Methodology for measuring the socio-economic impacts of biotechnology: A case study of potatoes in Colombia

Abstract

This article sets out a methodology for the measurement of the different aspects of national biotechnology programs as social and political constructions intended to encourage the research and applications of these technologies and their impact on social development. Our purpose is to analyze the evolution and specific characteristics of the processes of development and spreading of national biotechnology programs in society. The document has three parts: the first exposes a general conceptual framework about biotechnology as an important transversal (cross-topic) technology connector between social and economic development in health, agriculture, environment and industry; the second is an approach to measure the impact with a specific framework, which develops a multi-criteria matrix and methodological steps. Finally, we present an application of the methodology about the case of the potato in Colombia. © Beech Tree Publishing 2007.