The Social Appropriability of Scientific and Technological Knowledge as a Theoretico-Methodological Problem

PABLO KREIMER; HERNÁN THOMAS

Encyclopedia of Technology, Information and Systems Management Resources. Section 1.30 Science and Technology Policy .

EOLSS

Lugar: http://greenplanet.eolss.net/EolssLogn/mss/C15/E1-30/E1-30-01/E1-30-01-02/E1-30-01-02-TXT.aspx; Año: 2004; p. 1 - 14

The study of social appropriability of scientific and technological knowledge is important in understanding technological innovation. Current definitions of ‘appropriability’ – based on a notion of scientific and technological knowledge as intangible goods – focus on the capacity of an economic agent to appropriate the benefits generated in the process of application of this knowledge. Several sociological, political, economic and legal approaches also address the theme of ‘appropriability’. The article shows that it is necessary to understand appropriability as a social, polysemic and multidimensional phenomenon.