Ekonomika Nauki (Apr 2024)
“Economics of technology” as a direction of science: retrospective and perspective
Abstract
The paper examines some aspects of the development of the «economics of technology» as an independent scientific field of research, which is an essential part of the wider direction of «economics of scientific and technological progress», developed by a group of outstanding Soviet economists.The purpose of this article is to analyze the methodological principles of the «economics of technology» as a modern field of science. In addition, it aims to demonstrate the contributions of the Soviet and Russian economic schools and the continuity of their studies.The study employs theories of technological change, development factors, and comparative analysis to explore the chronological aspect of technology’s inclusion in economic analysis.The result of the analysis indicates that modern works by the Russian economic school, including studies of «combinatorial accumulation» of technologies, significantly alter the idea of technological evolution in contrast to the long-held principle of «creative destruction» by J. Schumpeter, which underpins most well-known models of technological dynamics. Thus, building on the traditions of Soviet economic schools, such as Heynman, Lvov, and Anchishkin, a new independent field of study, «economics of technology,» is emerging, emphasizing not only economic impact or renewal or forecasting, but also scientific and technological developments, interactions, and changes in technologies that are improved at various rates in different areas of production activities within their core or peripheries. Thus, the structure of technology within each type of activity, as well as the structural design of each technology within the «core-periphery» framework, is of fundamental importance.The general conclusion is that the scientific direction «economics of technology» consists of studying the effects of combinatorial growth in technology, technological duality, and the sensitivity of technological development goals to different industrial policy instruments. It also includes modes and models of substituting and adding technologies, as well as technological neutrality and its impact on economic growth.
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