An Empirical Study for Determining and Prioritizing of Enablers and Barriers to Appropriate Technology Management

The potential of Appropriate Technology (AT) development at the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) for meeting economic, social, and environmental needs is rarely evaluated in various verticals. This study initially identified fourteen critical enablers and eight barriers to appropriate technology management through a systematic literature review and validated through multi-case studies. The ranking of different enablers and barriers and predicting their priorities were determined through Friedman Test. The analysis resulted in six enablers and five barriers critical to appropriate technology practices. ‘Understanding of socio-cultural context,’ ‘Utilization of local resources,’ ‘Understandability of technology,’ ‘Robust design,’ and ‘Technology Acceptance’ were the significant enablers. The significant barriers were ‘Technology Transfer,’ ‘Lack of implementation of local skills and knowledge, ‘Behavior Change,’ ‘Lack of Sensitivity,’ and ‘Weak Institutional Support.’ The findings of this study uncover the importance of enablers and barriers that can help organizations exploit these variables for the effective development and dissemination of appropriate technology in a specific region.