Impact Of Technological Progress Research Articles

Future waste generation forecasts on the basis of a macroeconomic model

Abstract Generation of solid waste is closely correlated to the use of tangible factor inputs and the production levels. In this paper, we present projections of waste generated in the Norwegian manufacturing industry based on key economic variables simulated by a computable general equilibrium model. Over the simulation period material input becomes relatively cheaper than labour and energy, thereby making it profitable to substitute materials for other factor inputs. This substitution effect is a general equilibrium effect mainly due to Hicks-neutral technological change at the industry level, dominating the direct material saving impact of technological progress in most production sectors. Thus, generated solid waste rises over the simulation period, both in terms of per unit produced and per capita. The analysis forecasts an increase in waste generated over the period to 2010 in the range of 45–110%, depending on the type of waste.

Technological Change in Information-Processing Industries and Regional Income Differentials in Developing Countries

It is generally believed that the computer revolution and advances in information processing will erode one of the last constraints on the location of economic activities, namely the reliance on face-to-face contacts in the quaternary industries. There will be no need for these activities to cluster in core region metropolitan cities. They can become footloose and disperse to other regions according to locational preferences or other reasons. Whatever the merits of this idea, this paper argues that this will not happen in developing countries. Using a core-periphery model, it shows that as long as unit transport, communication, and contact costs are higher in the periphery than in the core, the impact of technological progress in the information-processing sector will tend to widen coreperiphery disparities rather than to narrow them. The policy options in this situation are quite limited.

Some Architectural Alternatives in the Design of a Digital Switch

This paper presents a general survey of some common trends emerging in the field of digital central office architectural concepts, as promoted by technological progress and countered by the constraints of the existing telephone network establishment. No specific systems are covered, but solutions which might indicate a trend are identified and discussed. The main body of this paper is devoted to an analysis of digital central offices and the impact of technological progress on their architecture. General block diagrams are given and major subsystems are discussed. The discussion specifically concerns the line interface, the network and evolving control strategies in relation to technological tradeoffs.