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{{short description|Process of invention, innovation and diffusion of technology or processes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
'''Technological change''' ('''TC''') or '''technological development'''
{{History of technology sidebar}}
== Modeling technological change ==
[[File:Linear model of innovation.svg|thumb|Obsolete "Linear Model of Innovation", of three phases of the process of technological change]]
In its earlier days, technological change was illustrated with the '[[Linear Model of Innovation]]', which has now been largely discarded to be replaced with a model of technological change that involves innovation at all stages of research, development, diffusion, and use. When speaking about "modeling technological change," this often means the process of innovation. This process of continuous improvement is often modeled as a curve depicting decreasing costs over time (for instance [[fuel cell]] which have become cheaper every year). TC is also often modelled using a [[learning curve]], ex.: Ct=C0 * Xt^-b
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===Diffusion===
{{main|Diffusion of innovations}}
Diffusion pertains to the spread of a technology through a society or industry.<ref>{{Cite book|title=ICT Diffusion in Developing Countries: Towards a New Concept of Technological Takeoff|last=Lechman|first=Ewa|publisher=Springer|year=2015|isbn=978-3-319-18253-7|location=New York|pages=30}}</ref> The [[Diffusion of innovations|diffusion]] of a technology theory generally follows an [[Logistic function|S-shaped curve]] as early versions of technology are rather unsuccessful, followed by a period of successful innovation with high levels of adoption, and finally a dropping off in adoption as a technology reaches its maximum potential in a market. In the case of a personal computer, it has made way beyond homes and into business settings, such as office [[workstation]]s and [[server (computing)|server machines]] to host [[website]]s.
▲For mathematical treatment of diffusion see: [[Logistic function]]
==Technological change as a social process==
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In [[free market]] economies, the maximization of profits is a powerful driver of technological change. Generally, only those technologies that promise to maximize profits for the owners of incoming producing capital are developed and reach the market. Any technological product that fails to meet this criterion - even though they may satisfy important societal needs - are eliminated. Therefore, technological change is a social process strongly biased in favor of the financial interests of capital. There are currently no well established democratic processes, such as voting on the social or environmental desirability of a new technology prior to development and marketing, that would allow average citizens to direct the course of technological change.<ref>Huesemann, Michael H., and Joyce A. Huesemann (2011). [http://www.newtechnologyandsociety.org ''Technofix: Why Technology Won’t Save Us or the Environment''], Chapter 11, "Profit Motive: The Main Driver of Technological Development", New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, Canada, {{ISBN|0865717044}}</ref>
===Elements of diffusion===
Emphasis has been on four key elements of the technological change process: (1) an innovative technology (2) communicated through certain channels (3) to members of a
===Innovation===
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==Economics==
In [[economics]], technological change is a change in the set of feasible [[Production set|production possibilities]].
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* [[Productivity]]
* [[Productivity improving technologies (historical)]]
* [[Second
* [[Technical change]]
* [[Technological innovation system]]
* [[Technological revolution]]
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; Articles
*Danna, W. (2007). "They Had a Satellite and They Knew How to Use It", ''American Journalism''{{Clarify|date=August 2011}}, Spring, Vol. 24 Issue 2, pp. 87–110. Online source: [http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/26090507/They-Had-a-Satellite-and-They-Knew-How-to-Use-It-How-Donna-Allen-Led-Women-to-the-Forefront-of-the-Technological-Revolution-in-Communication abstract and excerpt.]
*Dickey, Colin (January 2015), ''[http://aeon.co/magazine/technology/is-technology-making-us-vulnerable/ A fault in our design] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150812183233/http://aeon.co/magazine/technology/is-technology-making-us-vulnerable/ |date=12 August 2015 }}.'' "Perhaps a brighter technological future lies less in the latest gadgets, and rather in learning to understand ourselves better, particularly our capacity to forget what we’ve already learned. The future of technology is nothing without a long view of the past, and a means to embody history’s mistakes and lessons." ''[[Aeon (digital magazine)|Aeon]]''
* [[Michael Hanlon|Hanlon, Michael]] (December 2014), ''[http://aeon.co/magazine/science/why-has-human-progress-ground-to-a-halt/ The golden quarter.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905195655/http://aeon.co/magazine/science/why-has-human-progress-ground-to-a-halt/ |date=5 September 2015 }}'' "Some of our greatest cultural and technological achievements took place between 1945 and 1971. Why has progress stalled?" ''[[Aeon (digital magazine)|Aeon]]''
==External links==
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{{emerging technologies|topics=yes}}
{{Science and technology studies}}
{{Population}}
{{Authority control}}
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