Transcript jan13-publicpolicy1

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
H. Civic Empowerment
Mon March 15
Nadine Dostrovsky
Sachi Gibson
Sheila Russek
Tom Aylward-Nally
C. Trans. Corps, Foreign Policy & World Economy
Thurs Feb 5
Saaqib Ahmad
Mark Busser
Shanti Harris
I. Consensus Conference
Mon March 22
Julia Fleming
Tim Lentz
Claire Vayalumka
D. Education
Mon Feb 9
Calli Armstrong
Sarah Senecal
David Tsai
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
K. Alternatives
Mon March 29
Colin Holland
Juliana Tobon
Cynthia Yang
F. Democratic Design Processes and RD&D
Mon March 1
Dan Freeman
Kat Kitching
Lance Paton
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
Policy Makers
Media
Personal selfinterest?
Other Influences?
Examples?
Polls, focus
groups, public
opinion
Policies of other nations,
municipalities, etc.
Global
Economics
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)
2)
3)
4)
•
General
Healthy
Wealthy
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
Increase wealth,
but cause adverse
Human Life
impacts
Society
The Biosphere
Laws /
standards
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)