The book explores the intersection of technology, administration, and societal development from the late 19th to mid-20th century. Margrit Seckelmann examines the Imperial Patent Office's role in balancing bureaucratization with network formation between 1877 and 1914. Vera Hierholzer discusses the collaborative regulation of food safety in the German Empire, highlighting the interplay of state institutions and scientific expertise. Christian Kleinschmidt focuses on technical consumer protection in 19th-century Germany, while Ben Marsden analyzes the administration of naval architecture within the British Association for the Advancement of Science from 1831 to 1872. Mike Esbester addresses early 20th-century workplace safety in Britain, and Jon Agar delves into the mechanization of the British civil service. Stephen Sambrook explores the British Armed Forces' approach to acquiring optical technology between 1888 and 1914, while Sally Horrocks investigates the collaboration between defense research and private industry in the UK during the 1940s-1960s. Helmut Trischler discusses defense research and civil innovation systems in post-war Germany, and Johannes Weyer analyzes the political logic behind state support for large-scale technology in Germany and the EU. Additionally, Varia Erk and Volkmar Heyen explore metaphorical interpretations of space in art, Monika Dommann addresses institutional memory in various sectors, and Pet
