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22 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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what is technology? |
- refers to the set of devices which humans use to adapt to their environment - devices are useless with human interaction - technological change not only means new change, but also new practices |
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Aspects of technology |
Mechanical tech; machines, tools Human tech; skills, physical energy Knowledge tech; abstract meanings and concepts |
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MAINSTREAM PERSPECTIVE |
Technology determinism |
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what is TD? |
- technical properties of a device that are the cause of corresponding developments on orgs and society - key technologies move society in a certain direction - critical approach suggests this is too simplistic - can open doors but not persuade people to go in them |
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key ideas of TD |
- impacts of tech on humans and society - how can orgs best adapt to new tech? - the digital divide; disparities between those that have access to new info and communication technologies and those who do not - survival of the fittest for tech |
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appeal of TD |
- fits well it the mechanistic view of orgs (mainstream) - suggests all probelms can be fixed with a technological fix |
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criticism of TD |
- tendency to treat tech as having its own existance (rather than being a tool for huamns to use) - impacts of the same tech can vary across different orgs |
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CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES |
- veiws tech as a political tool that can be justifed by management for unpopular decisions - Social shaping of tech (SS) - Social construction of tech (SCOT |
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SS |
- suggest that relationships between orgs and society is not unidirectional but a two way process - social, organisationak and cultural processes shape tech - tech is shaped by social and org interests, not the other way around like TD |
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Key ideas of SS |
- tech is not seperate from the rest of society - social, cultural and political issues are inherent in tech - a given tech may dominate in the marketplace not bc its techinically superior but it may have powerful sponsors - addresses the problems of TD - tries to look at big picture/ context |
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Criticism of SS |
- underplays the facts that the opportunities to shape tech are not freely available |
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SCOT |
- more radical than SS - need to understand social interpretations of what people think tech can solve in order to udnerstand tech developments - thsi reserach allows eg car markers to make decisions regarding their tech |
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key ideas of SCOT |
- tech is a set of solutions to the probelms that a given society poses for itself - to understand tech developemnts, need to understand the social interpretations that have shaped the definitions of what tech can solve tech - offspring of conflict and compromise - highlights how the society is constititive of tech |
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criticism of SCOT |
- accused of replaced TD with social determinism - ignores the social consequences of technological choices |
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Tech affects behavior |
- new tech is having an impact on people's tasks and behaviors - new tech can create new behaviors - new tech is used to increase productitivy |
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online social networking |
- originally a form of person communication but now involves the org context with significant impacts - issues with boundaries; employers perosn and workpalce domains seem to be changing the nature of work itself - orgs are adopting new practices which are influecning key org processes such as hiring |
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legislation |
- the internet is problematic - orgs are using the internet as a meanings of hiring - do employers have the right to investigate potential employees online lives? - ethic issues stemming from above point |
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cyber loafing |
- orgs attempt to harness potential of internet by allowing employees access to it - gives employees the chance to muck around on memes instead of working - employee looks busy when really they are looking at random stuff - employees do this bc they are bored, lack challenge, complacent - considered a workpalce deviance |
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what are companies doing about cyber slacking? |
- monitoring employee usage of the internet - turning a blind eye - blocking some sites - setting clearer policies |
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technological policies |
- orgs should create policies to govern the use of the web - monitoring employee meials is an issue for most orgs - monitoring can result in resentment in staff - policies need to be communicated well |
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impacts of social technological policies |
- banning sites eg YouTube or Fb can result in employees not wanting to work there |
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death of distance |
- in order to tech to be useful, people need to know how to use it - tech is making diatcne a thing of the past |
