Social and Economic
Outcomes of Technological Change
The objectives of sustainable development depend not only on the
design and construction of physical infrastructure but also on the
institutional infrastructure that governs human behaviour. Social
and economic outcomes of manufacturing, constructing and using the
outputs of production processes depend on how people decide to use
them. Thus, the outcomes from using motor vehicles and road systems
depend significantly on how people drive vehicles and use roads.
These outcomes might have statistical measures in kilometers
traveled by passengers or tonnes of freight; or in traffic accident
statistics. Similarly, the outcomes from use of water supply or
sewerage systems depend on how people use and waste water.
Consequently, social and economic outcomes reflect human behaviour.
Human behaviour is a function of how people learn to
behave.
Ideas about development often concentrate on
technological change as manifest in the manufacture and construction
of tangible things. These tangible things include:
 | production in agriculture, mining and
manufacturing |
| physical infrastructure in cities, towns,
roads, water supply, sewerage systems, electricity supply
communication systems and the like. |
In other words, the social and economic outcomes
can depend |
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References:
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