Reverse Engineering: A Way of Technology Transfer in Developing Countries like Iran

Abstract

Abstract-Technology transfer in developing countries vary from those of developed ones, and management of technology transfer during the recent years has been among the cases that has allocated the biggest mental disturbance of senior managers of engineering and manufacturing organizations in developing countries such as Iran. One of the questions that have always been raised is that how Iran can decrease its technological distance with that of developed countries in the shortest time and have a suitable share in the global business. This can be achieved through reverse engineering which includes any activities to determine how a product works or to learn the ideas and technology that were originally used to develop the product.Studying about countries like Iran which haven't obtained technology in the course of time, but have tried to encompass it at a point in time, shows that one of the best way to achieve technology transfer is the extensive application of reverse engineering method to determine how a product functions, its fabrication, and then develop it with respect to its own needs. Supervision for good execution of systematic reverse engineering process and the application of engineering tools and techniques in this process could have an appropriate impact on reaching technical knowledge of products in the shortest time possible and with minimum cost.The aims of this study is to explain briefly the steps needed to manage the different strategies of technologies transfer, role of research and development in achieving them, as well as how to select appropriate reverse engineering strategies as a suitable way towards technology transfer in order that Iran can meet its own demand for new compatible industrial product in a cheaper way as well as market expansion, exporting purposes and, in one way or another, to overcome the imposed economic sanction against her by some countries. The result of this inquiries shows that, in short run, application of reverse engineering method is one of the best solution to decrease technological gap from that of industrial countries and to meet its mentioned purposes.