Science and Technology Globalization

Convergence of science and technology with society entails globalization, but will not necessarily lead to uniformity across nations or institutions of society. In the past, technologies differed from one place to another not only because societies differed in terms of their level of development but also because of contrasting natural conditions, historical accidents, and cultural values. Discoveries and inventions do tend to spread from their points of origin to other locations, and extensive research and theorizing have identified a large number and variety of factors that shape this diffusion. Innovation has tended to be localized, for example, in the familiar “Silicon Valley” phenomenon, in which a relatively small number of scientists and engineers communicated intensively with each other, as they collectively progressed. Thus, we cannot be assured that all parts of the globe will be equally creative in innovating, even as they all are affected by it. Over time, however, cycles of convergence and divergence can ensure dynamism on the global scale.