Do new innovations and products improve our lives? Has our relentless pursuit of technological progress eliminated the blight of poverty, of inequality, of discrimination, of crime, of war? Has the advance of technology increased our happiness and led us to fulfillment and social harmony? The ads would have us think so. But not all technological innovation is desirable, and the fastest rate of change is not necessarily the best. Futile Progress explores the multiple and far-reaching ways in which our society and our environment have been affected by technological change. It reveals how far unfettered 'advances' can be blamed for environmental damage, and analyses to what extent our unquestioning acceptance of new technologies has contributed to the social insecurity, inequality and dislocation evident today. In this original and thought provoking book, Ernest Braun argues for effective safeguards against these adverse effects of technologies beneficial to society receive public support. Only if the consequences of technological change are anticipated can technology be harnessed to work for common good.

Do new innovations and products improve our lives? Has our relentless pursuit of technological progress eliminated the blight of poverty, of inequality, of discrimination, of crime, of war? Has the advance of technology increased our happiness and led us to fulfillment and social harmony? The ads would have us think so. But not all technological innovation is desirable, and the fastest rate of change is not necessarily the best. Futile Progress explores the multiple and far-reaching ways in which our society and our environment have been affected by technological change. It reveals how far unfettered 'advances' can be blamed for environmental damage, and analyses to what extent our unquestioning acceptance of new technologies has contributed to the social insecurity, inequality and dislocation evident today. In this original and thought provoking book, Ernest Braun argues for effective safeguards against these adverse effects of technologies beneficial to society receive public support. Only if the consequences of technological change are anticipated can technology be harnessed to work for common good.

Technology in Context is a comprehensive and accessible analysis of technology assessment which defines and describes its role in the strategic management of firms. Subjects covered include:
* the fundamental concepts required for the management of technology
* the gathering of information in a firm to support strategic decisions on technology
* technology assessment in the United States Congress
* the wider social implications of technology
* problems associated with technology, from the danger of environmental degradation to employment and skills.
Technology in Context is a complete introduction to the theory and methods of technology assessment as a tool of strategic management. It will be a useful book for all those interested in the management and social role of technology.

This landmark work chronicles the origin and evolution of solid state physics, which grew to maturity between 1920 and 1960. The book examines the early roots of the field in industrial, scientific and artistic efforts and traces them through the 1950s, when many physicists around the world recognized themselves as members of a distinct subfield of physics research centered on solids. The book opens with an account of scientific and social developments that preceded the discovery of quantum mechanics, including the invention of new experimental means for studying solids and the establishment of the first industrial laboratories. The authors set the stage for the modern era by detailing the formulation of the quantum field theory of solids. The core of the book examines six major themes: the band theory of solids; the phenomenology of imperfect crystals; the puzzle of the plastic properties of solids, solved by the discovery of dislocations; magnetism; semiconductor physics; and collective phenomena, the context in which old puzzles such as superconductivity and superfluidity were finally solved. All readers interested in the history of science will find this absorbing volume an essential resource for understanding the emergence of contemporary physics.

Semiconductor electronics is the major technology of our age. Its achievement and potential are vast, its application and influence ubiquitous, its social and economic consequences uncertain. Semiconductor electronics has become the vehicle for nearly all technological change and, consequently, the subject of much discussion. This revised and up dated edition is offered as a basic contribution to that vital discussion by authors who have long studied the process of technological change and who are familiar with the peculiarities of the semiconductor industry. Although it dealt with a highly technical subject, the first edition proved readily intelligible to a wide audience. The second edition is designed for that same group - those who seek an understanding of the processes at the heart of technological change.

Most managers know very little about the technology they introduce into their firms, often preferring to leave such decisions to a small band of technological 'experts'. As a result large amounts of time and money are often wasted on inappropriate and inefficient systems. The cost of retraining and reorganising can also be prohibitive if the new technology does not deliver the desired results. In a business environment where technology is of increasing importance, the non-technical manager cannot afford to remain in the dark. Technology in Context provides a toolkit of approaches to this difficult subject. Subjects covered include: * the fundamental concepts required for the management of technology * the gathering of information in a firm to support strategic decisions on technology * technology assessment in the public domain * the wider social implications of technology * problems associated with technology, from the danger of environmental degradation to employment and skills.