The Dominant Paradigm of Development

Everett Rogers, in Chapter 3 of the Diffusion of Innovations, describes the dominant paradigm of development and its relationship to the classical diffusion model. The chart below summarizes the dominant paradigm, alternatives to it, and possible factors that have led to its demise as the central focus of development programs.

Main Elements of the Dominant Paradigm	Emerging Alternatives to the Dominant Paradigm	Possible Factors Leading to the Alternative Paradigm
Economic growth as measured by GNP.	Equality in income distribution.	Discouraging rates of economic growth.
Capital-intensive technology.	Appropriate technology.	Environmental pollution and perceived limits to growth.
Centralized planning and development.	Self-reliance in planning and development.	Positive outcomes in countries that were self-reliant.
Underdevelopment is caused by internal factors.	Underdevelopment is caused by internal and external factors.	World systems theory. Dependency theory.