Attention: New book published about The role of Indicators in decisions of technology innovation. Click here to download.

Welcome

The origins of indicators can be traced back to business practices centuries ago. The last two hundred years observed a significant increase in their production and use due to the rise of science, the state, capitalism and increasing social claims for transparency and accountability. Recent decades witnessed an explosion on indicators across almost all forms of governance and aspects of life in society. This significant spread and reliance on indicators in society is historically recent and an increasing trend. Some author even compared this emergence of indicators in the XXI century with the arrivel of (economic) models in the beggining of the XX century (cf. Porter 2015). Despite indicators’ increasing presence in modern societies, however, the way they are used and their role in decision making has not been subject of sufficient scientific inquire.

This website intents to contribute to the study of indicators. The research network aims to contribute to the scientific debate around the benefits and the perils associated with the use of innovation indicators in society. The network will focus on the historical, ethical, economic, social and psychological consequences of this quantified way of thinking about reality. Furthermore, this platform is intended to share contacts, documents and other resources related to the use of indicators to make decisions.

We welcome any contributions, contacts, comments and suggestions to this research project by email to nuno.boavida@campus.fct.unl.pt

Best regards,

Nuno Boavida

(my CV)