Technology Capability Assessment Survey

Ethiopian has ratified a new science, technology and innovation policy in 2012 that emphasize on foreign technologies transfer by exploiting "late comer advantage". More specifically, it outlines strategies to accelerate technology development to catching-up front-runner countries that have notable and steady technological breakthroughs and innovations. The main assumption behind these strategies is that technologies that are useful for the country's ongoing socio-economic development are available in the market and that transferring these technologies will be a crucial instrument to reduce the technology capability gaps between the advanced nations and that of Ethiopia. Hence, the policy stresses on building internal technology transfer capability in manufacturing and service sectors there-by searching, selecting, adapting, and utilizing appropriate and effective foreign technologies (STI Policy, 2012).
The capability to transfer foreign technology is affected by a host of factors. These factors are related to the mechanism of technology transfer (forms and methods of transfer), the nature of technology (emerging, existing, and new applications of existing technology) and characteristics of thetechnology recipient party in terms of R&D, and human resource capacity (Evenson and Westphal, as cited in Bernard M. Hoekman et.al, 2004, p. 16).