations in which prevailing customs and attitudes impede thriving transplants.

wilbe65@yahoo.com