ABSTRACT
The Middle East region has been the fastest-growing market for Western technology over the past decade. Oil price increases initiated by OPEC in 1973 and by the Iranian revolution in 1978-1979 created a massive transfer of wealth to the oil-producing nations in the region. This transfer of wealth has allowed these countries to begin fulfilling aspirations of economic development, diversification away from petroleum-based economies, and general modernization of their countries. Ambitious development plans have relied on the importation of Western technology and intensive training and education of nationals to provide the basis for rapid modernization. For most of these countries, the base from which they are buildin--infrastructure, industry, manpower and skill levels--was extremely weak a decade ago. Yet the large-scale importation of the most advanced Western technologies means that the step being attempted is a giant one--from very backward economies to extremely modern ones--in a relatively short period of time.
