Data Platforms and Cities

This section offers a series of joint reflections on (open) data platform from a variety of cases, from cycling, traffic and mapping to activism, environment and data brokering. Data platforms play a key role in contemporary urban governance. Linked to open data initiatives, such platforms are often proposed as both mechanisms for enhancing the accountability of administrations and performing as sites for 'bottom-up' digital invention. Such promises of smooth flows of data, however, rarely materialise unproblematically. The development of data platforms is always situated in legal and administrative cultures, databases are often built according to the standards of existing digital ecologies, access always involves processes of social negotiation, and interfaces (such as sensors) may become objects of public contestation. The following contributions explore the contested and mutable character of open data platforms as part of heterogeneous publics and trace the pathways of data through different knowledge, skills, public and private configurations. They also reflect on the value of STS approaches to highlight issues and tensions as well as to shape design and governance

Data and Digital Platforms in Industry: Implication for enterprises strategies and governance

This article explores the position of industrial internet platforms (IIP) in manufacturing value chains. We develop an understanding of the role of data in global value chains (GVCs), referring to literature on intangible assets and theories on platform business models. We use data from a qualitative empirical study based on 45 interviews on platforms active on the German market to answer (1) whether there are tendencies of oligopolization that lead to an accumulation of power on the side of the platforms, and (2) whether it is the platforms that capture most of the gains derived from higher productivity or lower transaction costs. The analysis shows that platforms mainly act as service providers and/or intermediaries that support manufacturing companies in reaping benefits from data. While the relationship between platforms and manufacturers currently corresponds to a symbiosis, a stronger power imbalance could evolve in the future since processes of oligopolization are likely

Just ticking the box: A social informatics model of the consequences of consent

Given the societal diffusion, proliferation and ubiquity of computerised systems and platforms, it is generally perceived by consumers that systems and eBusiness platforms often pose a threat to the privacy of their supplied information (Srnicek, 2017; Andreotti et al., 2018). Furthermore, as we see the replacement of systems that were once manual and paper-based migrate to digital processes and information systems (Lunt et al., 2019), consent in the information era is reduced to ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ option, often in the form of a tick box. Additionally, despite the arrival of the General Data Protection Regulation in 2018 as means to provide protection in relation to data processing, we argue that there is a lack of transparency in relation to the intention of this data processing and secondary data use for the purposes of research and marketing, for example. In light of this, we argue that there exists an increasingly difficult challenge to establish a mutual understanding of what consent actually is and what the wider permutations of it represents and comprehends. The lack of mutual understanding, in a digital world that is becoming increasingly reliant on the perceived benefits of acquiring and processing large sets of data (Kitchin, 2014; Breidbach et al., 2019) is deeply problematic. It is not only problematic for the consumer, but also to system developers, platform owners, and data processors alike. To this end, this paper presents a model, derived from action research, which positions the concept of consent within a socio-technical framing. This model approaches consent, in the context of digital platforms and eBusiness and how it comes to be represented in information systems, as a socio-technical construct of moral orders that imbues the feelings, convictions and aspirations of the consumer as they are engaged in the use of digital systems. We offer that consent is merely approached as an attribute in a data model, rather than relaying the communicative understanding of the consumer. This model introduces the areas of information processing systems and information communication systems as two differing interpretations within which digital platforms can be perceived. We offer these two distinctions as a mechanism to explain and, more importantly, explore the notion of the governance of consent and how this comes to be manifested in information systems

How Digital Platforms with a Social Purpose Trigger Change towards Sustainable Supply Chains

While digital platforms have been intensively researched, there has been little investigation into their role in sustainable change. Our study focuses on food supply chains and food waste and sustainable challenges. Using data collected from exploratory case studies of digital platforms and traditional actors in the food industry of a Nordic country, we categorized three major sustainable platform types: Alterationist, Redistributor, and Capability Builder. We view these as “Zebras,” a business serving profit and social purpose, and observe their emerging role in the food supply chain. We also identify key dimensions of governance and sustainability impact. With this study, we investigate how digital platforms contribute to sustainable change while also retaining their profit focus

Big Data Dreams and Reality in Shenzhen: An Investigation of Smart City Implementation in China

Chinese cities are increasingly using digital technologies to address urban problems and govern society. However, little is known about how this digital transition has been implemented. This study explores the introduction of digital governance in Shenzhen, one of China's most advanced smart cities. We show that, at the local level, the successful implementation of digital systems faces numerous hurdles in long-standing data management and bureaucratic practices that are at least as challenging as the technical problems. Furthermore, the study finds that the digital systems in Shenzhen entail a creeping centralisation of data that potentially turns lower administrative government units into mere users of the city-level smart platforms rather than being in control of their own data resources. Smart city development and big data ambitions thereby imply shifting stakeholder relations at the local level and also pull non-governmental stakeholders, such as information technology companies and research institutions, closer to new data flows and smart governance systems. The findings add to the discussion of big data-driven smart systems and their implications for governance processes in an authoritarian context

Big Data Dreams and Reality in Shenzhen: An Investigation of Smart City Implementation in China

Chinese cities are increasingly using digital technologies to address urban problems and govern society. However, little is known about how this digital transition has been implemented. This study explores the introduction of digital governance in Shenzhen, one of China's most advanced smart cities. We show that, at the local level, the successful implementation of digital systems faces numerous hurdles in long-standing data management and bureaucratic practices that are at least as challenging as the technical problems. Furthermore, the study finds that the digital systems in Shenzhen entail a creeping centralisation of data that potentially turns lower administrative government units into mere users of the city-level smart platforms rather than being in control of their own data resources. Smart city development and big data ambitions thereby imply shifting stakeholder relations at the local level and also pull non-governmental stakeholders, such as information technology companies and research institutions, closer to new data flows and smart governance systems. The findings add to the discussion of big data-driven smart systems and their implications for governance processes in an authoritarian context

Governance mechanisms and metrics for digital platform workers : Multiple case study of digital labour platforms

Aim: This study aims to reveal which governance mechanisms and their metrics digital labour platforms use and how they are used to govern platform workers. Moreover, this study's purpose is to analyse three different digital labour platform companies related to the governance of platform workers. The study aims to form and test a framework for the digital labour platform governance mechanisms and their metrics based on a literature review and empirical findings. Framework: The study framework combines traditional firm governance, digital platform governance and crowdwork governance theories. In addition, the concepts of control and coordi-nation in governance mechanisms are presented in the literature review of governance theory. The themes are combined to form a framework for digital labour platform governance mechanisms for platform workers. Methodology: The empirical research section is formed with qualitative research and multiple case study method. The approach of the study is subjectivist. Moreover, interpretivism and critical realism views are used because they fit the people-oriented and multi-dimensional research theme. The research data is collected with interviews of the case companies’ representatives who were in positions to know the subjects. The findings reveal what and how governance mechanisms and metrics are used in digital labour platforms to govern platform workers. In addition, the results show two new governance mechanisms: platform worker training and activity monitoring. Governance mechanisms identified include access control, activity monitoring, task management, incentive management, contract management, and training in every case company. In contrast, only two companies used reputation monitoring, quality control, and behavioural control. The findings differ somewhat between the case companies. The reason for the variation between the companies might be due to the variety in the level of autonomy and skill levels of platform workers. The governance mechanisms and metrics findings are brought together into a framework. Also, this study revealed new information about governance metrics of digital labour platforms, which had a little information in the literature. Thus, the governance metrics found in this study give significant new knowledge about the subject. They help to show how firms can use the data for platform worker governance in digital platforms. For instance, user logins, system usage, and profile completion rate measure platform workers' activity. These findings can help digital labour platform companies better understand many possibilities in ways to govern digital labour workers.Tavoite: Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena on selvittää digitaalisten työtä välittävien alustojen alustatyöntekijöihin kohdistuvia hallintamekanismeja ja niiden mittareita. Tarkoituksena on analysoida kolmen case yrityksen alustatoimintaa suhteessa alustatyöntekijöiden hallintaan. Tutkimuksessa muodostetaan viitekehys digitaalisten alustojen hallintamekanismeista ja niiden mittareista kirjallisuuskatsauksen ja empiirisen tutkimuksen perusteella. Viitekehys: Tämän tutkimuksen viitekehyksessä yhdistyy perinteisten yritysten hallintamekanismeja, joukkotyöhön liitettyjä hallintamekanismeja sekä digitaalisten alustojen jo tiedettyjä hallintamekanismeja. Lisäksi kontrollin ja koordinaation konseptit liittyen työntekijöiden hallintaan esitetään kirjallisuuskatsauksessa ja ne liitetään osaksi viitekehystä. Myös joitain vähän tiedettyjä hallintamittareita on lisätty viitekehykseen. Näistä teemoista muodostuu tutkimuksen viitekehys alustojen alustatyöntekijöille suunnatuille hallintamekanismeille ja niiden mittareille. Metodologia: Empiirinen tutkimus koostuu laadullisesta tutkimuksesta ja usean tapaustutkimuksen menetelmästä. Tutkimuksen lähestymistapa on subjektiivinen. Lisäksi interpretivismin ja kriittisen realismin lähestymistapoja käytetään tutkimuksen analysoimisessa, sillä ne soveltuvat tutkimuksen ihmislähtöiseen ja moniulotteiseen teemaan. Tutkimuksen aineistonkeruumenetelmänä käytetään case yritysten edustajien haastatteluja. Tulokset: Tutkimuksen tulokset osoittavat, että mitä ja kuinka hallintamekanismeja ja niiden mittareita käytetään digitaalisilla alustoilla alustatyöntekijöiden hallitsemiseen. Tulokset osoittavat myös kaksi uutta hallintamekanismia: alustatyöntekijöiden kouluttamisen ja aktiivisuuden valvomisen. Hallintamekanismeista tunnistettiin pääsyn valvonta, tehtävänhallinta, sopimushallinta, ja kouluttaminen kaikissa case-yrityksissä. Sen sijaan vain kahdessa yrityksessä tunnistettiin maineen valvonta, laadun valvonta ja käyttäytymisenhallinta. Syyt vaihteluihin yritysten välillä saattavat johtua alustatyöntekijöiden erilaisista autonomian tasoista ja taitotasoista. Tulokset hallintamekanismeista ja niiden mittareista digitaalisilla alustoilla on kerätty yhteen viitekehykseen. Tutkimuksessa selvisi uutta tietoa hallintamittareista, joista ei ollut aiemmin paljon tietoa kirjallisuudessa. Siksi hallintamittarit, jotka onnistuttiin löytämään tässä tutkimuksessa antavat merkittävää uutta tietoa aiheesta. Ne auttavat yrityksiä ymmärtämään kuinka hyödyntää dataa alustatyöntekijöiden hallitsemisessa. esimerkiksi aktiivisuuden valvomisessa voidaan käyttää mittareina käyttäjän sisäänkirjautumisia, järjestelmän käyttämistä, ja profiilin valmiusastetta. Tulokset auttavat yrityksiä huomaamaan monipuolisesti mahdollisuuksia alustatyöntekijöiden hallitsemisessa ja ottamaan huomioon alustatyöntekijöiden autonomian ja osaamistasot hallintamekanismeja valittaessa

Subject, crowd and the governance of activity: the role of digital tools in emergency response

This thesis examines the role of digital platforms in emergency response contexts and the constitution of relationships between platform users and disaster situations. The conceptual framework is derived from a reading of the Vygotskian notion of tool-mediated, object-oriented activity, which is juxtaposed with the Foucauldian notion of governance. This framework provides the basis for an investigation of the role of digital platforms, exploring the associations between digitally mediated forms of user activity and the discursive relationships among actors in specific situations. The empirical study examines crisis mapping projects and the role of digital platforms in emergency situations, mainly in Russia and Australia. The data collection methods included interviews with key actors and web archiving of digital platforms. The data analysis relies on the integration of a thematic analysis informed by activity theory and by Foucauldian discourse analysis. The thesis highlights the ways in which digital tools constitute the user as subject or object in relation to certain activities. The analysis explores the extent to which digital platforms contribute to the capacity of users to define their relationships with disasters, that is, to engage in self-governance. It also considers the capacity of institutional actors to become dominant in these relationships. The analysis sheds light on various modes of digital governance of the subject by distinguishing between “governance through inclusion” and “governance through exclusion”. Factors found to contribute to the salience of a specific mode of digital governance include “discursive mirroring” and “discursive opportunities”, seen as modes of relationship constituted between individual and institutional actors. Discursive mirroring is shown to be more likely to be associated with governance through exclusion, while discursive opportunities are more likely to be associated with governance through inclusion. An analysis of crowdsourcing practices provides a way of illustrating how, in the context of disaster response, the discursive construction of the crowd by institutional actors is associated with the governance of the crowd’s resources