A decline in capital equipment production is associated with the post-industrial society in the developed countries; manufacturers are hesitant to design and produce efficient machinery in the absence either of home demand or of an export market with the ability to pay. It can therefore be expected that, for the foreseeable future, developing countries will continue to be in short-supply of the latest industrial technology and be forced to employ antiquated methods and equipment. Developing countries suffer in particular from long-term shortages of equipment in the distribution sector; while all nations, producers included, will suffer from a long-term shortage of equipment in the manufacturing sector.