The economists Richard Lipsey and Kenneth Carlaw created a set of constraints around what defines a very important technology, which they call a “General Purpose Technology.” By its definition, a General Purpose Technology, or GPT, is: 01 A single, recognizable generic technology 02 Initially has much scope for improvement but comes to be widely used across the economy 03 Has many different uses 04 Creates many spillover effects A GPT can be a product, a process or an organizational system. 71