Sustainable development

We chose the problem of the concept of "sustainable development" to be the main topic of this essay.

In this essay, we make our idea in explaining the meaning of the sustainable development and the "essentially contested concept" of sustainable development, the positive as well as negative implication that have efforts towards sustainable development and some examples from our country.

Sustainable development concept

First, through lecture of Klintman, I think that the concept of sustainable development refers to issue of economic development, but also need to achieve economic efficiency and make the social justice and environmental protection. (lecture of Klintman on the subject of Sustainability, Science and Governance).

Besides, based on the Brundtland Commission report on Environment and Development World - WCED (Brundtland Commission today) in 1987, the sustainable development is known as "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_development).
 

From the information above, we could see that the concept of sustainable development assessment that in the general development it should be comprehensive development in all fields of economic, social and environmental protection. In my opinion, this has led to the emergence of "essential contestation" in the concept of sustainable development.
 

Essential contestation and the implication to the development
 

We know that the development associated with the dynamics of economic activities. Economic activity is the transformation process to transform input elements into output elements (products and services) to meet the needs of society. Nature was, the economic activities are having an impact on society and the environment. In the process of production, natural materials were used, wastes and emissions are discharged into the environment to more and more products and services are created. As economic activity grows, the impact on the environment is increasing and the trend adversely affecting the environment and human habitat. This leads to the need to balance economic benefits and social benefits (cited from the lecture of Klintman) to resolve the conflict of opposing views in choosing between priorities for economic development or environmental protection in order to ensure the development and limit the adverse impact on the living space of the society as well as the biodiversity and natural resources.
 

Essential contestation in the concept of "Sustainable Development" was demonstrated by the controversy about the need to distribute equitably the benefit of economic activity brings to society to avoid inequality as well as uneven development, something entirely possible adverse impacts on human environment in general. In his lecture, Klintman mentioned the need to improve the living environment of the slums ... or need support for the poor in countries to help them to make a living without based on the direct exploitation and adversely affect natural resources. We know that with the global thinking and the concept of sustainable development then it became the responsibility of all countries in the world.
 

The positive implication of the introduction of the concept of sustainable development can easily see now, that if implemented sustainable development, the benefits are maximized, the standard of living is improved and natural resources is guaranteed (This can be clearly seen in the developed countries which went through periods industrialization). However, in other respect I think the concept of sustainable development can also give negative effects. It is for developing countries, resistance from the need to protect national resources could make priority objectives for economic growth is limited, in the context of scientific and technical of these countries can not keep up with other countries went ahead to be able to rationally exploit these resources and efficiency, and the pressure of growth demand pushing.
 

The bauxite mining project in Vietnam in recently
 

This is an example shows that Vietnam has experienced a debated issue in achieving the objectives of economic growth or a choice of sustainable development objectives. With the role of operating the economy, the Government of Vietnam has planned to deploy a number of bauxite extraction plant in Tay Nguyen (Highlands), with initial target is to export the raw material bauxite, create jobs, transfer regional economic structure, attracting the participation of other industries…
 

However, after the government announced the project, there was a debate broke out with the fear from the environmental protection. Groups who disagree with the plan of the bauxite mining project in the Highlands recommended that there will remain potentially hazardous for the environment. Besides, these projects are expected to influence countries in the exploitation and export abroad too many raw materials, while not implemented new technology in mining.
 

The debate continued until the disaster of bauxite has occurred in Hungary . It makes the debate on bauxite took place more harsher and  Vietnam government seems to be more cautious with this bauxite project..
 

Conclusions
 

Always have a debate in the concept of sustainable development in which we need to consider the need to select the priority factors, to ensure maximization of benefits as a whole. 

We recognize that to achieve sustainable development, the role of science and technology is very important. We know that the development needs resources, but resources are always limited. In this context, the development of science and technology will solve the problems. In fact that the development of science and technology always play an important role to the  evolution of human society. 

Vietnam is a developing country, aims to pursue sustainable development. Although there are advantages in natural resources such as forests, water resources, minerals (coal, oil ..), Vietnam should have a policy for sustainable development through the rational and saving use of existing resources, and better handling of issues of environmental protection, improving the quality of social life. To do this, besides the economic development policies accordingly, Vietnam should have the develop policies on science and technology in order to early make the successful of the industrialization process, become a country with developing economies, based on advances in science and technology while ensuring effective implementation of the environmental protection and social security.

Truong Chi

Borrowing of technology

“Borrowing of technology” is understood as the borrowing of scientific and technical achievements from the advance countries by the following countries to help the following countries leveling of the gap and catch up the level of development, even is beyond the countries went ahead. In the world, countries like the U.S., former Soviet Union, Japan and some East Asian countries like Korea, Taiwan had been referred to as successful examples in the application of borrowing technology forms (such as reserve engineering, copying, or buying a license) to the successful implementation of modernization or industrialization in each country. In the advantages of borrowing of the technology, we can see as follows:

First, we can see that borrowing of technology can make latecomer countries quickly get new technologies and by the form of "reverse engineering" or "copying", latecomer countries can further research in order to put the technology to reach to new heights, making the technology became their own, to serve the goals beyond from other countries. We can take a few examples from Tunzelmannn's book:

- In case of the United States: the United States was the technology borrower such as steam, electricity, steel technology from Britain and other European countries. After that, the United States had succeeded in attracting scientific human resource from the flow of immigrants as well as strongly investment in research and application of "reverse engineering", to develop borrowed technology and turning them into "special of America”. Then with their achievements, the United States has become the industrial powers in the world in the early 20th century.

- In case of the Soviet Union: after conducting five-year plans, the Soviet Union accomplished industrialization. After the end of World War II, the Soviet Union was quick to use the technology obtained from Western allies before and the scientific achievements derive from Germany to go ahead and become a superpower. A typical example (from a lecture on “the History of Science” of Mr.Gustav) that after getting the technology of manufacturing V2 missiles from Germany, the Soviet Union had successfully in applying this technology to create the missiles can launch satellites in to orbit (Sputnik), opening the development of the universe industry.

Second, borrowing of technology has also helped to latecomer countries (with a backward level) can save costs and avoid risks in research so that make them can quickly catch up with the advanced technology of the world, to shorten the time of industrialization compared with the previous industrialization countries:

- Tunzelmann's book mentions that Japan has used "reverse engineering" method and "catch up" (as in the straight on the electrification and skip the conversion of energy sources such as steam power) to reach  the development level of the U.S. and other western countries, creating a "miracle growth" in the period 1950 to 1980.

- Following Japan, East Asian countries such as Korea and Taiwan those were with the backward starting point have chosen policies to attract FDI and through that to study technology from developed countries. Besides, by buying foreign license to deploy new technology in their countries, those countries have also speed up the process of industrialization and nowadays Korea and Taiwan are classified as newly industrialized countries (NICs)

However, borrowing of technology also has the disadvantage. Countries have no appropriate borrowing of technology policy will easily encounter the following problems:

- The cost of importing foreign technology when purchasing a license to be allowed to deploy the technology (in case of Taiwan that had to import more and more - Tunzelmann's book)

- The borrowed technology may not consistent with the borrowing country (because the technology had formed through R & D processes in the origin country of the technology).  Thus, the borrowing country could get risks such as not deploying the technology or technological factors require that the borrowing country was not available (for the import of Japanese textiles technology - Tunzelmann's book)

- Dependence on foreign technology and does not promote scientific research capacity in the country.

Conclusion

Borrowing of technology is necessary for latecomer countries in development, to catch up with developed countries in the world. I think the technology borrowing countries (especially the developing countries like Vietnam) should have a right policy, to one side catch up with the development level of the world, and other side to become autonomy and creativity in science and technology activities. That can help the technology borrowing countries to shorten the time of industrialization and modernization period.

The role of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in Economic Growth

Economics and STI.

We know that economic growth is the subject of economics research. To explain the economic growth, the economists in each period were always trying to find out the factors that decision to the growth.

- During the period of the classical economists, to explain the social and economic development of that period, the economists have referred to the emergence of a "capital" and "capitalism" and their role in investment in production, leading to the impulse for the development of society. Also during this period, Karl Marx had to be "the first of the classical thinkers who stressed Technological change as a driving force in history" (tutorial lecture by Professor Claes).

- By that time the neoclassical economics, the economists emphasize on the inputs of production such as "Land", "Capital" and "Labour" and that the alternative between "Capital" and " Labour" in the Cobb-Douglas production function is the basis for growth. A factor that today is known as the activities of STI had not been grouped as factors explaining economic growth. Until the time when the results of the test by R.Solow and later by E.Denison were announced, people understand that the activities of STI has a significant role for economic growth, although that contribution is very difficult to measure (led by information from a lecture by Professor Claes and Tunzelmann’s book).

- When the evolutionary economics occurs, the activities of STI have been determined that they have actually contributed significantly to economic growth. Based on inspiration from the concept of "Creative Destruction" in the previous period of J.Schumpeter, the economist in this school considered that the companies and firms always have to conduct innovation to overcome the selection of the market, then continue to exist and develop (information from a lecture by Professor Claes and Tunzelmann’s book). For companies and firms have little or no innovation often, they will encounter many challenges of the market so prone to failure and destruction.

The economic crisis and the role of STI

I want to use the information in the lecture by Professor Claes and Tunzelmann’s book on the findings of N.Kondratiev (Long Wave Theories) and J.Schumpeter (Creative Destruction) to talk about the link between economic growth after each period of crisis with STI activities.

Accordingly, an economic cycle for the N.Kondratiev was extended from 50 to 60 years, called the Long Waves, go through the four phases: prosperity, recession, depression and recovery. Absorb the theories of N.Kondratiev, J.Schumpeter discovered "counter waves", ie in each cycle when the economy fell into depression phase, the development of STI activities becomes very strongly. J.Schumpeter called that development is "Creative Destruction" and this innovation brings new things (new products, new management and production methods, new markets or new resources etc...), promoting investment activities, making the economy more vibrant active to go out of the crisis and return to growth period.

In the history of the world economy, the following markers can be considered to illustrate for the findings of N.Kondratiev and J.Schumpeter:

- In 1771: the industrial revolution.

- In 1829: the textile industry and the railways.

- In 1875: the period of the chemical industry, electricity and steel.

- In 1908: the period of the oil, automobile and mass production.

-In 1971: the period of information technology.

(Quoted by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kondratiev_wave).

Conclusions.

We can see that STI activities inextricably linked to economic growth. The economists are the people who tested this includes economists that initially did not consider factors such as science and technology is one of the reasons for the economic growth.

        Economics is a field of activity is always highly competitive, with the input of resources is always limited. To survive and development, economic institutions always need to capture growth through efficient use of resource inputs, providing outputs which are innovative and competitive. The investment in STI activities is a solution to that problem. At the national level, the identification and appropriate investment for STI activities will promote the growth of key economic sectors, accompanied by the growth of entire economies, thereby sustain development for that country. Besides, we know that in every period of economic crisis, the activities of the STI is the hope to create a new dynamism for the economy to overcome the depression. Clearly, the role of STI activities for economic growth is huge. Today, we know that the development of STI activities in each country is the one of the criteria to assess the level of economic development in those countries.

Truong Chi

R&D system

R&D system is a scientific and technological activities in which R is the Research activities (including basic research and applied research) and D is the Development activities.

In the book of Professor Vu Cao Dam, The methodology of scientific research, in 2010, he introduced on the function of the activities in R&D system as follows:

Basic research: the research is to discover the properties, structures and movement of things. Results of basic research can be explored, discovered, invented, leading to formation of a new theoretical system.

Applied research: is the application of rules detected from basic research to explain a thing or creating new principles of the solution.

Development (experimental development) is to apply the theories to make prototypes and production technology with the technical feasibility parameters. Development activities are including 3 steps:

- Creating prototypes: the experimental step to create the prototypes.

- Create process (also called period of "pilot"), a period of searching and testing technology to produce the prototypes has succeeded in the first step.

- Make a small series of experiments: also known as "serial 0". This is the step to verify the reliability of small-scale processes.

Thus, in the R&D system, the activities are divided according to function and each offers its own product research. Participating in the activities of R&D system can be research institutions, universities and enterprises. Every organization in R&D system, with the advantage of tradition or their resources, tends to focus on one activity in that system. For example, we can see that the university is consistent with activities in basic research, research institutes, in line with research activities and applications for enterprise R & D, consistent with their development activities. However, it does not mean that every organization while participate in the activities of R&D selected only an activity which they have strengths. We can see that at universities or at institutes where research activities are the mainly work, still have many projects to develop technological lines with financial support from businesses. Conversely,  there were many businesses have been building the research labs which are full of conditions and facilities to invite scientists be there to carry out basic research activities as well as applied research.

The relationship

Activities in R&D system is always in close relationship with each other. First, in the relationship between basic research and applied research, we can see applied research based on the results of basic research to perform their activities, while basic research need of the results of applied research to supplement information on the new things were found previously.

Between applied research and development also have close relationships. Through the intermediate step that is applied research, development activity concretize the new research results of basic research into the prototype, to create commercial products for social life. Conversely, the feedback from the results of deployment operations research can help to regulate the result of applied research to make it complete.

For the relationship between basic research and development activities, we can see it through the fact that the deployment activities always need new ideas of basic research to make new products to meet the increasing needs of society. Meanwhile, basic research (in the context of science is increasingly linked to society) always need feedback from development to identify the orientation for research activities.

Conclusions

Understanding of R&D system is very important for policy makers on science and technology. This helps them get a correct perception about the activities in the R&D system as well as the discrimination of different objects in this system, thereby making the appropriate policy on science and technology, to promote the role of each organization participating in scientific and technological activities and effectively use the social resources for science and technology activities.

Truong Chi

 

Old and new norm systems of science

Old and new norm systems of science are the concepts to distinguish two forms of organization and practice of science, including the traditional scientific system and the modern scientific system, in which, the modern scientific system is considered began after the time of the modern revolution in science and technology in the 1940s of the 20th Century.

We know that before the modern revolution science and technology, the results of scientific research activities are mainly provided for society the scientific knowledge to explain the natural world, the laws of society or opening up the development of the theory of basic sciences .... In addition, though some research results then have been applied in social life, science had not suffered as much impact from the society.

After the Second World War, particularly the revolution of modern science and technology, science has become linked with social life. The success in applying of scientific achievements to serve political and military objectives (the Manhattan project in US) led to the advent of big science projects which have received funding greatly from the government and military. Besides, science is also becoming more inextricably connected with the technical and material production activities that making a revolution in technology, bringing new products to serve social life, from which open up market opportunities, attracting the attention of businesses. The business has gradually become the sponsor of scientific research activities.

For that reason, science has more features and become different from the previous scientific tradition. About the difference between the traditional scientific systems and the modern scientific system, Doctor Olof.Hallonsten, in his lecture on the subject "Governance of Science" cited 02 of acronyms of Merton and Ziman to describe the main characteristics of the traditional science and modern science.

CUDOS and PLACE

In 1942, Merton gave the characteristics of systems science in that time through the acronym: CUDOS. In 1994, Ziman outlined his views of the system characteristics of modern science through the acronym: PLACE. Accordingly, the acronyms are derived from the word CUDOS are C: Communalism, U: Universalism, D: Disinterestedness, O: Originality, S: Skepticism, and acronyms are derived from the word PLACE are P: Proprietary , L: Local, A: Authoritarian, C: Commissioned, E: Expert. (cited from the lecture on the subject "Governance of Science" by Dr. Ofof).

The acronyms on above is emphasis on distinctive features, in contrast between the traditional scientific system for the modern scientific system. For example, between Communalism - Proprietary: for traditional science, the research results should belong to society, while for modern science, this result was associated with the ownership of individuals or organizations. Universalism - Local: in traditional science, research activities seems not to focus on serving a specific audience, while in the modern science, the research is usually located in a defined range and solve specific problems etc .... We can see that this difference comes from the thing that the modern science has linked more closely with society and dominated more by the needs of society. Scientists have to choose between the scientific research is an activity of freedom, an individual needs, with the scientific research is an activity serving the needs of society.

The potential conflicts

The main differences and contradictory of traditional and modern scientific systems led to the conflict between the two. Research activities in the traditional scientific system enhanced freedom, creativity, and scientists are free to study the issues which they feel interested and excited. Meanwhile, research activities in the system of modern science have many influences and impacts from outside, to meet the expectations of society or of those who provide resources for research activities research.

In Vietnam, I think it hard to take some examples of a conflict between the traditional science and modern science because the development of science in Vietnam is still at a low level. State budget remains the main source of financing of research institutions and the financial provisions from the state does not promote scientific research activities. Besides, the participation of society for scientific research activities are limited. We do not have many businesses focus on investment in scientific research activities. The combination of business and scientific organizations are not close and yet highly effective.

Conclusions

We know that the existence of both systems of science is a certain meaning. To conclude this essay, we can say that the role of science policy-makers is very important. They should have a correct perception, to make the appropriate policies for both systems, in order to balance between ensuring the independence and freedom of scientific research activities with the application of science in the social life, serving the needs of social development.

Truong Chi