IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Spring 2014 - 23

Must ATs Always Strive
situation. A technology solution is merely a tool: the
for the Cheapest Solution?
customers and communities should be able to decide
Though AT often tries to maximize cost efficiency,
whether they want to adopt the technology or not.
the least expensive solution cannot always be assumed
Societies can address the needs of those who are negato be the most desirable in resource-constrained envitively impacted in many ways - by teaching them how
ronments. AT theory must accept that additional
to leverage the same technology, through re-education
expenses may be required to meet the emotional and
or re-skilling programs, or by innovating to find new
societal needs of the end-users. Basic designs for
opportunities for value creation. A technology that
greenhouses in developing countries are often based
negatively affects a certain subset of the population
exclusively on efficient function; however, consumer
could actually serve as an impetus to increase human
buying is not always predicated this way. We have
capital and systemic efficiency by encouraging the
initiated greenhouse ventures in Kenya and Camerdisplaced workers to thrive in another field.
oon that manufacture and install affordable greenhouses for local smallholders and agro-businesses.
Should Labor-Intensive Tasks
While developing low-cost substitutes for greenhouse
be Replaced with Automated Systems?
glazing (plastic covering), we discovered that several
Technological advancements in manufacturing and
farmers preferred taking larger loans to
automation have historically led to peribuy glazing that looked "pretty" rather
ods of lower employment, as evidenced
than equally-functional but not as goodby the Western industrial revolution
Technology
looking glazing made from used rice
[20]. When implementing technology
should
bags. Though not based on function or
solutions, developers must consider any
direct economic returns, this superficial
effects their ventures may have on the
not force a
distinction is important to the customworkforce. Some technologies increase
community
ers and must be respected by technolworkers' efficiency and productivity,
to lose an
ogy developers. Similar circumstances
while others might eliminate job funcidentity it
arise when customers prefer expensive
tions and displace workers. Are labor"brand-name" products that do not difsaving technologies appropriate for
wishes to
fer in quality from generic versions-a
populations already riddled with unempreserve.
phenomenon found among all socioecoployment and underemployment?
nomic classes [19]. poor people expect
Mass automation is a clearly logical
good-quality products and are often willchoice in some situations. For instance,
ing to pay more for aspirational products that boost
when communities suffer from inadequate food suptheir social status.
ply, mass automation of food may be essential to its
very survival. Such is the case with injera, the tradiIs a Technology Appropriate if it Benefits
tional bread of Ethiopia, whose traditional recipe is
Some People but Hurts Others?
energy and labor-intensive. Fuel costs have increased
Technology solutions may inadvertently, or deliberwith desertification, directly leading to the high cost
ately, help some entities while hurting others. Is a techof injera in rural areas. At the same time, the rapidly
nology inappropriate if the livelihoods of certain groups
increasing urban populations living in small quarters
are compromised? For example, a venture that provides
do not have the necessary space to make injera. Due
people with safe drinking water at low costs can bento these and other reasons, the consumption of wheat
efit many people. However, it might reduce the profits
(bread) and rice has increased in rural and urban
of bottled water and soda companies, or compromise
populations alike. In this case, mass-manufacturing
the livelihoods of water vendors or racketeers. Similar
injera in factories is much more efficient and provides
challenges arise in food value chains and supply chains
the people a way to preserve the most important part
for all kinds of products. Customers may prefer to purof their diet and culture. Although certain technolochase a solar oven and make their own food instead of
gies can reduce employment and hurt livelihoods,
frequenting a street vendor. Information and Communitheir integration into modern economies is potentially
cation Technologies (ICTs), especially cellphones, can
desirable and often inevitable.
make supply chains more equitable and efficient, but do
so by eliminating middlemen.
Should Technologies be Deskilled
Ultimately, technologies will affect different peoto Allow More People to use Them?
ple in different ways, and some may view the conseA primary characteristic of modern technology is
quences as negative. However, developers must avoid
attempting to deskill operation: allow anyone to operengaging in cultural imperialism and applying their
ate devices with little outside instruction. Deskilling
own definition of negative (or positive) impact to the
increases the potential customer base of the product
IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE

SprING 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Spring 2014