Exploring the Black Box: Technology, Economics, and HistoryThe process of technological change takes a wide variety of forms. Propositions that may be accurate when referring to the pharmaceutical industry may be totally inappropriate when applied to the aircraft industry or to computers or forest products. The central theme of Nathan Rosenberg's new book is the idea that technological changes are often 'path dependent', in the sense that their form and direction tend to be influenced strongly by the particular sequence of earlier events out of which a new technology has emerged. The book advances the understanding of technological change by explictly recognising its essential diversity and path-dependent nature. Individual chapters explore the particular features of new technologies in different historical and sectoral contexts. This book presents a unique account of how technological change is generated and the processes by which improved technologies are introduced. |
Contents
Pathdependent aspects of technological change | 9 |
Charles Babbage pioneer economist | 24 |
Joseph Schumpeter radical economist | 47 |
Technological innovation and long waves | 62 |
Technology in context | 85 |
Economic experiments | 87 |
Why in America? | 109 |
Can Americans learn to become better imitators? | 121 |
Sectoral studies in technological change | 159 |
Energyefficient technologies past and future perspectives | 161 |
Innovation in the chemical processing industries | 190 |
Telecommunications complex uncertain and pathdependent | 203 |
Understanding the adoption of new technology in the forest products industry | 232 |
Scientific instrumentation and university research | 250 |
264 | |
Critical issues in science policy research | 139 |
Common terms and phrases
activities adoption American analysis Babbage Babbage's basic research Bell Labs Cambridge capabilities capitalism capitalist central chapter Charles Babbage commercial competitive consequences consumer context cost diffusion disciplines division of labor economic growth economists effect electricity electronics emergence energy efficiency equipment essential eventually existing fact fiber optics forest products industry fuel future highly historical impact important improvements innovation process inputs Integrated Circuit inventions involved ISDN Japanese firms Joseph Schumpeter Kondratiev laboratory laser long cycles long waves machine machinery major innovations manufacturing Marx ment Nathan Rosenberg nature needs output particular percent performance physics plant possible problems requirements role Schumpeter Schumpeter's scientific instruments scientific knowledge scientific research Second World War sector semiconductor significant Socialism and Democracy solid-state physics specific success technical technological change technological innovation telephone theory transistor United University Press vacuum tube Washington DC wood