Download Session 3(9/21) : Technological Changes : Giovanni Dosi (1982

Session 3(9/21) : Technological Changes
: Giovanni Dosi (1982). Technological paradigms and technological trajectories:
A suggested interpretation of the determinants and directions of technical change
Kim, Yongwon
Phd. candidate
Management of Technology
Summary of the paper
The relationship between economic growth and technological change is controversial
pretty. In this article, the theory of technological change is significantly separated by the two
views -demand pull / technology-push. Especially, the differences between the two
perspectives were mentioned. Signals of the market were very important to identify the need
in demand-pull. But market signals are very abstract and cannot explain the long-term
technological innovation and product development, and the time-lag. This article is also
described about the relationship technology paradigm and technology trajectory through the
relationship of science - technology – products. In other words, the author comprehensively
defines scientific paradigms and technological paradigms in Kuhn's position. The reason for
choosing the technological paradigm is described in terms of problem-solving process and
technology evolution of Nelson & Winter. Also, the author is claimed that economic,
institutional, and social factors are driving technological progress, and the cost problem such
as IR & Tayloristic and economies of scale is an important source of technological evolution.
Finally, in the process of product innovation, the author talked about the importance of the
market. It is very important to detect the mutation of the market in terms of evolutionary
changes. In addition, from the perspective of Schumpeterian, because market provides
compensation to the company, where an attempt is made to risk-taking which give rise to the
technological advances occurs.
Main Contribution
This article describes continuity versus discontinuity in technical change. This can be
interpreted as incremental innovation and radical innovation. This article explains that the
process of new product innovation does not happen by accident. Finally, this article explains
that technological advances have made cumulatively.
Critique
This article has some to be desired as followed. At first, the author have been accepted
Kuhn and Nelson & Winter's view of the position at the same time. Kuhn has the materialist
position and his opinion is different from an evolutionary perspective. Nelson & Winter,
however, has an evolutionary perspective. At the same time, two views that cannot be
compatible explain the phenomenon. Another problem is that this article uses the theory
without a criticism. For example, the theory of demand pull is used to describe products
innovation and Schumpeter's opinion of the market is only used to describe the effects.
Rather than presenting a new theory, the theories have been adjusted to his framework.
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