While ‘leapfrogging’ does conjure up images of small frogs jumping over each other, in a sustainable context, it means that countries skip steps in development due to technological innovation. If countries reached the point of industrialization they wouldn’t have to rely on fossil fuels to stimulate their economies. Instead, implementation of technology in the form of wind turbines, solar energy, hydrothermal, etc.… would allow countries to skip over stages of unsustainable consumption. A question can be asked if it is possible for countries to attain an economic revolution without industrialization?
Joanna Lewis’s article “Technology Acquisition and Innovation in the Developing World: Wind Turbine Development in China and India,” intends to highlight the mechanisms that make ‘leapfrogging’ possible for developing countries. Lewis’s theorizes that broad ideas of leapfrogging such as “international technology transfers”, “innovation systems”, “learning networks” along with the context of development and policy in each country, can determine the reality of implementation (Lewis, 191). From empirical evidence drawn from China and India, Lewis is attempting to bridge the gap between theory and practical application of sustainable innovation.
While innovation is one of the answers for countries to increase sustainability, it also has costs and can be an inefficient process. Broad theories of technology transfers, innovation systems, and learning networks can be too broadly defined for a universal application. China and India may be suitable candidates for increased application of advanced technologies but can the same be said for other countries that aren’t in the same league as the former?
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In a study meant to define clean innovation strategy approaches for stakeholders in five countries, one of the main barriers identified was apprehension over unknown technologies (Karakosta, 14). Lack of infrastructure varies nation to nation and it can play a major part in a countries’ hesitance to approach sustainable innovation.
Another example of this was the empirical evidence supporting Alan Colin Brent and David E. Rogers article, “Renewable Rural Electrification: Sustainability Assessment of Mini-hybrid Off-grid Technological Systems in the African Context”. Implementation of renewable energy technology was found to be unfeasible for that areas’ context because of a lack of system awareness and overall mismatched perceptions of application (Brent and Rogers, 212). China and India may not be suitable countries to analyze sustainable innovation because they are heavily involved in global markets and can confidently facilitate these advanced technologies.
According to Lewis, ‘leapfrogging’ requires progressive rules that stem from commitments in national policy (Lewis, 196). It’s interesting that the assumption is that all countries and stakeholders are truly committed to sustainable innovation. While China is implementing policies to increase their use of renewable resources, they have also passed the United States as the dominant producer of greenhouse gases in the world (Lewis, 190). Implementing ‘leapfrog’ technology doesn’t guarantee that fossil fuels won’t be extracted or used. The process of implementing and establishing sustainable innovation can be very costly and takes time for implementation (Brent and Rogers, 213). Until that time where the price of ‘leapfrogging’ is more favorable than fossil fuel technologies, poorer countries may be less willing to participate.
Joanna Lewis’s article, “Technology Acquisition and Innovation in the Developing World: Wind Turbine Development in China and India,” does offer a rational explanation for implementing sustainable innovation in developing countries. Unfortunately, the reality is rarely rational and there is a need for more comprehensive strategies in order to successfully facilitate sustainable mechanisms.
Depending on the country, the undertaking of such innovation may be incredible daunting due to cost, apprehension, incentives, etc… It’s probable that commitment comes from society first before its enacted into policy or it’s possible that different methodology such as international technology transfers or learning environments could be adapted and transformed based on the context. Is it possible that innovation can facilitate sustainability systems? Technology alone cannot guarantee sustainability. Technology is only a tool that becomes relevant depending on participation. People are the tools that determine sustainability.
A confident country such as India and China would participate and utilize renewable technologies because their specific context establishes an infrastructure for sustainable approaches. Other countries such as South Africa don’t find renewable technology feasible because they don’t have the same foundation to approach sustainability. There are other factors that need consideration in addition to technological advances in sustainability.
