The US semiconductor industry has been losing ground to the Japanese industry in the internationa... more The US semiconductor industry has been losing ground to the Japanese industry in the international market. Swift advances in Japanese economic and technological competitiveness have generated fears for the future of US manufacturers of chips. The USA is being forced to look for ways to counteract the present trends and, effectively, to manage the short- and long-term economic and technological development of the industry. In the short-term. defensive measures are being implemented which centre on the US-Japan chip agreement. In the longer term, Americans are betting on a military-backed programme aimed at wiping out the lead Japan has in semiconductor manufacturing technology. The involvement of the military in the international economic context of the 1980s raises several problems for the development of the US semiconductor industry. It remains to be seen whether the success of the military-backed semiconductor development of the 1950s and 1960s can be repeated.
Working Paper, Edinburgh University / Fondazione Mondo Digitale, 2003
Sociotechnical Constituencies and the Diamond of Alignment The fundamental premise of the ‘sociot... more Sociotechnical Constituencies and the Diamond of Alignment The fundamental premise of the ‘sociotechnical constituency ’ approach is that all innovation and technological processes are understood to be intrinsically an integration of social and technical constituents. That is, they imply the construction of ‘sociotechnical constituencies, ’ understood as dynamic ensembles of technical constituents (hardware, software, etc.) and social constituents (people, interest groups and their visions, values, etc.), which interact and shape each other in the course of the creation, production and diffusion of specific technologies.1 Thus, the term "sociotechnical constituencies " emphasises the idea of interrelation and interaction in innovation and technological development. It makes it possible to think of technical constituents and social constituents but always stressing the point that in the technological process both kinds of constituents merge into each other. Sociotechnical c...
This article examines the key issues facing the emergence of multimedia in the newspaper industry... more This article examines the key issues facing the emergence of multimedia in the newspaper industry. It looks at the underpinning forces coming from both the newspaper industry and the relentless advance in information and communication technologies. The fast growth in the ...
The talk gives an overview of the Education for Life in the 21st Century Programme of the Fondazi... more The talk gives an overview of the Education for Life in the 21st Century Programme of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale (FMD), illustrating its reason and content. It addresses briefly the contextual aspects characterized by the continuous scientific-technological and socioeconomic changes and their consequent impact on companies, jobs, and school education in terms of tools, environments, and pedagogical offer. This is followed by the description of the components of the FMD’s Education for Life Programme: (i) The Education for Life in the 21st Century Model (a person-centred, holistic educational model); (ii) The Self-Entrepreneurship and Personal Ecosystem Approach (sustaining that the objective of education in the 21st Century should be to equip people to become entrepreneurs of themselves); (iii) The InnovationGym and Network of InnovationGyms (a multi-lab and activity environment to realize the concepts of education for life and self-entrepreneurship); and (iv) The Inclusive Self-...
This paper is about the diffusion or implementation of technology in the design process of a micr... more This paper is about the diffusion or implementation of technology in the design process of a microprocessor company. It aims at casting further light on the nature of the processes whereby technologies eventually gain company recognition over (or along with) others. It focuses on the influence of social behavioural factors in the outcome of this process as well as on the role played by the nature of the 'incoming' technology and its relation to the company design process. More broadly, it seeks to advance the systematic treatment of these aspects into a unified understanding of intra-company technology diffusion or implementation.
Corporate governance. The location of power and responsibility at the head of an organization. (T... more Corporate governance. The location of power and responsibility at the head of an organization. (Thompson, 2001, p.1125) … Every organization-not only corporations-has a governance system: governance concerns the distribution of power and responsibilities and, accountability for the organization's performance. (Steger and Amann, 2008). These concepts have a strong behavioural content with power and responsibilities as determining factors in the definition and realization of an organization' strategic direction and performance. Not surprisingly, Hitt et al. (2005) identify ownership or equity concentration and board of directors among the governance mechanisms used in the modern corporation. They are both location and distribution of power and, in fact, as this paper will show, power and ownership show a cause-and-effect dialectics whereby one tends to reinforce the other and vice-versa. On the specific organizational scope of the analysis of governance-shaping, this concentrates on the joint venture at the heart of the entire experience: the GrameenPhone joint venture (JV). Specifically, the analysis follows the evolution of the sources and balance of power among players, as reflected in the changes of equity shares inside the GrameenPhone joint venture from its origins in mid-1996 to mid-2008. These two clarifications help enhance the focus of the governance-shaping problem raised by this paper. Methodologically, the paper uses a case study approach and empirical information available in academic papers, reports and online news (for instance,
Abstract. Today there is consensus in that the use of ICTs brings major opportunities as well as ... more Abstract. Today there is consensus in that the use of ICTs brings major opportunities as well as threats to the development of poorer countries and communities. This consensus is underpinning the emergence of many initiatives aimed at tackling the challenge of the digital divide. This paper examines the nature and magnitude of the digital divide and stresses the importance of the formation of a global movement focused on the e-inclusion. It describes the experiences of one project from Chile aimed at bringing hope to people excluded by disability and poverty. The paper ends with a number of ideas to help stimulate the formation of the global movement. A brief Postscript is added to inform of the practical steps that have followed the writing of the original paper2 and to invite everybody to join it starting by visiting the website www.e-inclusionsite.org. 1
Part 1 The dominant social constituency of a technological process methodological aspects structu... more Part 1 The dominant social constituency of a technological process methodological aspects structure of the book. Part 2 The social basis of the United States research and development system from the Second World War to the present: the role of the military the aftermath of the Second World War crisis and loss of confidence the resurgence of the power complex contradictory trends the case against the military burden. Part 3 The social shaping of United States microtechnology from the Second World War to the mid 1970s: the legacy of the Second World War the government-military-led development of the post-war period 1945-mid 1960s - industrial control, computer systems, semiconductors the decline of government-military influence. Part 4 The current development of microtechnology: re-strengthening the links between corporate capital, government, the military and science the renewed influence of the military on the current development of microtechnology - the VHSIC and Sematech programmes, the strategic computing plan (SCP), the ICAM and man tech programmes, the strategic defense initiative (SDI) conflicting views about the wisdom of the renewed military drive. Part 5 The current development of microtechnology II: convergence of technologies and capital in the electronics industry - AT and T and IBM on a collision course, convergence of capital electronics competition on a global scale, evolution of United States, European and Japanese electronics markets, current trends in the global battle for control of electronics markets, global alliances in the battle for control of the electronics infrastructure. Part 6 Foundations of the future I: dissecting the dominant social constituency of the United States microtechnology, the science constituent, the capital constituent, the government and military constituents some conceptualizations of the United States social complex of power the power complex as dominant social constituency of microtechnology. Part 7 Foundations of the Future II: the present constituency of power - the path ahead searching for a new social constituency.
The paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of social innovation and entrepreneurship, wit... more The paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of social innovation and entrepreneurship, with particular reference to the issue of hybridity. It builds on insights and categories accumulated in the existing literature on social innovation and entrepreneurship. The analysis identifies a hybridity criterion that is subsequently applied to the construction of a more detailed and consistent social-forprofit hybrid spectrum than those proposed so far. It also identifies major theoretical challenges and suggests a generalized version of the hybridity criterion that may prove potentially fruitful to advance our understanding towards dynamic hybridity and multi-sectoral social innovation alliances. Hybridity in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship: State of the Art and Theoretical Challenge
The paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of social innovation and entrepreneurship, wit... more The paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of social innovation and entrepreneurship, with particular reference to the issue of hybridity. It builds on insights and categories accumulated in the existing literature on social innovation and entrepreneurship. The analysis identifies a hybridity criterion that is subsequently applied to the construction of a more detailed and consistent social-forprofit hybrid spectrum than those proposed so far. It also identifies major theoretical challenges and suggests a generalized version of the hybridity criterion that may prove potentially fruitful to advance our understanding towards dynamic hybridity and multi-sectoral social innovation alliances. Hybridity in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship: State of the Art and Theoretical Challenge
Corporate governance. The location of power and responsibility at the head of an organization. (T... more Corporate governance. The location of power and responsibility at the head of an organization. (Thompson, 2001, p.1125) … Every organization-not only corporations-has a governance system: governance concerns the distribution of power and responsibilities and, accountability for the organization's performance. (Steger and Amann, 2008). These concepts have a strong behavioural content with power and responsibilities as determining factors in the definition and realization of an organization' strategic direction and performance. Not surprisingly, Hitt et al. (2005) identify ownership or equity concentration and board of directors among the governance mechanisms used in the modern corporation. They are both location and distribution of power and, in fact, as this paper will show, power and ownership show a cause-and-effect dialectics whereby one tends to reinforce the other and vice-versa. On the specific organizational scope of the analysis of governance-shaping, this concentrates on the joint venture at the heart of the entire experience: the GrameenPhone joint venture (JV). Specifically, the analysis follows the evolution of the sources and balance of power among players, as reflected in the changes of equity shares inside the GrameenPhone joint venture from its origins in mid-1996 to mid-2008. These two clarifications help enhance the focus of the governance-shaping problem raised by this paper. Methodologically, the paper uses a case study approach and empirical information available in academic papers, reports and online news (for instance,
The US semiconductor industry has been losing ground to the Japanese industry in the internationa... more The US semiconductor industry has been losing ground to the Japanese industry in the international market. Swift advances in Japanese economic and technological competitiveness have generated fears for the future of US manufacturers of chips. The USA is being forced to look for ways to counteract the present trends and, effectively, to manage the short- and long-term economic and technological development of the industry. In the short-term. defensive measures are being implemented which centre on the US-Japan chip agreement. In the longer term, Americans are betting on a military-backed programme aimed at wiping out the lead Japan has in semiconductor manufacturing technology. The involvement of the military in the international economic context of the 1980s raises several problems for the development of the US semiconductor industry. It remains to be seen whether the success of the military-backed semiconductor development of the 1950s and 1960s can be repeated.
Working Paper, Edinburgh University / Fondazione Mondo Digitale, 2003
Sociotechnical Constituencies and the Diamond of Alignment The fundamental premise of the ‘sociot... more Sociotechnical Constituencies and the Diamond of Alignment The fundamental premise of the ‘sociotechnical constituency ’ approach is that all innovation and technological processes are understood to be intrinsically an integration of social and technical constituents. That is, they imply the construction of ‘sociotechnical constituencies, ’ understood as dynamic ensembles of technical constituents (hardware, software, etc.) and social constituents (people, interest groups and their visions, values, etc.), which interact and shape each other in the course of the creation, production and diffusion of specific technologies.1 Thus, the term "sociotechnical constituencies " emphasises the idea of interrelation and interaction in innovation and technological development. It makes it possible to think of technical constituents and social constituents but always stressing the point that in the technological process both kinds of constituents merge into each other. Sociotechnical c...
This article examines the key issues facing the emergence of multimedia in the newspaper industry... more This article examines the key issues facing the emergence of multimedia in the newspaper industry. It looks at the underpinning forces coming from both the newspaper industry and the relentless advance in information and communication technologies. The fast growth in the ...
The talk gives an overview of the Education for Life in the 21st Century Programme of the Fondazi... more The talk gives an overview of the Education for Life in the 21st Century Programme of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale (FMD), illustrating its reason and content. It addresses briefly the contextual aspects characterized by the continuous scientific-technological and socioeconomic changes and their consequent impact on companies, jobs, and school education in terms of tools, environments, and pedagogical offer. This is followed by the description of the components of the FMD’s Education for Life Programme: (i) The Education for Life in the 21st Century Model (a person-centred, holistic educational model); (ii) The Self-Entrepreneurship and Personal Ecosystem Approach (sustaining that the objective of education in the 21st Century should be to equip people to become entrepreneurs of themselves); (iii) The InnovationGym and Network of InnovationGyms (a multi-lab and activity environment to realize the concepts of education for life and self-entrepreneurship); and (iv) The Inclusive Self-...
This paper is about the diffusion or implementation of technology in the design process of a micr... more This paper is about the diffusion or implementation of technology in the design process of a microprocessor company. It aims at casting further light on the nature of the processes whereby technologies eventually gain company recognition over (or along with) others. It focuses on the influence of social behavioural factors in the outcome of this process as well as on the role played by the nature of the 'incoming' technology and its relation to the company design process. More broadly, it seeks to advance the systematic treatment of these aspects into a unified understanding of intra-company technology diffusion or implementation.
Corporate governance. The location of power and responsibility at the head of an organization. (T... more Corporate governance. The location of power and responsibility at the head of an organization. (Thompson, 2001, p.1125) … Every organization-not only corporations-has a governance system: governance concerns the distribution of power and responsibilities and, accountability for the organization's performance. (Steger and Amann, 2008). These concepts have a strong behavioural content with power and responsibilities as determining factors in the definition and realization of an organization' strategic direction and performance. Not surprisingly, Hitt et al. (2005) identify ownership or equity concentration and board of directors among the governance mechanisms used in the modern corporation. They are both location and distribution of power and, in fact, as this paper will show, power and ownership show a cause-and-effect dialectics whereby one tends to reinforce the other and vice-versa. On the specific organizational scope of the analysis of governance-shaping, this concentrates on the joint venture at the heart of the entire experience: the GrameenPhone joint venture (JV). Specifically, the analysis follows the evolution of the sources and balance of power among players, as reflected in the changes of equity shares inside the GrameenPhone joint venture from its origins in mid-1996 to mid-2008. These two clarifications help enhance the focus of the governance-shaping problem raised by this paper. Methodologically, the paper uses a case study approach and empirical information available in academic papers, reports and online news (for instance,
Abstract. Today there is consensus in that the use of ICTs brings major opportunities as well as ... more Abstract. Today there is consensus in that the use of ICTs brings major opportunities as well as threats to the development of poorer countries and communities. This consensus is underpinning the emergence of many initiatives aimed at tackling the challenge of the digital divide. This paper examines the nature and magnitude of the digital divide and stresses the importance of the formation of a global movement focused on the e-inclusion. It describes the experiences of one project from Chile aimed at bringing hope to people excluded by disability and poverty. The paper ends with a number of ideas to help stimulate the formation of the global movement. A brief Postscript is added to inform of the practical steps that have followed the writing of the original paper2 and to invite everybody to join it starting by visiting the website www.e-inclusionsite.org. 1
Part 1 The dominant social constituency of a technological process methodological aspects structu... more Part 1 The dominant social constituency of a technological process methodological aspects structure of the book. Part 2 The social basis of the United States research and development system from the Second World War to the present: the role of the military the aftermath of the Second World War crisis and loss of confidence the resurgence of the power complex contradictory trends the case against the military burden. Part 3 The social shaping of United States microtechnology from the Second World War to the mid 1970s: the legacy of the Second World War the government-military-led development of the post-war period 1945-mid 1960s - industrial control, computer systems, semiconductors the decline of government-military influence. Part 4 The current development of microtechnology: re-strengthening the links between corporate capital, government, the military and science the renewed influence of the military on the current development of microtechnology - the VHSIC and Sematech programmes, the strategic computing plan (SCP), the ICAM and man tech programmes, the strategic defense initiative (SDI) conflicting views about the wisdom of the renewed military drive. Part 5 The current development of microtechnology II: convergence of technologies and capital in the electronics industry - AT and T and IBM on a collision course, convergence of capital electronics competition on a global scale, evolution of United States, European and Japanese electronics markets, current trends in the global battle for control of electronics markets, global alliances in the battle for control of the electronics infrastructure. Part 6 Foundations of the future I: dissecting the dominant social constituency of the United States microtechnology, the science constituent, the capital constituent, the government and military constituents some conceptualizations of the United States social complex of power the power complex as dominant social constituency of microtechnology. Part 7 Foundations of the Future II: the present constituency of power - the path ahead searching for a new social constituency.
The paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of social innovation and entrepreneurship, wit... more The paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of social innovation and entrepreneurship, with particular reference to the issue of hybridity. It builds on insights and categories accumulated in the existing literature on social innovation and entrepreneurship. The analysis identifies a hybridity criterion that is subsequently applied to the construction of a more detailed and consistent social-forprofit hybrid spectrum than those proposed so far. It also identifies major theoretical challenges and suggests a generalized version of the hybridity criterion that may prove potentially fruitful to advance our understanding towards dynamic hybridity and multi-sectoral social innovation alliances. Hybridity in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship: State of the Art and Theoretical Challenge
The paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of social innovation and entrepreneurship, wit... more The paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of social innovation and entrepreneurship, with particular reference to the issue of hybridity. It builds on insights and categories accumulated in the existing literature on social innovation and entrepreneurship. The analysis identifies a hybridity criterion that is subsequently applied to the construction of a more detailed and consistent social-forprofit hybrid spectrum than those proposed so far. It also identifies major theoretical challenges and suggests a generalized version of the hybridity criterion that may prove potentially fruitful to advance our understanding towards dynamic hybridity and multi-sectoral social innovation alliances. Hybridity in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship: State of the Art and Theoretical Challenge
Corporate governance. The location of power and responsibility at the head of an organization. (T... more Corporate governance. The location of power and responsibility at the head of an organization. (Thompson, 2001, p.1125) … Every organization-not only corporations-has a governance system: governance concerns the distribution of power and responsibilities and, accountability for the organization's performance. (Steger and Amann, 2008). These concepts have a strong behavioural content with power and responsibilities as determining factors in the definition and realization of an organization' strategic direction and performance. Not surprisingly, Hitt et al. (2005) identify ownership or equity concentration and board of directors among the governance mechanisms used in the modern corporation. They are both location and distribution of power and, in fact, as this paper will show, power and ownership show a cause-and-effect dialectics whereby one tends to reinforce the other and vice-versa. On the specific organizational scope of the analysis of governance-shaping, this concentrates on the joint venture at the heart of the entire experience: the GrameenPhone joint venture (JV). Specifically, the analysis follows the evolution of the sources and balance of power among players, as reflected in the changes of equity shares inside the GrameenPhone joint venture from its origins in mid-1996 to mid-2008. These two clarifications help enhance the focus of the governance-shaping problem raised by this paper. Methodologically, the paper uses a case study approach and empirical information available in academic papers, reports and online news (for instance,
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