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CHAPTERI.INNOVATIONSANDTECHNOLOGICALADVANCES…
Insteadofcriticizingtraditionalconcepts,theories,andpracticalpatterns(e.g.ineco-
nomicpolicy),itseemsmoreusefultohighlightnewideasandtheoreticaldevelopments
oftenbasedonempiricalstudies.Adeeplymodifiedintellectual,aswellscientific,mindset
isrequiredunderthenewradicallychangingeconomic,social,andenvironmentalrealities
(seee.g.Naisbitt1990,2006).Imagination(seee.g.Weber2005)andreflexivity(e.g.
Giddens1990)shouldbereinforced.Cognitionoftheworld’sstructures,mechanisms,
anddrivingforcesshouldalsobeamatterofmasssocialimaginationastheyareneces-
saryintheacceptingofgovernments’visionsandpoliciesonnationalandgloballevels.
Itisespeciallyimportantindemocraticcountrieswhereparticipatorydemandsofcitizens
aretreatedseriouslyandrealizedwiththehelpofICTs.Moreover,inmentallyapproaching
thesechallenges,forourmindsetsitisnecessarytoaccepttheideaofsharedresponsibility
activities.Buildingasustainablefutureisaconcernofgovernments,businesses,andcivil
societies,whichwillincludetheparticipationof-tobemorespecific-systemsdesigners,
operators,planners,managers,educators,individualsintheirmultipleroles,e.g.asparents,
localactivists,consumers,NGOs’membersetc.Sogeneralstrategiesforsustainability
shouldbeappropriatelytailoredtosocio-organizationalentitiesandcoordinatedasmuch
aspossible.Sustainabilityisacollectivechallengeandcollectiveresponsibility.
Copingintellectuallywithincreasingcomplexityandaccompanyingdiversityrequires
removingtraditionalconvictionsthatthedevelopmentalprocessestendtoleanto,such
assimplification,imitation,similarity,anduniversalization.Theseviewsweretoagreat
extentasignofdominationoftheWesterneconomicpower,culture,science,andmedia.
SothepastexperiencesoftheWest(intechnologicaloreconomicpoliciesorsocialbehav-
iour)cannotbefullyappliedinothercultures,ideologies,religions,orpoliticalregimes.
Huntington’s“clashofcivilization”provestrue.
Diversityinmateriallivingworldwidefructifieswiththepluralityofworldviews,
lifestyles,visionsofthefuture,andtheabilitytodevelopatrajectorytosustainability.
Multiculturalismshouldnotbea“uniting”ideaandpractice,butawaytorespecting
diferencesandlookingforagreeableconsensusthroughparticipatoryprocedures.Rela-
tionshipsamongpeopleoftheworldcannotrelyonimpositionandpower.Thepresent
reconfigurationsoftheworldandtheemergenceandinfluenceofnon-Westerncentres
ofdevelopmentshouldbereflectedinourthinking(seeZacher,2013).Sustainabilitymust
beaninterculturalideaandactivity.
Neweconomicsofdevelopment(recentlycalledeconomicsofmoderation)isneeded
thatisnotuniversalbutmultioptional,respondingtoexistingdiferences(andconflicts
ofinterestsworldwide)andtryingthroughthenetworkingofintellectual,politicaland
economicactionstocoordinateallefortsasmuchaspossiblebetweengovernments,
diplomacy,internationalinstitutionsandorganizations,internationalNGOs,etc.How-
ever,innovativenessinthisareashouldnotemphasizetheuniversalismbutpointupthe
diferences;eveninscienceandtechnologyactivity(seeIndianandAfricanmanifestos-
bibl.).Theformercomfortable(andwishful)assumptionconcerningworldstabilityshould
becontestedandrejected.TheendoftheColdWar,thefalloftheSovietUnion,therise
ofglobalizationandworldtrade,andtheincreasednetworkingandcooperationhavenot
savedthepresentdevelopmentfrommuchdangerousdomesticandinternationalinstability
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