Original scientific paper
Social Determination of Technology
Srđan Dvornik
; Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Shipping, Zagreb
Abstract
The case of new technologies, especially those based upon the application of microelectronics, as directly connected to the issues of organization and management, is being discussed in view of the basic social determinants of the structure of production. It appears that the same main characteristics inherent to productive means and processes developing as the productive forces of capital are applicable to new technologies as well. On the one hand, the social basis in question is indicated as a factor slowing down productive innovation, and on the other, the »motives « of capital of the relative surplus value and control over the labour process are demonstrated as the formants of technological solutions too. By confronting these formal social attributes of technology with the possibilities it latently proffers to the unalienated, directly societal organization of production, the necessity of close connection in the research of the levels of work posts, the organization of production and the global social relations is pointed out. Furthermore, derived from the above-mentioned contrast are trends concerning the level of affluence of production tasks, the communicational integration of production systems, and the determination and implementation of the flexibility of those systems. The basic conclusion is that social phenomena connected with new technologies are in no way determined by these technologies, but have themselves become adapted to the existing relations of capital, which is in particular sciences easily converted into technological determinism.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
155575
URI
Publication date:
31.12.1988.
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