Books

The Routledge Handbook of Smart Technologies: an Economic and Social Perspective

Heinz D. Kurz / Marlies Schütz / Rita Strohmaier / Stella S. Zilian
Books (2022)

London: Routledge

ISBN: 978-0-367-36923-1
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429351921
Information

This Handbook provides a thorough discussion of the most recent wave of technological (and organisational) innovations, frequently called “smart” and based on the digitisation of information. The acronym stands for "Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology". This new wave is one in a row of waves that have shaken up and transformed the economy, society and culture since the first Industrial Revolution and have left a huge impact on how we live, think, communicate and work: they have deeply affected the socioeconomic metabolism from within and humankind’s footprint on our planet. The Handbook analyses the origins of the current wave, its roots in earlier ones and its path-dependent nature; its current forms and actual manifestations; its multifarious impact on economy and society; and it puts forward some guesstimates regarding the probable directions of its further development. In short, the Handbook studies the past, the present and the future of smart technologies and digitalisation.