Optimale Produktionsstruktur und Forschungsrichtung / Neue Aspekte der Entwicklungsländerforschung

Research activities are growing quickly, increasingly influence the com position of production and are themselves influenced increasingly by produc er interests. Research tends to serve relatively limited interests, mainly those of the producers of developed countries. As a consequence the use of to-day's research for large parts of the world's population is doubtful. It is recom mended that wider interests be served. Since the development of the develop ing countries constitutes the highest priority for the world at large - in order to attain astabier world -, research should also derive its priorities from this point of view. Part of a directive is to be found in the optimal international division of labour, which, according to the theory of international trade, should be adapted as much as possible to the factor endowments of all coun tries concerned. Attainment of this division of labour requires the reduction of trade impediments by rich countries. Research should serve the interests and the problems of the poor countries, as was the case with the research which brought the green revolution. More attention should also be given to the possibilities of capital saving devices. Some guidance of research is desirable. This is possible since part of research is undertaken by public bodies and since subventions may influence the direction of research. Research on synthetics directly competing with natural products may be discouraged by the inclusion of such synthetics in the com modity agreements for the corresponding natural products.