Researching the trade in
knowledge between the West and
developing countries
K.E. Shaw
School of Lifelong Learning, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to research the trade in knowledge as a commodity between
advanced nations and less developed ones.
Design/methodology/approach – Investigates knowledge transfer between nations and examines
cultural factors and their effect on this exchange.
Findings – Finds that successful adoption of traded material calls for careful evaluation, investment
in research, monitoring and the scrutiny of experience. Some movement is likely to be needed in deeper
underlying assumptions about learning and teaching in the receiving countries. Beyond this, there will
be a need for modifications in the system and institutions of education especially at higher levels. The
indigenisation of overseas material thus requires some awareness of economic, political, social and
cultural conditions, locally as well as in the providing countries. There is thus ample scope for higher
degree research, which need not be highly expensive. It would, however, require thorough theoretical
awareness and methodological sophistication.
Originality/value – Provides useful insight into the problems of trade in knowledge between
developed and developing nations.
Keywords Knowledge transfer, Education, Developing countries, National cultures
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The central concern of this paper is research into the trade internationally in
knowledge as a commodity between advanced nations and less developed ones. It is
commonly said of manufactured goods that the acid test of quality is the ability to sell
in the international market. It hardly needs to be pointed out that this depends on the
degree of sophistication of the consumers. In the case of knowledge as a tradeable
good, it is by no means clear that learners are in any position to be informed at the
point of purchase, or indeed that they can exercise choice in most educational contexts.
Even teachers may be unable to appraise adequately the worth of bought-in courses or
materials until they have become closely familiar with them through teaching. They
may go on teaching courses often rated low by students. Indeed, the conditions in
which courses from overseas are selected and implemented without practical
evaluation is a study in itself. Much material is bought or franchised in relation to
revised policies, to meet the new needs created by the introduction of reforms in
curriculum or pedagogy, and centrally imposed. Some simply appear because of the
persuasive sales-pitch of the providers, when there are local funds to be spent. Such
purchases or contracts are normally made by bureaucrats in the Ministries and by
other agencies which are usually rather distant from the point of delivery by the
practitioners, in the classroom or lecture hall. Since evaluation is often not very well
developed or practised in many receiving countries, much material (and quite a lot of
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Researching the
trade in
knowledge
459
International Journal of Educational
Management
Vol. 19 No. 6, 2005
pp. 459-468
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0951-354X
DOI 10.1108/09513540510617418