Andreas argues (a bit each way on the incentives issue):
>
>But the creation of knowledge, the development of new technologies causes
>costs, and very often huge costs at that. Research isn't done in isolation
>but inside of institutions. And on this institutional level "incentives"
>become all important. How and in what organizational structure should
>decisions be made about the amount of recourses devoted to various
>projects? How can we assure that research institutions use recourses
>(including time) efficiently? How do we get the right people into these
>institutions? So there are quite a number of problems to be solved regarding
>the design of alternative institutions which would be necessary if we are
>moving towards socialized forms of the production of knowledge.
>
what does efficiency mean? it sounds awfully like a capitalist word in this
context leading to markets and privatised exchanges.
i think one of the things that the future is going to have to cope with is a
"chilled-out" attitude to things. we will work less and with less haste and
with less concern for "efficiency".
i know, i know that resources have a cost and all that. but so does the loss
of personal intimacy. and any system that tries to marry communist ideals
with material incentives is doomed.
kind regards
bill
#### ## William F. Mitchell
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