Technology Lifecycles and Digital Technologies: Patterns of Discourse across Levels of Materiality

The technology lifecycle model is extensively used to study technology evolution and innovation. However, this model was developed for industrial-age material technologies and does not address digital technologies with nonmaterial elements. Therefore, a question emerges as to whether the level of technological materiality is implicated in different dynamics of innovation, as reflected in the technology lifecycle. Digital technologies evolve through discourse that involves interactions among multiple stakeholders that shape the evolutionary trajectory of the technology. Therefore, we set out to examine whether discourse about digital technologies that vary in their level of materiality manifests in different ways throughout these technologies’ lifecycles. To do so, we conducted a study comparing the discourse around 10 digital technologies—five highly material and five highly nonmaterial—at different stages of their technology lifecycles. We identified three characteristics of discourse—volume, volatility, and diversity—and examined them for the 10 digital technologies by analyzing their corresponding Wikipedia articles. Our findings show that the discourse around technologies with different levels of materiality is similar in the initial era of the lifecycle but diverges in the two subsequent eras. In addition, we found that the discourse around highly nonmaterial technologies remains elevated for longer time periods, compared to highly material technologies. Based on these results, we put forth propositions that challenge and extend existing research on the relationships between the technological level of materiality, discourse, and trajectories of technology evolution

A Relational View of Individual Participation in Online Communities of Practice: An Integrative Literature Review

This paper reviews prior research on individual participation in online CoPs. In particular, the paper examines how the concept of CoPs has been applied in IS and what theories have been applied to study knowledge sharing behaviours in online CoPs. Given inconsistent empirical findings derived from prior IS studies, the paper drew on literature on relationship marketing to re-conceptualize participation in a CoP as a contractual relationship between a member and the online community that evolves through a number of transitions. A conceptual framework was then developed to revisit prior empirical findings in relation to key antecedents and outcomes of individuals’ knowledge sharing in online environments. Review results suggest that there is a need to examine how individual, online CoPs and contextual factors may jointly affect individual participation in online CoPs through different intermediate processes and how an online member-community relationship may be formed and/or developed by different relational mediators

Razumijevanje tehnološke socijalizacije: sociogeneracijsko istraživanje tehnobiografskih putova mladih u madridskoj regiji

In this article the author takes a socio-generational perspective in order to reconstruct young adults’ biographies of socialization in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the region of Madrid, presenting a Bourdieuan approach which includes two entangled dimensions of this process: material domestication of ICTs in daily activity and distinctive digital literacies internalized as dispositions towards practice. From a sample of thirty in-depth interviews structured by gender, age, education and type of digital accessibility, the author’s analysis results in a typology of four ideal techno-biographical trajectories (‘T1-pro-technology users’, ‘T2-practical users’, ‘T3-mobile users’, ‘T4- professional users’) which represent distinctive forms of appropriation of digital technologies into practice.U ovom članku autor zauzima sociogeneracijsku perspektivu kako bi rekonstruirao biografije mladih u smislu socijalizacije za korištenje informacijskih i komunikacijskih tehnologija (IKT) u madridskoj regiji. Pri tome se oslanja na Bourdieuev pristup, koji uključuje dvije povezane dimenzije toga procesa: materijalnu domestikaciju IKT-a u svakodnevnim aktivnostima i distinktivnu digitalnu pismenost internaliziranu kao dispozicije prema praksi. Analiza je, na uzorku od trideset dubinskih (in-depth) intervjua strukturiranom po rodu, dobi, obrazovanju i načinu pristupa digitalnim sadržajima, utvrdila postojanje četiri idealna tehnobiografska puta (T1 – protehnološki korisnici, T2 – praktični korisnici, T3 – mobilni korisnici, T4 – profesionalni korisnici) koji predstavljaju distinktivne oblike usvajanja digitalnih tehnologija u praksi

Name is Sheikh Hasina (HPM): The Power of Motivation & Ability for Political Maneuvering Thru Psychological Behaviors as Foundations

HPM Sheikh Hasina having served as Prime Minister of Bangladesh for over 19 years. It has secured her to be the longest serving PM in Bangladesh-history. Thus, this study examines whether the power of motivation and ability in political maneuvering through psychological behaviors have served it effectively. It conducted SWOT and PEST analyses of HPM’s power of motivation and ability for political maneuvering that secured the long-term. The SWOT analysis here examined political Strengths (S), Weaknesses (W), Opportunities and Threats (T) that a leadership can review. The PEST analysis here examined the Political (P), Economic (E), Social (S), and Technological (T) issues involved with the power of political maneuvering for getting things done. For psychological behavioral assessment in politics, few prepared speeches were in review, which indicates HPM’s propensity for strategies of cooperation and risk-taking orientation in most cases where conflicting strategy is found rarely. Here the power of motivation and ability has transformed how a government provides effective services in any developing country like Bangladesh. This political-maneuvering skill is named as Akim’s Model, which can ensure success in political arena with a reward of long-term leadership in a country like Bangladesh. HPM has set an example in the 21st century business-driven world

The predictors of success for e-learning in higher education institutions (HEIs) in N-W.F.P, Pakistan

The interrelationships between different perceptions and attitudes of e-Learning users are widely researched, which reveals that whatever the perception and theory of a user about the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and e-Learning environment are, the same is reflected in his/her attitude towards using educational technologies for teaching and learning. The objective of this study was to measure the relationships between the indicators (perceptions about ICTs, educational technologies, development and use of e-Learning) and the Criterion variables (problems, satisfaction and prospects) among e-Learning users in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) of N-W.F.P, Pakistan. The study found the existence of strong relationships in terms of indicators explaining the dependent variables. However, the impact is different from one variable to another. 81% of Problems, 57% of Satisfaction and 23% of Prospects are explained by the Indicators. Problems are significantly explained by all four indicators, while Satisfaction has been predicted by three of the indicators (excluding Perceptions). The study found that only two indicators (Perceptions about ICTs and Educational technologies) predict the Prospects, while Development and Use do not. The surprising finding is that Prospects are not defined by the 'Existing Development and Use Practices'. Rather, their perceptions about ICTs and e-Learning tools strongly forecast the Prospects

Review of Learning in ICT-enabled Networks and Communities

This report is part of a project launched by IPTS with DG Education and Culture to study the innovations for learning, which are emerging in the new collaborative and informal settings enabled by ICT. The report gathers and analyses evidence from learning opportunities that are emerging in ICT-enabled networks and communities. In these new virtual spaces, participation is motivated by an interest to a topic, by creative production and by search for social connection. Online networks and communities emerge both within and across organisations as well as in a completely open and bottom-up manner. Accessing, following, and contributing to the communities can lead to a range of learning outcomes. New technologies afford tools and means for people to participate in communities in a personally meaningful way. However, not all individuals are necessarily equipped with skills or knowledge to benefit from these opportunities for their lifelong learning. Major challenges relate both to the initial barriers for accessing online communities with confident and critical digital competence and skills for self-regulated learning. Finding ways to identify, assess and certify relevant learning and new skills that can be obtained and practiced in these environments is a major task. The report argues that educational institutions should find ways to connect with and learn from these new learning approaches and settings in order to bring about their own transformation for the 21st century, and to support competence building for new jobs and personal development with a learner-centred and lifelong perspective.JRC.J.4-Information Societ

Consumer Engagement In Travel-related Social Media

The term of consumer engagement is extensively used in the digital era. It is believed that engaged consumers play an important role in products/services referral and recommendation, new product/service development and experience/value co-creation. Although the notion of consumer engagement sounds compelling, it is not fully developed in theory. Different interpretations coexist, resulting in confusion and misuse of the concept. This study attempts to define consumer engagement and develop a conceptual framework of consumer engagement, addressing antecedents of consumer engagement in online context. Moreover, some situational and social media usage-related factors are incorporated into the framework. A set of propositions are presented based on literature review and the conceptual framework to illustrate the relationship between consumer engagement and related factors. To provide empirical evidence for the conceptual model, an online survey is conducted. Participants complete the self-administered survey by answering questions concerning their online experience with the travel-related social media website they visit most. Two-step structural equation modeling is employed to analyze the data. The results show that both community experience and community identification have significant and positive relationship with consumer engagement. Community experience is also a strong predictor of community identification. Attitude toward using social media and travel involvement influence the relationship between consumer engagement and its antecedents. With focus on the interactive and experiential nature of consumer engagement, this study expands current understanding of consumer engagement and provides insights for hospitality and tourism businesses regarding how to engage consumers through travel-related social media