TECHNOLOGY-ASSESSMENT - WHERE IS IT GOING

The papers in this special edition of the International Journal of Tec hnology Management demonstrate the variety of activities and approache s that can be clustered under the heading of 'Technology Assessment'. In this paper the underlying themes from the various contributions are drawn together, though the interpretation is that of the authors alon e. They conclude that there are two streams of activity that have been called TA over the past two decades. One has been oriented to wide an d general issues relating to technology policy, and the other being ta rgeted more specifically at the applications of technology and its out comes. However, TA-type activity has also been evident in other areas that do not associate themselves closely with TA, such as Environmenta l Impact Assessment, Product Liability, and Health and Safety. In aski ng, ''where is TA going?'', the authors question the value of differen tiating TA from such activities and ask what TA has to offer that is w orth promoting and developing for it to be successful in addressing it s ambitious stated aims - to search for the positive and negative effe cts of technological development, and through doing so to influence na tional policies for science and technology that are acceptable to the polity.