Problem
Imbalanced research activity
Experimental visualization of narrower problems
Other Names:
Excessive emphasis on fashionable areas of research Nature:
Research priorities tend to become distorted by research fashions, politically fashionable topics or breakthroughs into new areas, causing considerable funds to be reallocated to such areas, far in excess of that required for adequate research. This leads to an imbalance of effort with considerable resources being allocated to a relatively small range of research areas, often of debatable significance, to the detriment of research on less fashionable areas of greater social significance. In response to such fashions, many research workers and institutes restructure their priorities and programmes to ally themselves with glamorous topics. Incidence:
Several recent examples include laser technology, semiconductors, alternative energy sources, genetic engineering and robotics. Other kinds of fashionable studies concern simulation, gaming, modelling, and forecasting. Excess activity of this kind causes scepticism and obstacles to funding of serious, long-term research commitments. Broader Problems:
Dependence on intellectual fashionsMisdirected research and developmentInadequate research and development capacity Narrower Problems:
Superficial researchBias in scientific researchInadequate peace research supportEmphasis on economic priorities in researchInsufficient diversification in energy researchInadequate research on proposed solutions to problemsNeglect by research of natural resource product expansionInadequate research and development on problems of developmentOpportunist bias in public discussion and research on development Related Problems:
Dogmatic scientific orthodoxy Aggravates:
Fragmentation of researchIrrelevant scientific activityOver-specialization in technologyMisapplication of research resultsIrrelevance of science and technologyFailure to integrate knowledge to empower humanity in response to the global problematique Subject(s):
Action → Action Societal Problems → Imbalances
Research, Standards → Research
Design → Fashion
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Problem Type:
F: Fuzzy exceptional problems Date of last update
30.04.2000 – 00:00 CEST