Assignment (Word Limit, only 250 Words)

Offer an example of a technology (or of knowledge more broadly speaking) that illustrates the concept of, ‘technological path’. Explain how your example illustrates the idea of the ‘technological path’ as well as closely related idea of the ‘lock-in-effect’.

Example Summary:

The example, I am going to describe is the path travelled by Paper. As we all aware of, that the paper was invented in Han Dynasty in China centuries ago. The original name paper was not Chinese until the breakthrough innovation happens when the original technology has been modified and traveled to the current Middle East. These early battles, in which Chinese got defeated, paved the path for the original paper invented in China to travel to Muslim dominated world.

The technology has been refined and in the Egyptian Empire, the name Papyrus has come into the picture. The paper used to be made from lamination of natural plants and original Nile river became the source of transportation to the other parts in Africa. In the era of colonization, Paper has again traveled to the current Western Nations. The technology has been refined and usage of fibers to prepare has started. Initially, paper used to be only in one color with only few properties to resist water, temperature and ink. Today, we get paper in the various format, color and varieties.

Talking about the 21st century, the usage of paper is shrinking and we might witness in future about the so called paperless world.

So in a way, from inception to present time, the paper has travelled a journey from China to other parts of the world. Each society has modified the role of paper by adding technological innovation to it.