Assessing the Impacts of Information Technology

VII PREFACE The contents of this volume is based upon presentations that took place during the international research symposium "Research on Impacts - Hope for Escaping the Negative Effects of an Information Society" in Walberberg on May 25 - 26, 1981. The symposium was organized by the Institute for Organization and Automation at the University of Cologne (BIFOA) within a research project on "Konstruktive Wirkungsforschung" and was sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for Research and Technology. Information technology is considered to be the crucial factor for the future development of our society. The expectations differ widely in respect to how this development will look like. Information technology has on the one hand the poten­ tial of causing substantial negative impacts on individuals and on society but on the other hand the potential of being the key technology for solving pressing problems of mankind. The decisions of today will already determine Which impacts we have to cope with in the future. The challenge for research is therefore to deliver sufficient information to enable the decision makers to make the right decisions. The· conference was designed to provide an opportunity to exchange ideas on aims and issues of research on technological impacts and especially to discuss the chances to meet this research challenge and to achieve satisfying contributions by research for coping with future impacts of information technology.

Research on Impacts of Technologies - Objectives, Functions, and Philosophies -.- Technology Assessment: Some Aspects Related to Information Technology.- Social Science Research about the Consequences of Modern Information Technologies.- Impact Research and Research Policy - An Analytical Framework -.- Practicability, Applicability, and Benefits of Research on Impacts - The Story Behind the Scenery -.- The NSI Project.- Review of Selected Technology Assessment Studies of Information Technologies in the United States of America.- Pitfalls of Current Methodologies of Technology Assessment Can We Avoid the Negative Effects of Information Technology?.- How to Get Good Research Results? - Research Strategies and Special Issues -.- Some Remarks on Strategic Considerations for Technology Assessment.- A Constructive Approach for Impact Research on Information Technology.- Anticipating Future Use of Technology - Factors Influencing Technology Transfer in General and from Government R & D Agencies in Particular -.- Public Participation in Technology Assessment.- The Practice of Project Choice and Assessment - The FAST Programme -.- Some Glimpses on the International Co-operation in R & D.- About the Authors.- Participants.