Technological Challenges in India, Japan, and China - Case Study Example

Technological Challenges in India, Japan and China Introduction The development of technology in India, China, and Japan, when compared to that of the Western world has taken place at an unprecedented rate in these countries. It has become a fact that the three countries named above are some of the most advanced in matters of technology, especially those that are normally put into everyday use. The history of modern technological development in China, India, and Japan can be estimated to have began with these countries’ association with the West and it is by this means that they were able to acquire the technological knowhow to ensure that they came to rival the West. The technology from these countries is normally on high demand from people all over the world and the biggest markets for technological products are found in Western countries. The result of this has been that Japan, China and India, all Asian nations, have worked towards the advancement of their technology to such an extent that they are able to compete with the technological products of other technologically advanced countries (Dahlman, 2007). The result has been that there three countries have developed diverse technologies with the intention of not only achieving economic growth, but also ensuring that they are able to satisfy the demand for their products all over the world. It is mainly because of their technological advancement that these countries have become the hub of all the best technology that is found in the world. The result of this has been the incredible economic growth that these countries have come to have over the years, and the most pertinent cases of economic growth are India and China. The latter, despite entering the global market only a few decades ago, have grown at such a tremendous rate because of their technology that it has become among the most powerful emerging powers. While this may be the case, the fact remains that technological advancement has also brought with it many challenges for these countries and these have to be addressed in order for there to be continued progress. Innovation The three Asian economic giants that are under discussion all have a history of swift development that have taken advantage of the prevailing conditions both domestically and internationally. It is a fact that only three decades ago, China was not one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world but all of these changed when, learning from other world leaders, the Chinese started the technological development of their country through innovation. In the current world, China is one of the biggest exporters of various forms of technology with a market spanning from the West, through Africa, to the greater Asian region. The same applies to Japan, which, despite its defeat after the Second World War chose to completely break with its past and concentrate on its main strengths, mainly in technological innovation, which ensured the recovery of its economy as well as the dominance of its technology in the world markets. India’s story of technological innovation is fairly recent and this has been mainly because of the increased funding that its government and private entrepreneurs have dedicated towards its advancements (Drezner, 2001). As a rising economy, India is only a step behind China in matters of technological innovation and it is yet to be seen whether it will be able to surpass the latter. The main challenge to the technological dominance of these nations is the fact that its talented population is quickly aging and most of the members of the younger generation tend not to be ready to take their place, effectively stifling innovation. It is therefore necessary to ensure that there are more incentives and technological training for those individuals in the younger generations who have talent so that the spirit of innovation in these countries does not die away. The need for innovation in China has become an essential part of its policies but this has come to face many challenges which include the migration of some of its most brilliant innovators to other countries where there are more opportunities. This problem is also prevalent in India where because of the brain drain; the country has remained behind technologically while its citizens go to places such as the United States where they produce the technology which would otherwise have been produced in India. In order to counter this problem, it has become necessary for the governments of China and India to put in place measures to ensure that its most brilliant people do not leave the country. This should be done through the provision of domestic scholarships to the best students in the country as well as the provision, by the government, of the necessary funding to ensure that the individuals who choose to remain are able to produce the technology that is necessary for social and economic advancement. China, India, and Japan are currently facing plenty of competition from of the countries such as the United States and Germany in technological innovation and the fact that new technologies are being developed on a daily basis has placed plenty of challenges to the technological dominance of these three countries (Bauner Laestadius & Iida, 2009). This has resulted in the need to ensure that they are a step ahead of their rivals not only to retain their incredible economic growth, but also to ensure that their technological products remain relevant in the global market. Furthermore, it has been found that in these countries, there are a large number of brilliant individuals who, despite their ideas and commitment to the development of new technology, ever get the opportunity to prove themselves. In countries such as India, it has nowadays become normal for individuals with massive technological talent not to be taken seriously, with the result that their talent ends up going to waste (Das, 2011). It has therefore become necessary to ensure that the government develops the means to monitor students at all levels of education from all over the country so that those who are talented can be provided the means of achieving their dreams, and these will most likely develop into more progress for the country. Changes in the Market Among the biggest technological challenges that are facing China, India, and Japan are the rapid changes that are taking place in the global market. These countries are some of the largest exporters of technological devices in the world and the fact that there has developed plenty of competition from western countries has meant that these Asian countries have to keep up to protect their niche in the market. The result of this competition has been that there have been price wars between the various states in the globe that are involved in the export in technology. Because the cost of production of certain technological devices such as televisions and mobile phones are relatively cheaper in India and China when compared to Japan and the Western nations, the former have taken advantage of the need for cheaper products in the global market (Chang & Cheng, 2002). The ability to produce cheaper technology means that they have become the favored area in the purchase of these devices but this means that they have to ensure that they retain the highest standards of products to remain relevant in the market. This, however, has not been the case as seen in cases where there have appeared imitations of some of the biggest brands in the world, especially in China. These imitations are normally exported to markets in the developing world and this has ensured that these highly deficient devices have flooded a large number of countries. This has created a bad reputation for the technological products of China, with the Made in China brand on these devices being considered to be a mark of low quality rather than the high technological advancement that should be the standard (Kim, 2009). In order to combat those malicious individuals who produce technological imitations, it has become necessary for the government to act swiftly through the implementation of those laws which give stiff sentences to those involved. In the global market today, there has developed a high demand for technological products and it is a fact that countries such as Japan, China, and India are increasingly stepping up to cover this demand. However, they face the challenge of ensuring that the products that they export are only of the highest quality because in the world today, a simple misdemeanor on the part of an exporting nation might mean an international boycott of its products. Such an action would be disastrous to the reputation of the countries involved and this is the reason why China, Japan, and India each have put in place the basic standards of the technological products that are meant for export (Ray, 2006). However, with the ever increasing number of companies in these countries that are involved in the export of technological devices, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the various governments to control the quality of those products that are being exported. It is therefore necessary that over the next few years there be new regulations in place that ensure that the new export situation is put into consideration. The governments of these countries might have to develop ministries whose particular duties will be dealing with technological exports since this is the only way through which there can be efficiency in quality control. Despite the fact that Japan, China, and India are among the largest exporters of technology in the world, these countries are also home to the fastest growing populations in the globe. For this reason, in the years to come, they will not only have to produce technological devices for international markets, but they will also face the challenge of having to cater to local demand (Goff, 1996). The ever increasing domestic demand will mean that these countries will have to increase their technological production. This increase will also have to come with more innovation and advancement because certain pieces of technology have been found to go obsolete within only a few years, or even months of being manufactured. Government Policy It is a fact that the systems of education that have been implemented in these three countries by their governments have technology as part of their basic curriculum. Because of their insistence on technology, there has developed widespread interest in it among the young generations of these countries as opposed to those of the Western world. It is a fact that instructors in these countries often work towards ensuring that their students use and are able to learn the basics concerning technology, thus providing them with the necessary skills for the development of higher technology (Lai, 2007). The ability of those students who learn from these educational systems to efficiently use and in turn develop new technology is a part of the reason for the continued technological development of these countries. In China, India, and Japan, their governments have ensured that they develop a large number of institutions of higher learning that put courses based on technology at the foremost of their curriculums as a means of ensuring that those student who graduate are able to get into technological fields. The education system of China, for example, encourages students to focus on careers which are based on technology with the hope that they will not only be able to gain the necessary skills to develop new technology, but that this technology will also be relevant to the enhancement of the country’s technology (Bai, 2006). It is in this aspect of education that the Chinese, Japanese, and Indian governments have an advantage over those of western countries and this is mainly because of the fact that while the technological development of these three countries is on the high, in the western world, technological innovation is slowing down. The insistence by the governments of these three countries on technological innovation and development is normally backed by large scale funding which is designed to ensure that those individuals working on important technological projects do not lack any of the necessary requirements to excel. As a result, there is no shortage of those individuals who are willing to dedicate all of their time to the enhancement of the current technology to better levels or standards. Among these three Asian giants, it has become a necessary part of developmental policies by their governments to produce more advanced technology as this has been recognized as the means through which economic progress can be enhanced (Preedip, Kadari, Shewale & Singh, 2012). This has ensured that the level of technological development in that has taken place in these countries is very high and this accounts for their fast rise in the global economy. Among the technological challenges that might affect China, Japan and India is the fact that these countries have become an integral part of international politics and economy. As a result, they have to adhere to the rules and regulations which have been put in place to ensure that no single country in the global scene violates the general interests of all the others (Cheng, 2004). Because of the need to follow international law, these countries are at times called upon to participate in the imposition of sanctions over certain countries which are believed not to adhere to international norms. There are some cases where the countries that have been put under sanctions are among the biggest markets for products from these three countries, as well as their biggest suppliers for the raw materials that they might need in the development of certain technologies. This might become an immense setback in the technological development of China, India and Japan since they are not able to produce at a regular scale. In order to deal with these challenges, it is suggested that these countries choose to follow their own path in international matters in order to protect their own domestic interests (Yokoo & Okuwada, 2013). If the trend continues as it has over the past few decades, these nations might find themselves to be the losers, especially when they participate in sanctions over nations with whom they have no conflicts. In addition, there is also the challenge of their being members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which is a body that sets the rules and regulations over the major participants in global trade. Membership in this organization might work towards hindering the progress of countries which would like to make and trade in certain technologies yet are denied to do so by the WTO regulations. Conclusion It is a fact that the three Asian economies under discussion are heavily dependent on the technological advancement that is taking place within them in order to be sustained. It is therefore imperative that they continue advocating for those policies which encourage technological innovation because it is only through this that they can overcome the challenges associated with the ever converging global economy. Moreover, it is a fact that these countries have the capacity of developing the best technology in the world which will not only help in the sustenance of their economic growth, but might also enable them to become the top three economies in the world. It is for this reason that they should work towards the implementation of those policies which will ensure that their technologies remain the best and most competitive in the market. References Bai, L. 2006, "Graduate Unemployment: Dilemmas and Challenges in Chinas Move to Mass Higher Education", The China Quarterly, , no. 185, pp. 128-144. Bauner, D., Laestadius, S. & Iida, N. 2009, "Evolving technological systems for diesel engine emission control: balancing GHG and local emissions", Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 339-365. Chang, P.P & Cheng T. 2002, "The rise of the information technology industry in China: A formidable challenge to Taiwans economy", American Asian Review, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 125-174. Cheng, J.Y.S. 2004, "Challenges to Chinas Russian Policy in Early 21st Century", Journal of Contemporary Asia, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 480-502. Dahlman, C.J. 2007, "China and India: Emerging Technological Powers", Issues in Science and Technology, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 44-53. Das, K. 2011, "INDIAN RURAL CLUSTERS AND INNOVATION: CHALLENGES FOR INCLUSION", Economics, Management and Financial Markets, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 283-301. Drezner, D. 2001, "State structure, technological leadership and the maintenance of hegemony", Review of International Studies, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 003-025. Goff, J. 1996, "The Technological Transformation of Japan", Japan Quarterly, vol. 43, no. 1, pp. 105. Kim, S.S. 2009, "CHINA AND GLOBALIZATION: CONFRONTING MYRIAD CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES", Asian Perspective, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 41-80,2. Lai, H. 2007, "Welfare, Environment and Changing US-Chinese Relations: 21st Century Challenges in China", The China Journal, , no. 58, pp. 223-225. Preedip, B.B., Kadari, S.K., Shewale, N.A. & Singh, A.K. 2012, "Rationale of institutional repository categories and IR development challenges in India", Library Review, vol. 61, no. 6, pp. 394-417. Ray, S. 2006, "THE CHANGING ROLE OF TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS IN EXPLAINING EFFICIENCY IN INDIAN FIRMS", The Journal of Developing Areas, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 127-140. Yokoo, Y. & Okuwada, K. 2013, "Identifying expected areas of future innovation by combining foresight outputs", Foresight : the Journal of Futures Studies, Strategic Thinking and Policy, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 6-18. Read More