Approaches to Ensuring Russia’s Technological Self-Sufficiency

Abstract

Ensuring technological self-sufficiency has become a systemic task of the State. Weunderstand technological self-sufficiency as the ability of the state to ensure scientific, technologicaland industrial development for creating and maintaining on its territory its own technologiesand infrastructure sufficient to guarantee independence from foreign technologiesin critical, vital areas.In this article, we propose conceptual approaches for formation of technological self-sufficiencyin Russia and assess potential and conditions of its development. The theoretical basis ofour concept is linked to the idea of technological leapfrogging. The notion of a technologicalleap implies that the catching-up country is able to follow the leaders at an accelerated pace,and even to find its own trajectory of technological development.The conceptual framework for technological self-sufficiency based on technological leapfroggingincludes the choice of thematic priorities and the organization of cooperative projects,preferably based on competition, to minimize the risks of technological failures. Since thepolicy of technological leapfrogging is expensive, budget funding plays an important role inthe first 5-7 years. It can be provided through both special programs and institutes for development.The assessment of the current situation in Russia shows that the technological leapfroggingis possible based on consortiums with the participation of medium-sized fast-growing companies,and in the field of production tools – based on individual groups able to develop andproduce domestic scientific equipment. However, the reorientation of scientific potential will take some time, especially when there isa high risk of an outflow of the most qualified personnel from the country. It is also importantto implement measures aimed at strengthening cooperative linkages, which are still underdeveloped.