ABSTRACT
FORECASTING"technologicalmarvels"ishighfashionthesedays. Hardlyamonthgoesbywithoutthewell-publicizedappearanceofa newlistoffuture"miracle"productsandprocesses.Butnomatter howpersuasivetheseforecasts*maybe,theyrarelymentionthemost importantqualitativeandstructuralfeaturesofthetechnologyahead forthelastthirdofthetwentiethcentury-eventhoughtheseare infinitelymoreimportantthananyinvention,product,orprocess.
