--- title: "Appropriate technology and characteristics of technology" subject: "Technology, Environment and Society" chapter: 1 key: "semester_7/technology_environment_and_society:appropriate-tech-characteristics" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/appropriate-tech-characteristics site: BCT Engineering --- # Appropriate technology and characteristics of technology Technology, Environment and Society · Chapter 1: Technology - Asked in: 2081 Bhadra, 2+6 marks - Video: [PART 1 | Unit 21 | Concept of Technology | Technological Environment | MCO 4 MCOM 2nd Year IGNOU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UDfEj7emHw) — Ria's Classes - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/appropriate-tech-characteristics - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/chapter-1 ## Question Define appropriate technology. Discuss about characteristics of technology with suitable examples. ## Short answer Appropriate technology is low-cost, small-scale, labour-intensive, uses local materials, and is environmentally friendly. Technology itself is knowledge applied to solve problems, comprising technique, knowledge, organization, and product; it is dynamic, context-dependent, and must match local needs to be appropriate. ## Answer #### Appropriate technology **Appropriate technology** is technology that suits the economic, social, cultural and environmental conditions of the people who use it: low-cost, small-scale, labour-intensive, based on local materials and skills, simple to operate and repair, and environmentally friendly. Examples: micro-hydro, biogas, improved cooking stove. #### Characteristics of technology 1. **Application of knowledge:** technology is the practical use of science. *Example:* knowledge of electromagnetic induction is used in generators of hydropower plants. 2. **Purposeful (problem solving):** it is developed to satisfy a human need. *Example:* water filters solve the problem of unsafe drinking water. 3. **Has four components:** technique (tools/machines), knowledge, organisation and product. *Example:* a hydropower plant needs turbines (technique), engineers' know-how (knowledge), a company to run it (organisation) and electricity (product). 4. **Dynamic and cumulative:** it keeps changing and builds on earlier inventions. *Example:* telegraph → telephone → mobile phone → smartphone. 5. **Irreversible:** once adopted, society cannot go back. *Example:* nobody returns from electric light to oil lamps. 6. **Transferable:** it can be transferred from one place or country to another, though it must be adapted. *Example:* biogas technology adapted from China and India to Nepal. 7. **Value-neutral but value-laden in use:** the same technology can help or harm. *Example:* nuclear energy for power or bombs. 8. **Has social and environmental impacts:** it changes culture, employment and nature. *Example:* mobile phones changed communication and family life; vehicles cause air pollution. 9. **Interdisciplinary and systemic:** needs many fields and support systems. *Example:* an electric vehicle needs batteries, charging stations, a grid and trained mechanics. 10. **Context-dependent (appropriateness):** a technology good for one place may not suit another. *Example:* combine harvesters suit large flat farms but not small terraced hill farms of Nepal. 11. **Creates dependency and specialisation:** users depend on suppliers and experts. *Example:* imported machines need imported spare parts. 12. **Economic dimension:** it has costs, increases productivity and can create or remove jobs. *Example:* ATMs reduced bank counter jobs but created IT jobs. These characteristics show why technology must be chosen carefully to match local needs and resources, which is the core idea of appropriate technology. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. Which are the four components of technology? A. Technique, knowledge, organisation and product B. Land, labour, capital, enterprise C. Input, process, output, feedback D. Design, cost, time, quality Answer: A. Technology has technique, knowledge, organisation and product. (Key point: Components of technology) 2. Telegraph to telephone to mobile to smartphone illustrates that technology is: A. Irreversible only B. Dynamic and cumulative C. Context-dependent D. Value-laden Answer: B. Technology keeps changing and builds on earlier inventions. (Key point: Dynamic and cumulative) 3. Why are combine harvesters not suitable for Nepal's hill farms? A. They are too cheap B. Technology is context-dependent; they suit large flat farms, not small terraced hills C. They need no fuel D. They are illegal Answer: B. A technology good in one place may not suit another. (Key point: Context dependence) 4. Using electromagnetic induction in hydropower generators shows technology as: A. Irreversible B. Application of knowledge (practical use of science) C. Dependency D. Economic dimension Answer: B. Technology is the practical use of scientific knowledge. (Key point: Technology and science) ## Related in Technology, Environment and Society - [Short note: Appropriate technology](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aappropriate-technology-note) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 1, asked 2× - [Appropriate, intermediate and labor-based technology for LDCs](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aappropriate-intermediate-labor-ldc) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 1, asked 2× - [Technology impact and appropriate technology for LDC](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Atech-impact-appropriate-ldc) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 1 - [Short note: Appropriate technology in Nepal](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aappropriate-tech-nepal) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 1 - [Appropriate and intermediate technology with examples](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aappropriate-intermediate-examples) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 1 - [Participatory approach, appropriate and labour intensive technology](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aparticipatory-appropriate-labour) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 1 ## Related in other subjects - [Characteristics of appropriate technology](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenergy_environment_and_society%3Aappropriate-technology-characteristics) — Energy Environment and Society, chapter 1 - [Appropriate technology explained](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenergy_environment_and_society%3Aappropriate-technology-explain) — Energy Environment and Society, chapter 1, asked 3× - [Appropriate technology and sustainable development elements](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenergy_environment_and_society%3Aappropriate-technology-sustainable-elements) — Energy Environment and Society, chapter 1 - [Appropriate technology and impact on society](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenergy_environment_and_society%3Aappropriate-technology-society-impact) — Energy Environment and Society, chapter 1