The Concept of Socipe in Societal Planning: An Historical Approach

Abstract

This paper presents a new theoretical framework that has been explored through historical methods. The Socipe framework combines Podgórecki’s Sociotechnical paradigm with the communication aspects of the diffusion process. The Socipe framework follows the decision making process of a Government for a Socipe decision. A Socipe decision is conceptualised here for the first time and is a macro level decision which affects every group in the society and in which other environmental and social factors are independently facilitating the same sought after change in behaviour. Historical methodology and methods have been used to illustrate the Socipe framework in the context of the deregulation of shop trading hours in New Zealand.