The process of equipment acquisition described in the previous chapter incorporated and was based upon flows of information concerning a wide range of technological developments and opportunities. This chapter begins the examination of these multi-faceted flows. For Norway, as for most late industrializing countries, three broad types of technological knowledge are relevant to the industrialization process. First, there is the transfer and dissemination of knowledge concerning the general range, scope and structure of technical advances being made abroad. This type of knowledge has its principal effect, it might be suggested, not so much through particular applications as through its role in the formation of a general industrial culture. Secondly, there is knowledge concerning the specific techniques which are available abroad. Finally, there is knowledge concerning the actual acquisition, construction (that is, setting-up), operation, maintenance and management of equipment.

Here we consider two important channels through which the first two of these types of knowledge spread into the Norwegian textile industry.

Information flows, particularly in the final category noted above, will remain an important theme of subsequent chapters, which will consider flows at a more detailed level, and the specific agents through which they occurred. But for the moment we are concerned first with Norwegian technical societies, and secondly with foreign travel by Norwegian entrepreneurs, as a means through which information on technical possibilities was diffused.