ABSTRACT
This chapter considers some theoretical issues of a more general nature which are then expanded and made specific in order to relate them to the problems faced by developing countries. It analyses and compares two third world states struggling to manage the new challenges within the electronics/computer sector –India and Brazil. On the basis of these two case studies, an attempt is made, finally, to specify some preliminary conclusions with regard to the role of public administration in the management of technological development. The microelectronic revolution has placed developing countries in a fundamental dilemma. India and Brazil have made remarkable progress in electronics. A closer look at the strategies, the instruments and the phasing of policies reveals some interesting parallels as well as important differences between the two countries. In combination with the different political and administrative arrangements, India and Brazil has decisively shaped the policies and their outcomes in the industry.
