Abstract
(Englisch)
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This project is concerned with the new dynamics of the science, technology, and innovation system (STI-system) within the emerging European information society. These dynamics participate in the greater dy-namic of emerging Europe. In order to grasp these changes, the project assumes that society has become so complex that traditional linear or causal models of social change no longer apply and one must shift to non-linear and self-organization theories in order to model the European information society adequately. The communication and information systems under study (science and technology networks) are shown to contain at least three relevant sub-dynamics: the dynamics of knowledge application (e.g., the economic dynamics of the market), the internal dynamics of knowledge production, and the inter-systemic dynamics of the interface between knowledge production, knowledge application, and S&T policy. The project inves-tigated the dynamics of and options for these three areas in terms of the self-organization of information production and distribution networks.
Task 1 consisted of a triangle of theoretical modeling, computer simulation, and empirical research with the purpose of modeling self-organizing systems in society and speicifically with regard to science and technol-ogy networks. Taks 2 investigated models of the complex dynamics of innovation systems; Task 3 was concerned with emerging European S&T networks in relation to questions of policy analysis of European RTD programs; Task 4 examined the dynamics of S&T networks in terms of codification of knowledge and the integration of these networks in (regional) economical innovation systems; Task 5 was concerned with the influence of social accountability isues an agenda setting in information networks in the S&T system and in S&T policy; Task 6 was directed toward the question of policy implications; and finally, Task 7 de-veloped new forms of dissemination of the project results.
The consortium of research centers brought together sociological and computer science approaches on the basis of a commonly shared 'constructivist' backgrund of self-organization theories. This combination of qualitative understanding and quantitative modeling stimulated the development of new methodologies for the understanding of the complex social processes that characterize the development of the information society. The European system was shown to be both the product and the subject of ongoing revolutions in our communication and information systems. Information networks recursively organize themselves through emerging identities (of information producers, distributors, and users) which are constantly being trans-formed by contexts of application and rapidly shifting problem areas. Self-organizing systems are not steer-able in the usual sense. Policy inputs in complex systems function as disturbances stimulating the system's further development. As a consequence, new forms of steering are necessary. A major result of the project lies in formulating policy recommendations on the basis of self-organization dynamics. A knowledge-based economy implies a revolutionary change in the self-understanding of society. Categories for the under-standing of society and the development of technology are constructed by reflexive actors who play specific roles within certain information networks. These roles are being constantly redifined. On the one hand, differences of opinion exist about definitions of, e.g., social exclusion, unemployment, stagnating lock-ins, technological progress, and evolutionary potentials. On the other hand, self-organization of the networks of communication implies emerging order and structure in the codification of concepts. In present day net-works of communication, control and property become less important than access to and understanding of networks. The new forms of societal co-ordination are multi-layered: information networks are added to 'traditional' coordination mechanisms. The European society with its variety of natural languages, cultural values, coordination mechanisms, etc., as well as with its ongoing processes of integration and mutual adjustment, potentially has an advantage over its main competitors from this perspective.
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