ABSTRACT
Our research on infrastructure in Egypt and our experiences in several other countries have given rise to an alternative model. There are several strong forces in the developing countries themselves that tend to escalate infrastructure standards. The conventional perspective is that consultants and contractors from the developed countries encourage the use of expensive equipment and practices to replicate the unnecessarily high quality of service and cautious practices of the developed countries and to induce costly purchases abroad. Support of the engineering design and construction interests may be politically important to elected officials, since they are often linked to the wealthiest and most influential national groups. The suppliers of materials have the most obvious self-interest in highest standards. The international agencies have a potentially very important part in this game. They are active in it, of course, through the funding of infrastructure projects or more comprehensive projects in which infrastructure is a component.
