ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF BIOTECHNOLOGY: A SCENARIO ANALYSIS

Over the years agricultural technology has created remarkable commodity production growth rates and enhanced general economic growth through food production, manufactured goods and trade for most nations. Biotechnology holds the promise of continuing this remarkable record. There is a long list of potential benefits of biotechnology but unfortunately the perceived costs/risks are also many. These concerns have lead to significant consumer reluctance to accept the technology and, in some cases, outright consumer rejection of the technology. To discuss the future of biotechnology, scenario analysis is used to examine the social and economic impact of biotechnology on industrialized and emerging nations. Four scenarios are discussed in detail: biotechnology may be formally or informally banned (Scenario 1), fully accepted (Scenario 2), marketed through strict labeling (Scenario 3), or limited to non-food applications (Scenario 4). Consumer acceptance of this technology will be key to determining which scenario becomes the future for each nation. The likelihood of each scenario is different for each nation, the U.S. will most likely evolve into scenario 2 or 3, while in the EU scenarios 1 or 4 are more likely. Determining the future for emerging nations is extremely complex and dependent on several factors like malnutrition rates, environmental safety and historical trading routes. Each scenario has a major impact on small producers worldwide which ultimately influences the health of rural communities. The analysis indicates that emerging nations are the most sensitive to the timing of decisions being made about the future of biotechnology. If biotechnology becomes a reality, new data will be required to assess the social and economic impact of this technology.Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Poverty status and the impact of social networks on smallholder technology adoption in rural Ethiopia

Despite recent traces of economic growth, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Though about 80% of its population is engaged in agriculture, agricultural productivity remains low and extremely vulnerable to climatic conditions. The adoption and use of modern technologies is generally accepted as a potential vehicle out of poverty for many but adoption rates in the country remain low with the nature of the adoption process largely unstudied (Spielman et al, 2007). This paper studies the impact of social networks in the technology adoption process in rural Ethiopia. In particular it tests for the presence of social learning effects. In addition to geographic networks, it considers the role played by other networks with more purposeful interactions such as a household’s friends. The study explores the differential impacts of social networks by network type, technology and the asset poverty status of households.social learning, persistent poverty, technology adoption, Ethiopia, Food Security and Poverty, International Development, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, O31, O33, Q12, Q13,

How 3D Printing Can Revolutionize Developing Economies

3D printing technology has the potential to completely revolutionize development in emerging markets. While 3D printing can make a wide variety of objects, and create the capacity for local manufacturing, it can also change the nature of the economy and how things are made. When looking at the potential for development, we must realize that much development is attained by the unequal exchange between nations. For this reason, capitalism often fails the developing world while benefiting the developed one. However, thanks to this technology, there might be a path toward breaking this cycle. Examining how 3D printing is opening up new economic realities, such as the Social and Solidarity Economy, and models of production reveals the true potential that this technology has to help address important social issues such as equity and sustainability

Age-appropriate information technology on the advance: Putting paid to olden times

Ageing society opens up enormous economic potential. Whereas for a long time social interpretation homed in on the doomsday scenarios of demographic change, it is the economic potential that is now emerging with increasing clarity. Information and communication technologies stand a good chance of benefiting from this trend. Older people are not intrinsically technology refuseniks, as evidenced by the growing number of silver agers using the internet. Successful products will be far removed from disenfranchisement and stigmatisation. The challenge to product developers and marketing strategists is to create age-appropriate offers that older people do not perceive as encroaching on their autonomy or pointing up their physical infirmities. Particularly promising are offers enabling barrier-free use without seeming like segregational solutions for specific age groups. User friendliness, value systems and the legal framework are currently stymieing yet wider success. Technical fascination aside, the business potential hinges directly on regulations concerning data protection, teletreatment and cost reimbursement, on user friendliness and society’s attitude towards the application of robotics in medicine and healthcare. The tasks involved are enormous. Product developers, marketing strategists, physicians, nurses and carers, politicians and older people in need of help themselves must be prepared to take the new routes. Assistance systems, e-Health and health games benefit from demographic change. The range of offers is highly diversified. They extend from ‘intelligent’ tablet dispensers, emergency bio sensor technology in motor vehicles and motion sensor technology through tele-monitoring and online consultations to brain jogging and exercise games.demographics, technology,ICT, e-Health, games, AAL, assistance systems

A Limited Dependent Variable Analysis of Integrated Pest Management Adoption in Uganda

In Uganda overall crop loss due to pests exceeds that caused by drought, soil infertility, or poor planting material. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technologies can reduce pest damage to crops by emphasizing non-chemical control methods thereby reducing potential negative effects of chemicals on the environment while preserving profitability. This study investigates the adoption of eight IPM practices including intercropping, crop rotation, two improved varieties, incorporating an 'exotic weed chaser', optimal planting dates, optimal planting density and fertilizer use. Variables include market forces, social factors, management factors, and technology delivery mechanisms. Results were consistent across the multivariate logit and ordered logit analyses. The single most important category of influential factors across all crops and technologies is economic/market forces, including labor availability, technology resource requirements, technology complexity, and the level of expected benefits. Social factors are generally less associated with IPM technology adoption than either market or institutional factors. Management factors are not important for adoption of the IPM technologies evaluated for the cowpea crop, while with groundnut IPM practices, no social or institutional factors are found to be important. High expected/potential benefits from the groundnut IPM technologies increase the probability of their adoption, as does the availability of off-farm income and farmers' membership in farm organizations. Generally high levels of adoption (>75%) were observed with crop rotation, and improved varieties. Other technologies registered low levels of adoption (<25%), the least popular being the application of fertilizer on sorghum fields.Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

New economy in digital era: the virtuous circle of technology and growth

Today, the world economy face an era of unprecedented change. Informatics technology caused a seismic shift that has reshaped the global business landscape. The world economy is now characterized are transforming businesses and sparking a new wave of wealth creation, particularly in the new emerging economy. Economic growth and technology are inextricably linked. Current economic conditions are fostering investment in technology to fuel growth, but in same time seek new ways to cut costs and drive innovation. Managers must be aware of the new challenges facing their firms as market momentum accelerates. New emerging economies use extraordinary potential for companies that understand their needs in global competitive challenge. Mobility, business intelligence and social media underpin this shift, which is taking place in both developed and developing economies. Over the next five years, many sectors, including technology, telecommunications, entertainment, media, banking, retail and healthcare, will continue to be reshaped through the application of information technology. Key words: e-economy, e-business, digital era, information technology, „cloud„ computer

Technology and moral change: the transformation of truth and trust

Technologies can have profound efects on social moral systems. Is there any way to systematically investigate and anticipate these potential efects? This paper aims to contribute to this emerging feld on inquiry through a case study method. It focuses on two core human values—truth and trust—describes their structural properties and conceptualisations, and then considers various mechanisms through which technology is changing and can change our perspective on those values. In brief, the paper argues that technology is transforming these values by changing the costs/benefts of accessing them; allowing us to substitute those values for other, closely-related ones; increasing their perceived scarcity/abundance; and disrupting traditional value-gatekeepers. This has implications for how we study other, technologically-mediated, value changes.publishedVersio

Mathematical practice, crowdsourcing, and social machines

The highest level of mathematics has traditionally been seen as a solitary endeavour, to produce a proof for review and acceptance by research peers. Mathematics is now at a remarkable inflexion point, with new technology radically extending the power and limits of individuals. Crowdsourcing pulls together diverse experts to solve problems; symbolic computation tackles huge routine calculations; and computers check proofs too long and complicated for humans to comprehend. Mathematical practice is an emerging interdisciplinary field which draws on philosophy and social science to understand how mathematics is produced. Online mathematical activity provides a novel and rich source of data for empirical investigation of mathematical practice - for example the community question answering system {\it mathoverflow} contains around 40,000 mathematical conversations, and {\it polymath} collaborations provide transcripts of the process of discovering proofs. Our preliminary investigations have demonstrated the importance of "soft" aspects such as analogy and creativity, alongside deduction and proof, in the production of mathematics, and have given us new ways to think about the roles of people and machines in creating new mathematical knowledge. We discuss further investigation of these resources and what it might reveal. Crowdsourced mathematical activity is an example of a "social machine", a new paradigm, identified by Berners-Lee, for viewing a combination of people and computers as a single problem-solving entity, and the subject of major international research endeavours. We outline a future research agenda for mathematics social machines, a combination of people, computers, and mathematical archives to create and apply mathematics, with the potential to change the way people do mathematics, and to transform the reach, pace, and impact of mathematics research.Comment: To appear, Springer LNCS, Proceedings of Conferences on Intelligent Computer Mathematics, CICM 2013, July 2013 Bath, U

Commons People: Additive Manufacturing Enabled Collaborative Commons Production (by design)

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead In a post industrial age the current model of mass manufacture characterized by integrated organizations and economies of scale, a new production paradigm is emerging. Due to technology advances especially in the field of additive manufacturing (AM) small scale de-centralized production is again a possibility. Where once the tools to produce goods were seen as large capital investment beyond the means of most small enterprises, it is now possible for individuals to access tools that are capable of producing consumer goods. This shift had led to the emergence of a social phenomenon that until now was bound to the digital world. Networks of individuals are coming together to collectively design, develop, manufacture and distribute goods through a network under the banner of the open hardware movement. This paper presents a case study of one such network designing and distributing open source prosthetics using a collaborative approach enabled by AM technology. It takes a contemporary definition of commons production as a framework to describe the network and assesses the role AM technology plays within it. Moreover, it discusses the potential role for design (both as a discipline and a profession) within this emerging socio-industrial system

Differential technology development: A responsible innovation principle for navigating technology risks

Responsible innovation efforts to date have largely focused on shaping individual technologies. However, as demonstrated by the preferential advancement of low-emission technologies, certain technologies reduce risks from other technologies or constitute low-risk substitutes. Governments and other relevant actors may leverage risk-reducing interactions across technology portfolios to mitigate risks beyond climate change. We propose a responsible innovation principle of “differential technology development”, which calls for leveraging risk-reducing interactions between technologies by affecting their relative timing. Thus, it may be beneficial to delay risk-increasing technologies and preferentially advance risk-reducing defensive, safety, or substitute technologies. Implementing differential technology development requires the ability to anticipate or identify impacts and intervene in the relative timing of technologies. We find that both are sometimes viable and that differential technology development may still be usefully applied even late in the diffusion of a harmful technology. A principle of differential technology development may inform government research funding priorities and technology regulation, as well as philanthropic research and development funders and corporate social responsibility measures. Differential technology development may be particularly promising to mitigate potential catastrophic risks from emerging technologies like synthetic biology and artificial intelligence