Technological determinism

Abstract

This chapter explores the nature of technological change, to consider whether technology really can be altered in a more ‘human’ direction or whether the nature of technology so controls the rest of society that the idea of free choice in selecting a different technology turns out to be illusory. Many factors may stand in the way of humanising the work place including the social, political and economic systems which affect the nature of the work place. Humanising the work place would then become a matter of gaining control of the resource allocation process to ensure that a ‘human’ technology is developed. One of the studies mentioned by Utterback in his review, looked at UK organisations which had received the Queen’s Award to Industry for Technological Innovation. This study attempted to distinguish between two types of discovery push - from science or technology and two types of need pull - needs of the customer and needs of the innovator.