Spectacular Flops (Paperback)

Michael Brian Schiffer

ISBN 10: 0989824993 / ISBN 13: 9780989824996

Published by Eliot Werner Publications Inc, Clinton Corners, 2019

About this Item

Paperback. Many technologies begin life as someone's vision of an ambitious, perhaps audacious, technology that is expected to have a revolutionary impact on consumers-whether families, companies, or societies. However, if this highly touted technology fails 'prematurely' at some point in its life history, it becomes a spectacular flop. Employing a behavioral perspective, this book presents a sample of twelve spectacular flops encompassing the past three centuries-ranging from the world's first automobile to the nuclear-powered bomber. Because technologies may fail from many different causes, spectacular flops pose a special challenge to the author's long-term project of furnishing generalizations about technological change. Instead of constructing generalizations that apply to all spectacular flops, this book provides limited generalizations that pertain to particular groups of technologies bounded by parameters such as 'long-term development projects' and 'one-off projects.' The reader need have no prior familiarity with the technologies because basic principles are introduced as needed. This book presents a sample of twelve spectacular flops encompassing the past three centuries-ranging from the world's first automobile to the nuclear-powered bomber. 49 illustrations. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780989824996

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Spectacular Flops (Paperback)
• Publisher: Eliot Werner Publications Inc, Clinton Corners
• Publication Date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0989824993
• ISBN 13: 9780989824996
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Many technologies begin life as someone's vision of an ambitious, perhaps audacious, technology that is expected to have a revolutionary impact on consumers-whether families, companies, or societies. However, if this highly touted technology fails "prematurely" at some point in its life history, it becomes a spectacular flop.



Employing a behavioral perspective, this book presents a sample of twelve spectacular flops encompassing the past three centuries-ranging from the world's first automobile to the nuclear-powered bomber. Because technologies may fail from many different causes, spectacular flops pose a special challenge to the author's long-term project of furnishing generalizations about technological change.



Instead of constructing generalizations that apply to all spectacular flops, this book provides limited generalizations that pertain to particular groups of technologies bounded by parameters such as "long-term development projects" and "one-off projects." The reader need have no prior familiarity with the technologies because basic principles are introduced as needed.

About the Author

Michael Brian Schiffer, an archaeologist and historian of technology, earned his graduate degrees from the University of Arizona (M.A. 1972, Ph.D. 1973). From 1975 to 2014 he served on the faculty of the University of Arizona, and is currently a research associate in the Lemelson Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. His interests have included cultural resource management, formation processes of the archaeological record, experimental archaeology (ceramics), human (nonverbal) communication, technological change, materiality, and history of electrical science and technologies.