Technology is taking on an increasingly central and determining role in so ciety, and can provide contradictory results: wealth on the one hand, but also unemployment, environmental imbalances and other social problems on the other. Manufacturing techniques and production organization are chosen in every country based mainly on the specific needs of the companies, while the real needs of each population are often quite different. Already, in order to prevent all forms of technology from becoming in creasingly "invasive", towards both the natural supply of resources and the specific - though highly differentiated - needs of humanity, technological paths must be identified and followed which are capable of making the vari ous needs compatible, from the standpoint of sustainable development, the conservation and increase in value of natural resources, and the quality of development. This will become increasingly important in the future. This goal is undoubtedly ambitious and difficult to achieve; however, evi dence of the problems caused by generalized, uncontrolled use of technolo gy, all over the world, leads us to believe that intense efforts must be made to achieve this aim. If not, humankind runs the risk of an irreversible degra dation of the most important aspects of economic development and its quali ty. Within this framework, those companies that produce goods and services obviously occupy a central, active role, which they must play with a view both to competitiveness and overall qualification and to contributing to the objectives of sustainable development.

Klappentext

Technology is taking on an increasingly central and determining role in so­ ciety, and can provide contradictory results: wealth on the one hand, but also unemployment, environmental imbalances and other social problems on the other. Manufacturing techniques and production organization are chosen in every country based mainly on the specific needs of the companies, while the real needs of each population are often quite different. Already, in order to prevent all forms of technology from becoming in­ creasingly "invasive", towards both the natural supply of resources and the specific - though highly differentiated - needs of humanity, technological paths must be identified and followed which are capable of making the vari­ ous needs compatible, from the standpoint of sustainable development, the conservation and increase in value of natural resources, and the quality of development. This will become increasingly important in the future. This goal is undoubtedly ambitious and difficult to achieve; however, evi­ dence of the problems caused by generalized, uncontrolled use of technolo­ gy, all over the world, leads us to believe that intense efforts must be made to achieve this aim. If not, humankind runs the risk of an irreversible degra­ dation of the most important aspects of economic development and its quali­ ty. Within this framework, those companies that produce goods and services obviously occupy a central, active role, which they must play with a view both to competitiveness and overall qualification and to contributing to the objectives of sustainable development.

Zusammenfassung
Intends to provide a methodological framework, capable of analyzing the multiple aspects related to technological dynamics, and to arrive - at times ex post, at times ex ante - at assessments regarding the economic results that can be achieved at various levels, with the innovation and diffusion of technologies in the manufacturing activities.

Inhalt
1 Features of Technology and Technological Dynamics.- 2 The Innovative Cycle.- 3 Technological Dynamics and Knowledge.- 4 The Dynamics of Production Technologies and Structures.- 5 Technological Dynamics, Efficiency and Productivity.- 6 Technological Dynamics and Quality Issues.- 7 Economic Ennects of Technological Dynamics.- 8 Methods for Evaluating Processes and Technologies.- 9 Technology Policy for Sustainable Development.- References.