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Transcript

Hello friends, in our last class we discussed about the innovation decision process, wherein we could see that how the different stages are going to influence the process of acceptance or rejection of a technology and at the end, how the confirmation stage leads to the reconsideration of the process of acceptance or rejections of a technology. In today’s class we will be discussing about the consequences of innovation. So the ‘consequences’, the term means that are the changes that occur in an individual or a social system as a result of adoption or rejection of an innovation.

When I accept a new technology or when I reject a new technology. Both these processes are leading towards certain amount of consequences of that. So what are those changes that are happening, as a result of acceptance or rejection of a technology is an issue to be discussed under the consequences of innovation. The implications of studying the consequences of innovation are. The change agencies overemphasize the adoption per se. Practically assuming that consequences of innovation decision process are positive. It may not be true at all point of time. There might be certain negative aspects. So that is why we need to understand in its real sense. So that’s what is the first implication.

Then the usual survey methods are less appropriate for investigation of consequences of innovation. Because there might be good number of issues associated with the intricate social systems, which needs to be called out, which requires the other processes in addition to the surveys. So that is what is another important issue. Then the consequences are very difficult to measure. But some efforts have been made to understand these things, so that at least we can avert the major problems and continue with the modifications as and when it is necessary.

So these consequences can be classified into three major categories like desirable versus undesirable consequences. The direct versus indirect consequences. Anticipated versus unanticipated consequences. So coming to the desirable versus undesirable consequences. The desirable consequences are the functional effects of an innovation for an individual or for a social system. So what are the changes the society wanted to have. And the similar things what are the outcomes of the acceptance of a technology. So then we say that it is desirable consequence. For example when new variety is introduced. So obviously the first desirable consequences of that one is the increasing production. Obviously we can easily achieve that one. But at the same time there might be certain undesirable consequences like that. So the increase in agricultural production, which is desirable. But the reduction of the price of the commodity in the market is undesirable. So that is what we are trying to say here.

It is the dysfunctional effect of an innovation for an individual or for a social system. And this processes are going to influence the acceptance of the technology in the further years or in the further efforts. So if the desirable outcomes are there, obviously it is going to be accepted. But if the undesirable experiences are also there, consequences are also there. So then there will be hampering in the process of acceptance of a new technology. So these both desirable as well as undesirable consequences, that we can see. But by modification of our efforts and analyzing the existing situation, we can overcome the undesirable consequences. Let me explain it with the help of the example of the tomato cultivation and its consequences over a period of time.

Many times you have observed the behavior of the farmers. So when there is no remunerative price which is undesirable consequences. So the farmers are going to throw their tomatoes on the roads or they will just plowing it down in the field itself without even harvesting. Because there is no price in the market, which is undesirable consequences. But how to overcome this particular problem. And how can it be translated in to the desirable consequences of this innovation. Because the higher yield is the outcome of the technology, released in the form of varieties and various other practices, that were suggested by the research system. This can be translated into desirable consequences just by modifying the date of sowing, so that we can supply the tomatoes in the lean season also. So the basic problem is a outcome becomes undesirable, because at one point of time if there is higher amount of production. And because it is a biological system. Obviously the date of harvest is almost fixed. And because of that there is glut in the market and reduction in the prices. But if we can postpone or if we can prepone the dates of sowing, we can translate this undesirable consequences into the desirable consequences. But if we do not do that obviously both the things are expected.

Then coming to the direct versus indirect consequences. The direct consequences are the changes to an individual or a social system, that occur in immediate response to adoption of an innovation. So as I said in the previous example only. The direct consequences is, if we are making the benefits immediately after sale of that. For example the mushroom production. Because the number of competitors in the market are very less, immediately you are realizing the highest possible benefits as far as the mushroom crop is considered, because the supply is very less and you are getting the benefits in a direct way. But the indirect consequences of that, the changes to an individual or a social system that occur as a result of the direct consequences of innovation. Whether the mushroom cultivation and its direct consequences, that may be increased income. Whether it is accepted by the society over a period of time. Whether society is going to accept that. So that’s what is indirect consequences. Because it depends on the result, what the mushroom production is producing in the society.

Then coming to the anticipated versus unanticipated consequences. So the anticipated consequences means the changes due to innovation, that are recognized and intended by the members of a social system. For example the anticipated consequences in case of the use of plant protection chemicals are, control of the insects or the diseases for which the plant protection chemicals are being used. And because of that the production levels are going to be higher. And because of higher levels of production, our income levels are going to be higher. And because of that our living standards are going to be higher. So these are the anticipated consequences of adoption of innovation. But in addition to that we have some unanticipated consequences are also there. What is that? It is the change due to innovation, that are neither intended, nor recognized by the members of a social system.

So there are good number of consequences that are being recognized by the social system over a period of time are, for example the use of plant protection chemical. So there are anticipated consequences of that, but what are the unanticipated consequences. The pesticide residues that are remained in the vegetables, that are remained in the crop. And ultimately it is entering into the human physiological system. And the unwanted problems that it is creating on the human health system. So this is what is unanticipated consequences of an innovation. And these things can easily be overcome by adopting the educative approaches by involving the extension professionals, and influencing them to go for the judicious utilization of the innovations like plant protection chemicals and various other practices, so that we can overcome this unanticipated consequences also.

Then through this process we want to achieve the dynamic equilibrium. So that is towards, what are the rate of challenges that allows a system to achieve the maximum benefits of an innovation and yet not produce disequilibrium in the social system. So the because of the consequences of innovation, there should not be disturbance in the social system. So these are the equilibrium that we want to maintain in the form of the stable equilibrium, dynamic equilibrium and disequilibrium. How these situations emerge. Let us look at them one by one.

The stable equilibrium occurs when there is almost no change in the structure or functioning of a social system as a consequences of adoption of an innovation. Yes the things are maintained as usual. Because of this, yes there are certain changes that happened. But there is not much changes in the society. So we expect that, and that’s what is the stable equilibrium. The dynamic equilibrium means, occurs when the rate of change of in a social system occurs at the rate that is commensurate with the system’s ability to cope with it. Obviously so that is what is the anticipated situation also because of the adoption of innovation. So we are ready to accept it to the extent that I have that capacity to bear that. So that’s what is your dynamic equilibrium. The disequilibrium is the stage where the rate of change is too rapid to permit the social system to adjust. The consequences are so influencive that the changes in the societies are leading towards the negative effects. So that is where the disequilibrium in the society starts, as I give the example of may be the use of plant protection chemicals or indiscriminate use of the fertilizers leading towards the depletion in the soil quality. All these are the things that we can think of in case of disequilibrium in the.

Then coming to the conclusion of today’s discussion. Innovations has the far reaching implications. So it is not that only acceptance or rejections of a technology. But it has its own impact on the society, not only in this particular stage, but there are a good number of future implications of adoption or acceptance of an innovation also. So that the technology generation system, technology dissemination system as well as the technology adoption system. All these three systems have to understand the implications. Then acceptance of innovation has its own implication as we said in under the different examples. And the consequences of innovation influence the process of adoption. Because whatever the outcome that we are going to get as an outcome of adoption of an innovation and its consequences on an individual, on the community, on the social system. That is going to decide the future of that particular innovation.

So this is what is all about the discussion on the Consequences of Innovation. With this we are coming to the end of the discussion on consequences of innovation as well as the discussion of 8th week as well as the completion of the course on the Fundamentals of Agricultural Extension.

Thank You.