Technological Innovations and Sectoral Change

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Technological Innovations and Sectoral Change

• Ulrich Dolata
• University of Bremen
• and
• Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies,
  Cologne

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Announcement I
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Announcement II

• Ulrich Dolata
• Technik und sektoraler Wandel
• Technologische Eingriffstiefe, sektorale
  Adaptionsfähigkeit
• und soziotechnische Transformationsmuster
• MPIfG discussion paper 07/3, February 2007

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Starting Point

• Three interrelated concepts
• Transformative Capacity of new Technologies
• (sektorale Eingriffstiefe neuer Technologien)
• Sectoral Adaptability
• (sektorale Adaptionsfähigkeit)
• Gradual Transformations
• (graduelle Transformationen)

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Sectoral Systems

• 3 Elements
• Technological Profile
• Socio-economic Structures Institutions
• Typical Constellations of Actors and Patterns of
  Interaction
• 2 major types of sectoral systems
• Sectors characterized by a high degree of
  innovative activities ( sectoral innovation
  systems)
• Sectors characterized by the use of technologies

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Sectoral Systems

• Elements
• technological socio-economic
  actors and patterns
• profile
  structures of interaction
• and
  institutions
• 
  frame
• 
  guide
• 
  
• constitute
  reproduce,
  (re-)inter-
• 
  pret
  transform
• sectoral patterns of regulation

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Transformative Capacity of New Technologies

• New technologies as relevant influencing factors
  on sectoral change
• Technology-driven pressure to transform and
  adjust existing architectures of a sectoral
  system
• Transformative Capacity of new Technologies
• Direct and far-reaching pressure to change
• e.g. Biotechnology Pharmaceutical Industry
  Internet Music-/Media Industries
• high transformative capacity
• Supplemental and sustaining impacts
• e.g. Internet Automobile Industry
• low transformative capacity

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Transformative Capacity qualitative Criteria

• Repercussions of new technological opportunities
  on
• Technological profile knowledge base
• Patterns of research, production and distribution
• Constellations and strategies of actors involved
• Patterns of cooperation and competition
• Institutional frameworks

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Sectoral Adaptability

• Degree of opennes of the established structures
  and institutions for path-deviant developments
• Capability of the actors involved at
  anticipating, adopting and integrating new
  technologies
• Sectoral Adaptability
• Low adaptability Persistence / path-dependent
  lock-ins
• e.g. Biotechnology German Pharmaceutical
  Industry Internet Musik Industry
• high adaptability institutionalized mechanisms
  of adaptation facilitating path-deviant
  transformations
• e.g. Internet Automobile Industry
  Biotechnology U.S. Pharmaceutical Industry

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Institutionalized mechanisms of adaptation

• High intensity of competition
• Co-existence of different types of firms
• Strong patterns of collaboration between firms /
  between industry and academia
• Institutionalized niches for new cutting-edge
  actors
• Technology and innovation policy

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Gradual Transformations

• Characteristic of technology-driven sectoral
  change
• Not
• abrupt breaks and radical shifts
• decline, breakdown or radical exchange of
  existing organizations, structures and
  institutions
• But
• longer periods of discontinuity and mismatch
• cumulation of a multiplicity of gradual
  adjustments that add-up to substantial change

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Technology-driven sectoral change characterized
by

• transformative capacity
  sectoral adaptability
• of new technologies
  of structures,
  institutions and actors
• unfolds
  
  constitutes
• pressure to change
  meets patterns of
  adaptation and absorption
• 
  
  of technology-driven pressure
• Interplay leads to distinct
• Modes of sectoral transformation
• poles
• reactive and crisis-ridden
  anticipative
  and proactive
• Gradual Transformations
• gradual organizational, structural and
  institutional Change

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Socio-economic structures

• Types of firms
• Patterns of research, production and distribution
• Patterns of competition and cooperation
• Degree of concentration

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Institutions

• regulative
• normative
• cultural-cognitive
• Rules of the game
• (Douglass C. North)