What is technology and technology change? A new conception with systemic-purposeful perspective for technology analysis

The study suggests a new definition of technology with a systemic-purposeful perspective: Technology here is a complex system of artifact, made and/or used by living systems, that is composed of more than one entity or sub-system and a relationship that holds between each entity and at least one other entity in the system, selected considering practical, technical and economic characteristics, to satisfy needs, achieve goals and/or solve problems of users for the purpose of adaptation and/or survival in environment. Technology is formed and evolves with different minor and major innovations. Several examples illustrate these concepts and a simple model operationalizes the proposed definition with a preliminary statistical evidence. Overall, then, technology changes current modes of cognition and action to enable makers and/or users to take advantage of important opportunities or to cope with consequential environmental threats.