Role of UNIDO in the International Transfer of Technology,

We are in the midst of an information explosion. Challenged by this situation and at the same time faced with the increasing demand for acquiring that information in a usable way, substantial developments have taken place in hardware, primarily through computer facilities and the marriage of computers and telecommunications. This has further resulted in the development of systems and approaches to compile, process and retrieve information as easily and as inexpensively as possible. The current estimate of available data banks is well over 200, the majority in the United States. The problem of availability of detailed information appears to be an important bottleneck. There is also the problem of imperfection of the user-system interface. The main problem, however, is whether data exists which is needed by the end user, particularly in the field of industrial development in the developing countries. Recent UNIDO experience has shown that the usefulness of available data through the existing system is not directly relevant for decision-making purposes. The bulk of information that has been developed seems better suited to researchers, scientific personnel and R and D personnel than to Government officials who have to make decisions, or entrepreneurs who have to negotiate the contracts.