AbstractDrawing largely on experiences from Greece, this article outlines some practical constraints on policy for science and technology research in less industrialized countries – the inability of public administrators to solve day-to-day political problems, let alone to move onto technology policy, the undue emphasis placed on universities, the lack of discipline needed to keep to long-term plans, etc.Greek experience suggests that government should create agencies specializing in help to small businesses, create specialist laboratories within larger firms, and create new high-technology firms (with foreign partners when needed).