Dynamic IT Values and Relationships: A Sociomaterial Perspective
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This paper critiques management scholars for their limited views on the impact of technology in organizations and proposes a sociomaterial perspective that emphasizes the intertwined relationships among human and non-human agents. It introduces a general framework and taxonomy of IT values, highlighting their dynamic and complex nature, which includes techno-economic and socio-techno orientations. The study aims to provide a foundation for further exploration of IT values and their relations through an empirical and sociomaterial lens.
![Management scholars are criticized in two ways when researching the impact of technology in
organizational life. Either they ignore it [1] or they prefer a linear approach by separating
technology, organization and people [1]. Sociomaterial theory is proposed as alternative.
“Sociomateriality stands out as a symbol for the interest in the social and the technical, and in
particular, the subtleties of their contingent intertwining” [2]. One of the key concepts of
sociomateriality is based on Actor Network Theory. Human and non-human agents are
inseparable connected maintaining equivalent relationships and “enact continuously relational
effects” [2]. But also sociomateriality is subject of criticism. Sociomaterial oriented theorists
and researchers argue to unlock broader, general patterns across different contexts [2] and to
acquire more empirical evidence.
1. Orlikowski, W.J.: The sociomateriality of organisational life: considering technology in
management research. Camb. J. Econ. 34(1), 125–141 (2009)
2. Cecez-Kecmanovic, D., Galliers, R.D., Henfridsson, O., Newell, S., Vidgen, R.: The
sociomateriality of information systems: current status, future directions. MIS Q. 38(3),
809–830 (2014)
3](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/ifip14tudelft-dynamicitvaluesandrelationships-151018122529-lva1-app6892/85/Dynamic-IT-Values-and-Relationships-A-Sociomaterial-Perspective-3-320.jpg)
![The answer to the research question “Which IT values can be identified and how are they
related?” delivers a taxonomy and framework of IT values containing eight nodal, sixteen
neighbour and sixty four co-values. The sociomaterial relationship between IT values is
dimensioned to time, stakeholder and hierarchy. Grounding theories of sociomateriality like
Actor Network Theory are part of ongoing discussions [2]. Due to dynamics of emergence and
the continuous state of becoming the concept of IT values is a spectacular and interesting
sociomaterial subject for social research. IT values, their entanglement and relations are far
more than a linear relationship between two or a (limited) number of variables and their
causality and therefore a difficult to capture phenomenon. IT values are the result of interaction
between technology, organization and people [1]. The result of this extensive study is a
generalized IT value framework based on sociomaterial theory and guiding principles. This
overview should be seen as a starting point for further discussing IT values and their
relationships. The principles below are accompanying the general sociomaterial IT value
framework.
1. Orlikowski, W.J.: The sociomateriality of organisational life: considering technology in
management research. Camb. J. Econ. 34(1), 125–141 (2009)
2. Cecez-Kecmanovic, D., Galliers, R.D., Henfridsson, O., Newell, S., Vidgen, R.: The
sociomateriality of information systems: current status, future directions. MIS Q. 38(3), 809–
830 (2014)
6](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/ifip14tudelft-dynamicitvaluesandrelationships-151018122529-lva1-app6892/85/Dynamic-IT-Values-and-Relationships-A-Sociomaterial-Perspective-6-320.jpg)
Dynamic IT Values and Relationships: A Sociomaterial Perspective
- 1. Management scholars are criticized for ignorance and the wrong approach when studying the impact of technology in organizational life. Impact of technology in this paper is interpreted as IT values created or achieved from equivalent and contingent interaction between human (people) and non-human agents (technology, organization). Researchers and theorists propose to include a sociomaterial perspective and to develop general and broader, empirical based patterns across different contexts. Based on a literature review containing publications of theoretical considerations and empirical research this paper introduces a first general and sociomaterial based overview and taxonomy of IT values and their relations. IT values have a techno-economic or socio-techno orientation, are dynamically entangled and competitive, and complementary or overlapping. IT values are related to time, sponsor and, hierarchy. The identified IT values are ordered into a framework which has to be treated as a starting point to discuss further the definition, dynamics and relations of IT values from a sociomaterial perspective. 1
- 2. Leon Dohmen is Principal Management Consultant and joined CGI in 2001. He has more than 20 years of experience as a consultant, project manager and IT manager and guided more than 60 assignments and projects for large and small (inter)national private and public organizations including DSM, Stream Group, NXP Semiconductors, Philips, Imtech, Ministry of security and justice, VGZ and the Rotterdam Business Scholl. Innovation, Internet, enterprise resource planning (including SAP and Microsoft Dynamics), IT governance and global sourcing are key terms related to the knowledge and experience of Leon. ERP as a cloud solution, making better use of offshore facilities in India and China and the use of agile (lean) development methods also play a role here. Leon acts on the interface between business and IT and combines extended (industrial) business knowledge with knowledge about the latest IT developments. He is specialized in organizational change and the impact of IT. For this specialization he has produced several publications. Leon coordinated and taught at the Rotterdam Business School the module Management of Technology for MBA and Masters students from 2003 to 2012. Since 2011 he performs a PhD research on the value of IT. Professor Bert Kersten is his promoter. 2
- 3. Management scholars are criticized in two ways when researching the impact of technology in organizational life. Either they ignore it [1] or they prefer a linear approach by separating technology, organization and people [1]. Sociomaterial theory is proposed as alternative. “Sociomateriality stands out as a symbol for the interest in the social and the technical, and in particular, the subtleties of their contingent intertwining” [2]. One of the key concepts of sociomateriality is based on Actor Network Theory. Human and non-human agents are inseparable connected maintaining equivalent relationships and “enact continuously relational effects” [2]. But also sociomateriality is subject of criticism. Sociomaterial oriented theorists and researchers argue to unlock broader, general patterns across different contexts [2] and to acquire more empirical evidence. 1. Orlikowski, W.J.: The sociomateriality of organisational life: considering technology in management research. Camb. J. Econ. 34(1), 125–141 (2009) 2. Cecez-Kecmanovic, D., Galliers, R.D., Henfridsson, O., Newell, S., Vidgen, R.: The sociomateriality of information systems: current status, future directions. MIS Q. 38(3), 809–830 (2014) 3
- 4. The driverless electric car as example to show the dynamics and entangled relationships of IT values. 4
- 5. Tipping points: Moments when specific technological shifts hit mainstream society Earlier this year, the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Future of Software and Society set out to help people prepare for changes enabled by software. We found 21 examples of these that will have far reaching impacts on human health, the environment, global commerce and international relations. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GAC15_Technological_Tipping_Points_report_2015.pdf 5
- 6. The answer to the research question “Which IT values can be identified and how are they related?” delivers a taxonomy and framework of IT values containing eight nodal, sixteen neighbour and sixty four co-values. The sociomaterial relationship between IT values is dimensioned to time, stakeholder and hierarchy. Grounding theories of sociomateriality like Actor Network Theory are part of ongoing discussions [2]. Due to dynamics of emergence and the continuous state of becoming the concept of IT values is a spectacular and interesting sociomaterial subject for social research. IT values, their entanglement and relations are far more than a linear relationship between two or a (limited) number of variables and their causality and therefore a difficult to capture phenomenon. IT values are the result of interaction between technology, organization and people [1]. The result of this extensive study is a generalized IT value framework based on sociomaterial theory and guiding principles. This overview should be seen as a starting point for further discussing IT values and their relationships. The principles below are accompanying the general sociomaterial IT value framework. 1. Orlikowski, W.J.: The sociomateriality of organisational life: considering technology in management research. Camb. J. Econ. 34(1), 125–141 (2009) 2. Cecez-Kecmanovic, D., Galliers, R.D., Henfridsson, O., Newell, S., Vidgen, R.: The sociomateriality of information systems: current status, future directions. MIS Q. 38(3), 809– 830 (2014) 6
- 7. This presentation interprets impact of technology as IT values achieved from the equivalent and contingent interaction between technology, organization and people. Due to dynamics of emergence and the continuous state of becoming the concept of IT values is a spectacular and interesting sociomaterial subject for social research. IT values, their entanglement and relations are far more than a linear relationship between two or a (limited) number of variables and their causality and therefore a difficult to capture phenomenon. Is sociomateriality a better alternative to research the impact of technology? 7
- 8. Let us go back to the question asked in the beginning of this presentation. How do we think about it. What are our arguments? 8
- 9. Thank you very much for joining. In case you like to know more do not hesitate to contact. The author thanks Bert Kersten, professor at Nyenrode Business University and Marijn Janssen, professor at Technical University Delft for their sublime and extended guidance and support during this study. Without this great help this paper could not have been written. 9