Technology diffusion in the coal-mining industry of the U.S.S.R.-An interim assessment

This article presents an analysis of technological change in the underground coal-mining industry of the U.S.S.R. It describes within a quantitative framework first the evolution of the coal-mining industry in general, based on macro-indicators of output, production intensity, and labor productivity. The article then discusses qualitatively the different historical phases of technology development inside the industry and concludes by a quantification of technological diffusion trajectories, based on standard bi- and multi-variate models of technological substitution of the Fisher-Pry and Marchetti-Nakicenovic type. The paper not only provides insight into the dynamics of technological change in the coal-mining industry of the U.S.S.R., but also illustrates the applicability of standard technology diffusion and substitution models for the analysis of technological change in a planned economy. Although not exhaustive, the analysis presents a first step for the development of more comprehensive models of the causal forces behind the patterns of technological change identified, and for international comparisons of technology diffusion in the coal-mining sector.