Soviet Introduction of New Technology: A Depiction of the Process

摘要

This paper presents a discussion of the difficulties involved in the introduction of new technology into civilian industry in the Soviet Union. It explains those problems which are found particularly in the Soviet planned economy as opposed to private enterprises in developed capitalist countries. The report concentrates on the issues of incentives, but also deals with the problem of transferring new technology from the laboratory to the production line, the difficulty of acquiring new information about new technology developed abroad, and the degree to which research, development and production should be carried out within distinct organizations. Through the use of a qualitative model, the forces at work within the USSR, especially at the level of the production enterprise, are depicted and are contrasted to a different model describing the same forces in the German Democratic Republic. One critical feature--managerial philosophy--is singled out as differentiating the two models and application to the USSR of the East German concept is discussed. (Author)