Abstract

NJALSSON, Gunnar K.. Somewhere between Tech and Sociodeterminism: Problem-solution mindsets and the hypothesis of interests and elites in public IT-policy. Cuad. Adm. [online]. 2005, vol.18, n.29, pp.33-52. ISSN 0120-3592.

The article attempts to identify the spectrum of major theoretical schools of thought relating to the nature of technological development. These, it is argued, range from the tech-deterministic at the one end to the sociodeterminisic school of thought at the opposite end of the spectrum. The purpose of this article is also to present the hypothesis that interest and elites are involved in the formulation of public IT-policy. Such elites, it is argued, are in turn guided by their occupationally-related problem-solution mindsets, in addition to their interests. The article concludes with a concrete example of the hypothesis and structure of an IT-policy study based upon one of these schools and upon the author's theory of problem-solution mindsets.

Keywords : Technology-policy aspects; public technology policy; elite groups; government planning; problem-solution mindsets; public administration.

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