Public acceptance and emerging production technologies

Abstract

Public acceptance of technology is a key factor in how innovation impacts society, and its consideration should therefore figure in policy making around the next production revolution. There is a persistent but misguided view that resistance to technology mostly stems from public ignorance about the true benefits of particular technologies or of innovation in general. Social science research shows that more important reasons for such resistance might be basic value conflicts, distributive concerns, and failures of trust in governing institutions such as regulatory authorities and technical advice bodies. In general, countries and innovators should take into account, to the greatest extent possible, social goals and concerns from the beginning of the development process. While it remains a challenge to realise this goal, best practices have emerged that can serve as a guide. These include funding social science and humanities in an integrated fashion with natural and physical science, using participatory forms of foresight and technology assessment to chart out desirable futures, and engaging stakeholders in communicative processes with clear linkages into policy. All of the above will help build trust and trustworthiness into innovation systems.