International Conference Technology, Innovation and Social Change

Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India

Centre for Social Entrepreneurship 

International Conference 

Technology, Innovation and Social Change

22 - 24 January, 2013

Call for Papers

The Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Tata Institute of Social Sciences is organising a three day International Conference on "Technology, Innovation and Social Change" during 22-24 January, 2013.  The aim of the Conference is to provide a platform to academicians and practitioners from multiple disciplines to debate and deliberate on social change that is encompassed by innovation and technology. The Conference will help the Scholars to produce publishable quality of research papers. Technological expertise plays a  significant role in the global economy (Archibugi & Lundvall, 2001). Many agree that combination of technology and innovation could attribute to inclusive growth. Though several technological inventions are produced, the intention of inclusive growth across the globe remains unachieved. There are greater challenges  where  science, technology and innovation  become the  key to improve economic performance and social well-being. However, the concept of social well-being is constantly linked to social change. Unless existing social settings, that restrict the participation of some social groups in societal life are not transformed, achieving social well being is going to remain a difficult task. On the other hand, entrepreneurship as a movement produced technologies which are used for achieving significant growth. However, the growth that the business enterprises have brought could not transform the social settings which everyone is part of. As a result, there is always a kind of  conflict between business and society whether they both are mutually beneficial or not.

It is observed that globalization has tremendously affected the functioning of poor and deprived, and it is more disastrous in case of developing countries. Globalisation has been always considered as a process of exchanging resources among the nations. Though Globalisation is expected to benefit both developed and developing countries, in reality, it is the developed countries gained a lot through utilizing the cheap resources available in the developing countries. For instance, various multinational corporations have outsourced their business processes at developing countries due to the available cheap resources. We also have to accept that the developing countries have also benefited up to some extent  while  they imported the technological expertise available in the  West. However, globalization has failed to take into account the usefulness of certain local innovative technologies in developing countries. This could be due to because of two 

reasons - a) local technologies may not be cost effective; b) available cheap technologies from the developed countries. Even though, the local technologies are not cost effective,it might be suitable for the well being of these societies. Moreover, the gap between knowledge availability in the developing countries and the exploitation of the same for the improvement of the wellbeing might be an issue related to technology development process. In addition, there is a section which argues that attaining social wellbeing can be easily achieved provided that steady economic growth is maintained. Also, the reality describes that the growth in economic sense never help the different excluded social groups to attain what they have  not  been  accessed so far. We may not get any better instances than the present Indian context to describe the reality, as more economic growth we attempt the more social disparities we witness. At this juncture, social entrepreneurship is considered as a new model of developmental discourse that balances both economic and social growth. Social entrepreneurs strive to change social settings so that everyone is given space to enjoy his/her rights to lead a pleasant life. They are considered as pioneers and path breakers in their respective fields. They question the status quo and exploit the resources and opportunities to build societies that guarantee rights to the most excluded. There are two stages involved in the overall usages of technologies - one is production of technologies by the entrepreneurs and the second, usages of the same technologies for the social development by the social sector organisations. Significantly, emergence of social entrepreneurs has resulted in social leaders entering into both manufacturing and using the technologies to promote social development.   Social entrepreneurs have adopted innovative processes to bring social change. In this 

process, the state also acts as a dominant actor. However, neither the  State nor civil society initiations alone can promote social change. There is a greater scope for both these institutions to partner and promote social ventures and social change. Eco system that includes public and private sector institutions such as Government, incubation centers, corporate social responsibility initiatives must demonstrate commitment and active participation to bring about social change. 

We conclude, in order to reach out  to  the most excluded, service delivery has to be innovative. It needs to focus on three major areas - a) new technologies, that are capable of producing new products in a cost-effective manner; b) social innovation that ensures distribution of goods and services; c) be adaptive in order to integrate the goods and services to  the local settings (Widdus & White, 2004). Hence, technology and innovation should play complimentary roles in the process of social change. Given the significance of  this  domain, there is  a  need for discussion and debate on aspects related to the discourse of social change. 

Research Questions 

The proposed International Conference will throw light on  the  nature, significance as well as relationship  between technology, innovation and social change. We submit the following research questions to kick-start the process. These questions are indicative in nature and must not limit creative participation of scholars, practitioners and policy makers to add to the list. 

1. What is the role of technology in social change in the era of globalisation?

2. How do you see  changing in technology as  the discourse of development? Has technology  acquired a new meaning  or it has  become the driving force of 

development? 

3. Is the process of social innovation caught in the discourse of technology development resulting in de-politicization of development discourse?

4. Are technology and social innovation discourse aim at structural change as an agenda of social change? 

5. Is technology and social innovation subservient to global capital or has it potential to question the hegemony of global capital? 

6. Are there specific technologies that have boosted enterprises and provide space for experimentation? 

7. What kind of capabilities our research and educational institutions must develop to produce new technologies?  

8. What kind of technologies exists and deployed for the grassroots level social transformation?

9. What is the role of Incubation  Centres in  promotion of technologies that are useful for social change?

10. What are the existing enterprises and models for experimenting with technologies that facilitates the process of social transformation? 

11. Resource distribution appears to be a major problem in  the Capitalist mode of production. Can deployment of technology address this issue of resource distribution?

12. What is the role of leadership for deployment of technology in bringing social change?

13. What are innovative practices (formal and informal) that have resulted in producing new technologies with social mission?

14. Do collaborations offer better performance that attributes for social change?

15. Is Corporate Social Responsibility fostering social change?

16. What is the role of Government in promoting 'technology for social change'? 

17. Are there traditional knowledge and technologies fostered by communities for 

their own wellbeing? How do they operate? 

18. What are the technological inventions that have changed the social orgnanisations? 

19. Is resource constraint environment supportive to innovation? 

20. Are developed nations innovating technologies and deploying them to deal their social problems?  

21. Are the developing countries just limited to use the technologies or they are also producing them?

22. Do developing countries import  cost effective technologies from  developed countries?

We invite papers, both theoretical and empirical, that address one or more research questions mentioned above. Authors can also send papers on other related research questions.  They must submit  an abstract  in about 500 words explaining the intent for participation, research question and research plan to Dr. Rama Krishna Reddy Kummitha on his email id [email protected] not later than August 30, 2012. The abstract must also contain authors' names, institutional affiliations, email and postal address. Authors will be notified of acceptance or otherwise by September 10, 2012.

Registration and Accommodation 

Authors of the selected  international  paper presenters will have to pay a nominal registration fee of  $ 200 whereas the Indian paper presenters will have to pay  5000 which will include conference kit, lunch and dinner.

Limited accommodation will be available in TISS Guest House @  Rs. 1500  per participant per day on first come first serve basis. Participants will be required to book the accommodation by making an advance payment on or before 30 September, 2012. We will intimate the selected paper presenters about the hotels near to the venue of the conference during August, 2012. 

Scholarships

Need based scholarships are available for the paper presenters. The scholarship covers registration fee, accommodation and food. Ph.D scholars will be given preference. 

Key Deadlines

Extended date to send Abstract : 30 August 2012

Notification of Acceptance : 10 September 2012

Registration Starts : 10 September 2012

Registration Ends : 31 October 2012

Submission of Full Papers : 31 October 2012

Final Programme Announcement : 30 November 2012

Conference Dates : 22-24 January 2013

References

Archibugi, D., B.-A° &  Lundvall (Eds.) (2001). The Globalising Learning Economy. Oxford: Oxford 

Univ. Press, Oxford.

Widdus, R. & White, K. (2004). Combating Diseases Associated with Poverty: Financing Strategies for 

Product Development and the Potential Role of Public-Private Partnerships, August 2004.

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