Predicting the socio-technical future (and other myths)

A snooker ball model implies that simple, linear and predictable social change follows from the introduction of new technologies. Unfortunately technology does not have and has never had simple linear predictable social impacts. In this chapter we show that in most measurable ways, the pervasiveness of modern information and communication technologies has had little discernable ?impact? on most human behaviours of sociological significance. Historians of technology remind us that human society co-evolves with the technology it invents and that the eventual social and economic uses of a technology often turn out to be far removed from those originally envisioned. Rather than using the snooker ball model to attempt to predict future ICT usage and revenue models that are inevitably wrong, we suggest that truly participatory, grounded innovation, open systems and adaptive revenue models can lead us to a more effective, flexible and responsive innovation process

Household pre-purchase practices and online grocery shopping:e-grocery pre-purchase trajectories

This paper explores household pre-purchase practices and their mediation by information and communications technologies (ICTs), specifically online grocery shopping. Drawing on practice theory, the impacts of ICTs on household grocery shopping behavior are conceptualized, and the concept of “front-loading” is introduced. Emerging themes generated from 31 semi-structured interviews conducted via Skype with Turkish consumers focusing on their experiences of online grocery practices are presented. To this end, the contribution of this paper is twofold. First, an understanding of the domestication of online grocery shopping and its affect on the dynamics of household decision making, information sharing, and responsibilities of tasks before the actual act of online shopping is developed. Second, how such pre-purchase practices undertaken by consumers act as a catalyst of change at the industry level is appraised

Digital touch for remote personal communication: An emergent sociotechnical imaginary

This article makes legible emergent social imaginaries of digital touch for remote communication in personal relationships, with attention to digital touch interfaces. It draws on data from rapid prototyping research workshops with apprentice professionals embedded within digital communication. Touch is discussed with respect to four analytical themes: materiality, body, emplacement and temporality. We illustrate how participants’ past and present experiences and future visions of remote digital touch thread through these themes and weave together to form a hegemonic, emergent sociotechnical imaginary of digital touch. The article contributes to social debates within digital personal remote communication by foregrounding touch, the material and the sensorial. The article’s novel interdisciplinary framework (combining design-based rapid prototyping with a multimodal and multi-sensorial analysis within the frame of the sociotechnical imaginary) also contributes to methodology around future-facing phenomena, prior to the process of their solidification into material, political formations

Understanding asymmetries in ict acceptance at individual use in Poland : the UTAUT2 theory combined with attitude, privacy risk, perceived security

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Statistics and Information Management, specialization in Risk Analysis and ManagementUnderstanding of the main determinants associated to Internet and Communication Technology acceptance have received attention from international bodies and researchers (Dewan & Chen, 2014; Featherman & Pavlou, 2003; Im, Hong & Kang, 2011; Ming Chi Lee, 2009; Niehaves & Plattfaut, 2014; Shareef, Kumar, Kumar & Dwivedi, 2011; Shin, 2010; Venkatesh & Bala, 2008; Venkatesh, Thong & Xu, 2012a). The reason behind the growing interest in this issue refers to the implications of digital inequalities in social development. Technology access, income, and education seem to be main of many factors that contribute the level of digital inequality. However, providing access or increasing income will still fail to resolve the problem with low level of technology use. There is no guarantee that if more availability is given to the digitally excluded individuals, that they would increase their ICT usage. The individuals’ rational about ICT acceptance or rejection is proportional to the potential risks and opportunities an individual faces at the adoption stage. Currently, understanding the role of users´ perceived risks in relation to attitude, privacy concerns and perceived security while the ICT adoption in Poland is limited. Hence, this work aims to explain the ICT usage behaviour in the specific context of Poland. To test the developed conceptual model, this study uses the data collected in one of Polish medium size cities, the capital city of region Podlasie. The role of attitude, security and privacy issues have as a would‐be predictors of ICT acceptance, is analysed via survey directed to a representative sample of individuals. Based on the theories and previous literature, this study proposes a theoretical model of UTAUT2 theory in conjunction with attitude, privacy, and security model to be used in understanding the ICT adoption process. Theoretical and practical contributions are also outlined. Parties who should be mostly interested in the results of this study are those who provide online services to wide audience and benefit when the audience uses or absorbs the information or services provided online. Therefore, the theoretical and managerial implications of presented results should be in equal interest of: individuals and organisations active online