Responsible Innovation and Happiness: A New Approach to the Effects of ICTs

This is an inter-disciplinary joint project coordinated by TIK Centre (UiO), with NUPI; Department of Psychology (UiO); SPRU (Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex) as main project partners.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have in the last few decades transformed substantially several aspects of our everyday life, enabling a terrific progress for human beings both at the workplace and as individual consumers, agents and citizens. The breadth and complexity of ICTs and the pervasiveness of their effects on individuals' well-being and quality of life call for a broad, holistic and multidisciplinary framework taking insights from innovation studies, economics and psychological approaches. This is the overall framework of the project, where the partners contribute from their respective angles.

NUPI is responsible for work package 3; on Income-mediated effects: International technology diffusion, catching up and the digital divide. For this task, a collaboration with Delhi School of Economics has been established, with mutual visits, workshops and cooperation leading to several publications. Other research themes for NUPI are whether ICTs reduce the impact of distance in the international economy; how ICTs affect governance and corruption in developing countries; and how digital regulation affects international trade in services.

Fulvio Castellacci (TIK, UiO) is overall project manager. Arne Melchor is project manager for NUPI's part of the project. For more information about HAPPY, please visit the project web page (UiO).