Leapfrogs and Shortcuts: Paths to Technological Performance on U.S. and Chinese Strategic Evolutionary Landscapes
Abstract
This study adapts a model from evolutionary biologythe evolutionary fitness landscapeand applies it to the problem of illegal technology transfer. The author conceptualizes the strategy of technology theft as a combination of inputs that, like biological traits, result in a particular level of performance (biological fitness). As in evolutionary biology, these input combinations are charted on a topographical-map-like surface to show where peaks of performance exist. The author examines three cases of illegal technology transfer by China of US militarily critical technologies from the 1980s through the early 2010s. For each case, the author inventories and categorizes the cost of the transfer to China in resources, skill, and risk.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1112587
Entities
People
- Rachel L. Reynolds
Organizations
- Air University