allocation, cost-benefit analysis, cost effectiveness, 

 forecasting models, and other planning technigues, all 

 of which can be useful in implementing a systems 

 approach to planning in developing countries. Except 

 at theoretical levels, however, U.S. resources covering 

 the reguisite disciplines have not been well organized 

 or applied in the integrated manner proposed. Thus 

 successfully applying these resources would benefit the 

 United States as well as the developing world. 



The key mechanisms operative at present are largely 

 in the private sector — universities, research groups, 

 and business firms. By providing information and 

 consultants and by training developing country 

 nationals, these groups are in effect exporting an 

 approach and a point of view on social programs. As 

 matters stand, the approach taken is frequently a 

 single-purpose one; so that these groups must seek to 

 redirect thinking on these topics. This will not 

 require developing new technologies as much as adapting 

 existing technologies through new approaches to 

 training and technical assistance. Integrative 

 socioeconomic systems planning is a means of 

 implementing technological adaptation as well as a 

 technological change in and of itself. 



The U.S. government can strengthen these moves by 

 financially supporting the efforts of such groups to 

 broaden their teaching and research and development 

 approaches. AID»s program in population and 

 development policy is one example. 



Proposed Initiatives . To facilitate socioeconomic 

 planning related to health, we suggest that the United 

 States offer to: (1) identify several leading 

 institutions in the United States and developing 

 countries currently using the systems approach to 

 planning; (2) strengthen such groups financially to 

 foster research collaboration among themselves and with 

 developing country organizations; (3) offer 

 scholarships to students from developing countries 

 earmarked for studies in this field; and (4) select and 

 publicize successful case studies of integrated 

 planning and technology transfer in the family 

 planning, health, and nutrition fields. 



Three major constraints to successful action by the 

 United States should be considered, none of them 

 insuperable: (1) the technical/organizational/ 

 behavioral complexities involved in developing an 

 integrated approach, (2) problems with adapting 

 appropriate levels of the disciplinary technologies to 

 be deployed, and (3) cross-cultural differences in the 

 approach to and use of these technologies. 



The stress should be on developing and 

 strengthening national and regional institutions in 

 deve oping countries (in the public and/or private 



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