The concepts of technological frame revisited and technological frame parts

Abstract

Expanding on his study of the social construction of technology, Bijker used a technological frame to explain the factors involved in the success development of Bakelite. It is generally accepted that the successful synthesis of Bakelite was particularly helped by the fact that the inventor, Baekeland, was more deeply included in the technological frame of electrochemical engineers rather than that of celluloid chemists. However, a careful reading of Bijker's case study reveals that (i) the technological frame contributing to the synthesis of Bakelite is separate from the technological frame of electrochemical engineers and (ii) it was formed by collecting components of the technological frame (called technological frame parts in this paper) of the community to which Baekeland belonged and in which he was included as well as the technological frames of celluloid chemists and electrochemical engineers.

Keywords

• technological evolution
• social shaping of technology
• social construction of technology
• technological frame
• technological frame parts