Seminar Groups - Arts and Science 3BB3 - 2004 (Update Jan 13) Seminar Group 1 (TA: Kim Haviv)

Monday 11:30am - 12:20pm

Saaqib Ahmad Calli Armstrong *** Seminar 1 *** Caitlin Bovee Mark Busser Nadine Dostrovsky Rita Fu Shanti Harris Juliana Tobon

Lance Paton

Seminar Group 3 (TA: Melissa Appleton)

Wednesday 1:30-2:20pm

Sarah Angus Eli Chiasson Laura Erdman Nathan Flis Dan Freeman Sachi Gibson Kat Kitching Lauren O'Malley Claire Vayalumkal ***Seminar 1****

Seminar Group 2 (TA: Kim Haviv)

Tuesday 1:30-2:20pm

Corrie Allan ***Seminar 1*** Mark Geslani Peter Hitchcock Edwin Lee Joseph Park Sheila Russek Jessica Shearer David Tsai

Millee Zhou Tom Aylward-Nally

Seminar Group 4 (TA: Melissa Appleton)

Thurs 1:30-2:20pm

Julie Fleming Lori Giles Colin Holland ** Seminar 1 *** Tim Lentz Aaron Orkin Deanna Smid Cynthia Yang

Sarah Senecal Heather Menzies

Groups / Topics for Group Led Sessions - Arts and Science 3BB3 - 2004 (Update Jan 13) A. Patent Law and Innovation

Mon Jan 26

Sarah Angus Eli Chiasson Mark Geslani Laura Erdman

G. Media and the Control of Technology

Mon March 8

Rita Fu Peter Hitchcock Aaron Orkin

B. Military Tech. Democracy & Common Good

Mon Feb 2

Nathan Flis

Heather Menzies

Jessica Shearer

C. Trans. Corps, Foreign Policy & World Economy

Thurs Feb 5

Saaqib Ahmad Mark Busser Shanti Harris

D. Education

Mon Feb 9

Calli Armstrong Sarah Senecal David Tsai

H. Civic Empowerment

Mon March 15

Nadine Dostrovsky Sachi Gibson Sheila Russek Tom Aylward-Nally

I. Consensus Conference

Mon March 22

Julia Fleming Tim Lentz Claire Vayalumka

J. Healthy City Movement or Vision 2020

Thurs March 25

Corrie Allan Edwin Lee Joseph Park

E. Literature and Technological Ethics

Mon Feb 23

Lori Giles Lauren O'Malley Deanna Smid Millee Zhou

F. Democratic Design Processes and RD&D

Mon March 1

Dan Freeman Kat Kitching Lance Paton

K. Alternatives

Mon March 29

Colin Holland Juliana Tobon Cynthia Yang

Public Policy I – The Policy Making Process

OUTLINE

– What is public policy?

– Who makes technology policy?

• Public officials • Business – Policy options available to a government – Promotion of science and technology at federal level – Another perspective on technology policy

What is public policy?

• The actions taken, or not taken, by government to move to some condition which is perceived by decision-makers as being better than the existing condition (Carroll, 2003)

Technology policy?

• Broader in terms of who makes the policy • Narrower in terms of the content of the policy

Who makes technology policy?

• Public officials make policy, but… “…democratic ‘politics’ is merely the chaff…Prior to politics… is the underlying consensus that usually exists in the society among a predominant portion of politically active members” (Dahl, 1956) • Those elected to public office are

functionaries

, they adapt to information and pressures from these sources (Lindblom and Woodhouse) • Many people and social forces influence policy outcomes

Influences on government policy-makers

Business Lobby groups Policies of other nations, municipalities, etc.

Media Policy Makers Global Economics Personal self interest?

Polls, focus groups, public opinion Other Influences? Examples?

Policy Analysts / Experts

Business and Technology Policy

• Many “technology policies” are made by corporate executives. • Business determines the supply of technologies – Decide what kind of technologies are produced – Decide how technology is produced – Set directions for technological innovation

Business and Technology Policy (cont’d)

• Business influences the demand for technologies – Decide on the prices of products – Influence demand through advertising – Pay wages that allow consumers to purchase goods (e.g. Henry Ford) • Influence the regulation of technology – Strong lobby – Fund political campaigns

Lindblom and Woodhouse suggest that “business executives often have strong incentives to act in ways that

create

certain classes of social problems when they can make a profit doing so.” (p.8) Questions: • Do you agree with this statement? • Examples? • How does this set the agenda for government to “react” to the social problem?

Some policy options available to a government

• Distribute Table 1

Promotion of Science and Technology At the Federal Level

4 groups 1) General 2) Healthy 3) Wealthy 4) Wise • Identify the policy shift and/or the new direction

Questions:

• Any overall observations and/or comments? • Comments on the focus or the emphasis of the document?

• What are the values/ideologies present in the document?

• Statement from Auditor general: “a society that produces well-being and prosperity for its members can no longer treat [innovation] as an option.” Is the strategy here focused on innovation?

Another Perspective on Technology Policy The conventional division of labour

Technologies that promote economic growth Laws / standards Increase wealth, but cause adverse impacts Human Life Society The Biosphere Mitigate adverse effects (but rarely get to the root of a problem) “Economy of technology” is separate from the “Ecology of technology”

The Alternative – Preventative technology policy

• Vanderburg suggests that a more proactive, integrated approach to technology development should be used • Prevention approaches can be more cost effective • Indicators of the economy are flawed – GDP ignores undesired outputs – An alternative: Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI)

Examples of Preventative Approaches

• German auto industry is beginning to design cars for the entire lifecycle • German legislation toward packaging • White goods industry is beginning to design for disassembly and reabsorption of materials

Preventative Policy Options

• Distribute “Table 3” • Shows how the “conventional” policy measures in “Table 1” can be used to encourage a “preventative” strategy for technology

Resources:

Braun, E., 1980. Government policies for the stimulation of technological innovation, working paper WP-80-10, IIASA, Laxenburg, January.

Lindblom, C. E. and E. J. Woodhouse. The Challenges Facing Policy Making. (on reserve at Mills) Lindblom, C. E. and E. J. Woodhouse. Making the most of analysis. (on reserve at Mills) Howlett, M. 2002. Chapter 10 - Policy Development. In

The Handbook of Canadian Public Administration.

C. Dunn (ed.). Oxford University Press: Don Mills, ON.

NABST, 1995. Healthy, Wealthy and Wise: A Framework for an Integrated Federal Science and Technology Strategy. National Advisory Board on Science and Technology. June 6.

Vanderburg, W. 2000.

The Labyrinth of Technology

. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. (on reserve at Thode)