Conceptualizing Technological Change: Theoretical and Empirical Explorations

Technological change has been rightfully identified as the single most important factor for improving material well-being. Yet, despite its centrality in our lives, we seem to know very little about technology and how it develops and changes, both spatially and temporally. In this original and thoughtful book, Govindan Parayil draws together current scholarship from disciplines ranging from history to economics to sociology as he develops a cohesive theory of technological change. Drawing on a detailed case study of the Green Revolution in Indian agriculture, Parayil convincingly argues that technological change is contingent upon the social-historical process of knowledge change. Thus, he explores the policy implications of analyzing technological change as a problem-solving activity. An innovative contribution to the literature on technological change, this ambitious book will also be valuable for those interested in such practical applications as understanding the process of technology transfer.