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Small is big and beautiful: Managing the uncertainty

Nanotechnology - the ability to work at the atomic and molecular level to improve on the existing products and services and creating the new ones with fundamentally new properties and functions-is regarded as "the next big thing" and a new engine for world economic growth. The technology...

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Main Authors: Munir, A.B., Mohd Yasin, S.H.
Format: Conference or Workshop Item
Language:English
Published: 2007
Subjects:
K Law (General)
Online Access:http://eprints.um.edu.my/13515/1/0001.pdf
http://eprints.um.edu.my/13515/
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spelling my.um.eprints.135152015-05-13T08:57:54Z http://eprints.um.edu.my/13515/ Small is big and beautiful: Managing the uncertainty Munir, A.B. Mohd Yasin, S.H. K Law (General) Nanotechnology - the ability to work at the atomic and molecular level to improve on the existing products and services and creating the new ones with fundamentally new properties and functions-is regarded as "the next big thing" and a new engine for world economic growth. The technology revolution has started. Looming just ahead is what may well be its most exciting phase - nanotechnology. This will be bigger than the Internet and more far-reaching. It will create vast new wealth. It will destroy a lot of old wealth. And it will shake up just about every business on planet. According to a UNESCO-sponsored study in 1996, nanotechnology will provide the foundation of all technologies in the new century. It is predicted that nano-related goods and services could be a $1 trillion market by 2015 which will employ about 2 million workers. Thus, the potential is great and vast. However, the uncertainty on the adverse effects, perceived .or real, so far, is certain. The concerns on the risks of nanotechnology, in a number of cases, have led to backlashes. The aim of this paper is to establish an analytical framework for the debate on whether or not nanotechnology is to be regulated, and how to go about it. The paper provides an overview of the nature of nanotechnology and the benefits as well as its potential risks to the well being of human and the environment. The paper then formulates a number of debating points on "yes" or "no" to nano. The adequacy of the existing rules and regulation to mitigate the risks of the technology is also assessed. In conclusion, the paper outlines some proposals on the way forward for nanotechnology in dealing with the uncertainty. 2007-06 Conference or Workshop Item PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://eprints.um.edu.my/13515/1/0001.pdf Munir, A.B. and Mohd Yasin, S.H. (2007) Small is big and beautiful: Managing the uncertainty. In: International Workshop and Conference on Nanotechnology, 12-15 June 2007, Bangi, Malaysia. (Submitted)
institution Universiti Malaya
building UM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Malaya
content_source UM Research Repository
url_provider http://eprints.um.edu.my/
language English
topic K Law (General)
spellingShingle K Law (General)
Munir, A.B.
Mohd Yasin, S.H.
Small is big and beautiful: Managing the uncertainty
description Nanotechnology - the ability to work at the atomic and molecular level to improve on the existing products and services and creating the new ones with fundamentally new properties and functions-is regarded as "the next big thing" and a new engine for world economic growth. The technology revolution has started. Looming just ahead is what may well be its most exciting phase - nanotechnology. This will be bigger than the Internet and more far-reaching. It will create vast new wealth. It will destroy a lot of old wealth. And it will shake up just about every business on planet. According to a UNESCO-sponsored study in 1996, nanotechnology will provide the foundation of all technologies in the new century. It is predicted that nano-related goods and services could be a $1 trillion market by 2015 which will employ about 2 million workers. Thus, the potential is great and vast. However, the uncertainty on the adverse effects, perceived .or real, so far, is certain. The concerns on the risks of nanotechnology, in a number of cases, have led to backlashes. The aim of this paper is to establish an analytical framework for the debate on whether or not nanotechnology is to be regulated, and how to go about it. The paper provides an overview of the nature of nanotechnology and the benefits as well as its potential risks to the well being of human and the environment. The paper then formulates a number of debating points on "yes" or "no" to nano. The adequacy of the existing rules and regulation to mitigate the risks of the technology is also assessed. In conclusion, the paper outlines some proposals on the way forward for nanotechnology in dealing with the uncertainty.
format Conference or Workshop Item
author Munir, A.B.
Mohd Yasin, S.H.
author_facet Munir, A.B.
Mohd Yasin, S.H.
author_sort Munir, A.B.
title Small is big and beautiful: Managing the uncertainty
title_short Small is big and beautiful: Managing the uncertainty
title_full Small is big and beautiful: Managing the uncertainty
title_fullStr Small is big and beautiful: Managing the uncertainty
title_full_unstemmed Small is big and beautiful: Managing the uncertainty
title_sort small is big and beautiful: managing the uncertainty
publishDate 2007
url http://eprints.um.edu.my/13515/1/0001.pdf
http://eprints.um.edu.my/13515/
_version_ 1643689573276975104
score 13.211869

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