The Dynamics of Scientific and Technological Changes

Topics: Models for the development of science, The Social context of science, Technological change, and Generation of innovations

 

Preview:

Development of Science

The growth of science in the last

few centuries is intimately bound

to the specific socio-economic development of the European cultural region.

Levels of Development

Long-range historical level

Deep historical changes affected the

direction of science

Middle level of economic and

political forces

Immediate social & political forces

affected the direction of science

Micro social community of scientists

Science was developed

Technological change refers to the process by which new products and processes are generated. When new technologies involve a new way of making existing products, the technological change is called process innovation. When they include entirely new products, the change is referred to as product innovation.The process of technological change can be seen to have three stages: invention, development, and diffusion. The invention stage involves the conception of a new idea. The idea might be about a new product or about a better technique for making existing products. 

The final stage of the innovation process involves making it accessible to most users through market penetration. The benefits of an innovation, both to inventors and to society, are maximized only when the innovation is efficiently diffused. Some innovations are easy to adopt while others involve effort on the part of adopters. For instance, one must learn how to use a computer, a new type of software, or a new type of airplane. Thus, the diffusion of technologies takes time. 

environmental policy interventions themselves create new constraints and
incentives that affect the process of technological change. These induced effects of
environmental policy on technology may have substantial implications for the normative analysis
of policy decisions.

Narrative/ Thing I learned

These topics focused on the changes happening in our society because of advanced technologies. These technologies has imparted human lives in terms of socialization and transactions. These innovation of technologies or the application of these technologies has wide array benefits for us. Our lifestyle nowadays, are mostly effected by these technologies which means that the social effect of science is now visible in the way we live.

Source;

"Social Context of Science" presentation downloaded from the net

Technological Change and the Environment
Adam B. Jaffe, Richard G. Newell, and Robert N. Stavins∗