A systematic approach to developing national technology policy and strategy for emerging technologies: A case study of nanotechnology for Thailand's agriculture industry

Abstract

This research develops a systematic approach for policy makers to strategically define the national technology policy for emerging technologies. In this approach, a hierarchical decision model is built and qualified expert opinions are used as measurements. There are four levels in the hierarchy: mission, objectives, technological goals, and research strategies. Three panels are formed based on their background and expertise in order to minimize and balance any possible biases among the members. The objectives, technological goals, and research strategies are evaluated and prioritized, according to their contribution to the country's mission, by quantifying the experts' judgments. This research also demonstrates several approaches for the validation of results. Inconsistency measure, intraclass correlation coefficient, and statistical test for the reliability of the experts and group agreement are used for that purpose. Finally, HDM sensitivity analysis is brought in to study the robustness of the rankings, especially at the technology level that may be caused by potential changes in the national strategic direction.