Sociological and Communication - Theoretical Perspectives on the Commercialization of the Sciences

Abstract

Both self-organization and organization are important for the further development of the sciences: the two dynamics condition and enable each other. Commercial and public considerations can interact and 'interpenetrate' in historical organization; different codes of communication are then 'recombined'. However, self-organization in the symbolically generalized codes of communication can be expected to operate at the global level. The Triple Helix model allows for both a neo-institutional appreciation in terms of historical networks of university-industry-government relations and a neo-evolutionary interpretation in terms of three functions: novelty production, wealth generation, and political control. Using this model, one can appreciate both subdynamics. The mutual information in three dimensions enables us to measure the trade-off between organization and self-organization as a possible synergy. The question of optimization between commercial and public interests in the different sciences can thus be made empirical.

Keywords: triple helix, self-organization, university-industry relations, codification, synergy