Technology

Technology research aims for a better understanding of the patterns, drivers, constraints, and impacts of technological change, particularly in areas like climate change, where technology is key to achieving  sustainability 

Technology cross-cuts almost every topic addressed by IIASA research.

Technology research covers innovation, change, and diffusion. Technologies do not emerge randomly, but are created and used by humans. The emergence of any large-scale technology system will have considerable "birth pangs" – technology diffusion also operates under considerable constraints.

Among other things, IIASA research looks at the barriers to technology innovation, adoption, and diffusion, for example:

  • The large sunk investments that need to be made in the course of the R&D process
  • The formidable degree of complexity and interrelatedness among many individual technologies, which means that making changes to one technology could involve making changes to related ones
  • The deep uncertainty attached to technology innovation, not only in terms of the technical and economic feasibility involved but also of the social acceptability – will people ultimately like the product enough to buy it?
  • The potential – and frequently unanticipated – environmental impacts and changing cultural attitudes that can act as major barriers to technological innovation and diffusion.

 

 

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Last edited: 05 April 2016

Research Programs

Transitions to New Technologies (TNT)

Energy (ENE)

Global Energy Assessment (GEA)

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria
Phone: (+43 2236) 807 0 Fax:(+43 2236) 71 313