Central Information Technologies as a Way-Out for the Crisis
The global economic crisis, which coincided (but did not cause) blood, requires participants in economic life to transform and all humanity – a rethink of the principles and approaches to development.
This crisis and this transformation will demand from the Russian IT industry, which today is also affected by traditional crisis difficulties: difficulty finding customers, lack of payment and struggle for profitability.
What should we do when money has disappeared with citizens and small businesses again? Is there any lesson in history that, having learned, we can continually develop in current circumstances? How do IT companies adapt to new realities? How do you combine these two needs for the transformation pool and the IT industry?
Perhaps Ernst Friedrich Schumacher, a prominent German economist and philosopher, who introduced the term “Buddhist economy” into the European scientific discussion, learn more than anything.
In his work, as early as 1981, he argued from the so -called “Third World” problems – where poverty was combined with the technological backwardness of his day – to the introduction of “intermediate technologies.”
We like to call them “mediums” because it is closer to reflecting the essence of Schumacher’s term, who came to the Russian reader in the translation.
What is Medium Technology?
This is how Ernst Schumacher describes average technology in the book mentioned: “Let’s define the technology level for the cost of technical equipment for a workplace. So the traditional technology used in a typical country can be called” £ 1 technology conditionally conditionally called “, and the technology of developed countries -” technology of £ 1,000 “.
These two technologies are so different from each other that a sudden transition from one to the other is simply impossible. Judge for itself: attempts by developing countries to introduce technology – 1,000 pounds in their economy inevitably leads to technology destruction – 1 Libra and jobs much faster than modern jobs appear. <…> to provide real help, These people need technology that occupies an intermediate position between technology and technology £ 1000.
We conditionally call “technology- £ 100”. <…> It will be a technique the “medium” is incomparably more productive than traditional technology (which has often been sold out), but at the same time it will be much cheaper than complex and densely compacted technology in modern industry.
Value level, it is possible to create a large number of jobs for a very short period of time. In addition, this will affect local entrepreneurs not only in financial terms, but also in terms of education, organization and other capabilities. “
The idea of average technology was very simple and was repeatedly used in the world and in Russia throughout the twentieth century. Thus, during the Great Patriotic War, the USSR government headquarters in tanks for the T-34 tank became much easier and less armed than the “tigers” and “panthers”, but very simple and repaired.
It is so cheap to produce that it would be possible to distribute it to the thousands. Result of the use of intermediate technology in this case: The T-34 tank is recognized by historians as the best tank of World War II.
Similarly, the Indian metal and construction company Tata Motors has worked by bringing the tata nano model to the domestic market – the car is less comfortable than the Japanese, but much cheaper and easily maintenance.
The Main Signs of the Environment Information Technologies
The approach of intermediate technologies is used not only in the East and not just in mechanical engineering. Thus, the authors of the sensational book “Rework”, the founders of Company 37 Company 37 recommend introducing an approach similar to IT product development.
Your principle: Make half the product, not completely low product. 37 Product Brands – Highrise, Basecamp and Campfire systems – enchant the user with a combination of simplicity, reliable performance of basic functions and price.
Putting our reasoning in a practical plane, we identified the main signs of the average:
Wide Coverage. Technology must be applicable to a large segment of the population or the entrepreneurial public;
Obvious Benefit. Technology should simplify significantly (according to Schumacher, 3-5 times) the existing way to perform a particular function;
Financial Availability. The medium should be 5 to 10 times cheaper than the most expensive and functional technology of western origin.
These three simple criteria allow you to analyze the entire approach of IT entrepreneurs for your business.
How the IT industry can apply an approach to ‘Tech Middle’
For the convenient and productive functioning of computer companies in view of the need to develop intermediate technologies, it makes sense to consider the following organizational and structural measures:
- Agile implementation in the prototype, development and testing phase.
- Transition to the “Cost Leadership” model – Fast development of simple products with small strengths.
- A rejection of the idea of making the “cooler” in favor of making the “more necessary and now available.
- Active listening of the client in the elaboration of the Roydmap of the products.
- Implementation of “Human Face Sales” – Implementation of a transparent and understandable price policy, high quality customer advice and free or cheap user support.
Obviously, state support in the introduction of these targeted approach programs, subsidies and assistance in the organization of distribution could accelerate the introduction of intermediate technologies in Russia, which would help the country reach a new technological level in no more than 10 to 15 years. .
If the most promising Russian IT companies look at this letter, our country is convinced that the period of crisis will be very easily benefited with great easily and with great mutual benefit.
