Module 5: This week’s Blog focuses on Increased on Return and Red Queen
This part of the Six Driving Forces that changes technology, Dr. Thornburg (2008c) addresses the phenomenon on what drives one technology above the others. He mentions two forces 1) Increase on Return and 2) Red Queen that appears to be working collaboratively in making one technology supersede another. For example, when deciding on how to watch a movie, I automatically turn to conventional DVD rentals from my local movie rental store. Although I am aware of the convenience of streaming videos, a much stronger force called “habit” controls my behavior and convinces me to continue purchasing videos from rental stores. With that said, I also prefer watching movies on 50 inch plasma screens versus 17 inch PC monitors.
Regardless of convenience, the driving force behind my decision to rent movies from a store is based on familiarity, habit, and personal preference. It is these personal views that “Increases Returns” on some technology products causing them to become “Red Queen” over other known quality technology goods. Red Queen and Increase on Return driving forces are parallel to each in impacting technological change in society. While Increase on Return pushes one technology above all others, Red Queen allows all other technologies to maintain some popularity within the market place (Laureate, 2009).
On the other hand, McLuhan’s Tetrad on technologies sees video-on-demand as emerging while DVDs are fading out. The emerging technology theory goes even further to explain that video-on-demand brings back the old dilemma about having enough data storage space on our PC. Furthermore, the emergent video-on-demand rekindles the market on low-cost videos versus box-office price movies.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Emerging and future technology: Increasing Returns [Video]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Emerging and future technology: Red Queens [Video]. Baltimore, MD: Author
Thornburg, D. (2008c). Red Queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.
