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Users as Agents of Technological Change: The Social Construction of the Automobile in the Rural United States
... Evoking an impacted constituency emphasizes two dimensions: that access to the AlphaGo system in particular, and other AI systems generally, is usually out of the reach of most, meaning they do not have an actual opportunity to use the system-as-such; and secondly, even without using these systems, these social groups are still impacted by the developments themselves. Initially conceived as "the people who lose when a new production process or artifact is introduced" (Pfaffenberger, 1992, p. 286), impacted constituencies is broadened here to include all those who feel the effects of a new AI system, without direct avenues of redress available, in contrast to users, developers, and system owners who all express differing agencies and opportunities for interaction (Kline & Pinch, 1996;Pinch & Bijker, 1984). As an analytic category, the import of impacted constituency is that it captures the position in which many of us find ourselves in relation to AI systems in society broadly: not using them, but certainly impacted by them (e.g. ...
Introduced in 2016 as a watershed moment in AI development, the announcement of AlphaGo – the first AI system to beat a human professional in the board game of go – garnered a range of mass publicity, and this media coverage often forms the core of scholarly analysis, too. Drawing on a novel dataset of online discussions by professional and amateur players from 2016-2020 which covers the introduction and retirement of AlphaGo, as well as the construction of alternative systems, I outline a new perspective of the impact of the system on the playing community. Moving beyond recognition of audience-centric responses of enchantment/disenchantment by these players, I articulate a process of engagement through which meaning-making and reconstruction occurred within the go community. These findings emphasize the importance of including multiple perspectives in analysis and draws attention to the influence of impacted constituencies in AI construction.
... Established practices reflect and reinforce entrenched beliefs, customs and power relations" (Peacock, 2007, p. 62). Many scholars in science and technology studies use the social construction of technology (SCOT) framework to understand how different social groups can interpret new artifacts -from household appliances to transportation systems -in vastly different ways (Hughes, 2012;Klein & Kleinman, 2002;Kline & Pinch, 1996;Pinch & Bijker, 2012). In this sense, digital platforms may function as what Star and Griesemer (1989) termed "boundary objects," adaptable enough to meet the specific needs of multiple groups while maintaining a consistent identity across different contexts, therefore playing the role of translation within a heterogeneous organization. ...
This dissertation examines the intersection of cultural institutions and digital platforms, using Google Arts & Culture (GA&C) as a case study of platformization in the cultural sector. Theoretically, it situates GA&C within the intellectual and institutional lineage of the virtual museum, frames the platform as a networked memory institution with risks of digital enclosure and privatization, and unpacks its sociotechnical power through its various governance mechanisms. This study addresses three primary research questions: How did the platform evolve from the original Google Art Project into the current iteration of GA&C? How do the platform’s curatorial interventions and interface design shape content presentation? How do cultural institutions use the platform? A mixed-methods approach is adopted, including archival analysis of the platform’s website, mobile app, and outreach emails, content analysis of a highly curated section of the platform, visual analysis of the platform’s interface architecture, and semi-structured interviews with partner institutions. Key findings reveal a history of convergence among different cultural institutions on the platform but also a divergence from facilitating cultural institutions to engaging audiences through playful experience. The GA&C team plays an essential curatorial and editorial role in deciding project topics and managing featured content, while the platform’s interface prescribes a passive mode of user engagement that falls short of the promises of a truly participatory culture. While cultural institutions hoped for an aggregate portal with technological support from Google to expand their digital presence, the alignment between the platform and the partners, often a response to the partner’s internal digital strategy or external factors such as the global pandemic, ended up being contingent and experimental due to various issues on both sides. Finally, this dissertation also discusses the implications of GA&C for the participatory culture, the editorial role of digital platforms, and the datafication of arts and culture.
... The vending field serves as the performance venue, and the modality of vending performance refers to the different ways in which vending occurs within this context. This theory recognizes that vending is influenced by factors such as technology (Kline & Pinch, 1996), design (Csikszentmihalyi & Rochberg-Halton, 1981), marketing (Lury, 2011), consumer behavior (Cohen, 2003;Holbrook & Hirschman, 1982), etc., offering a way to understand the social and cultural aspects of this practice (Slater, 1997). The theory can be applied to different contexts, but also has limitations and challenges that need to be considered (Chen, 2023d;Decker et al., 2021). ...
This paper explores the possibility of exhibition-venue as a field for academic research and industry practice in the context of the cultural and creative industry. Drawing on the concept of vending performance and vending performance theory, this paper argues that exhibition-venue is a form of vending performance that combines cultural and economic elements. Using ethnographic observation and non-reactive research, this paper analyzes the exhibition design schema of an art student showcase in a Taiwanese national university as a case study. This paper proposes that exhibition-venue can serve as a field for academic research and industry practice by providing a platform for actors within the field to voice their perspectives and by utilizing various exhibition design schema such as Interactive Message Board, Geographic Node Density, and Spectrum Distribution. This paper suggests that exhibition-venue holds great potential for interdisciplinary dialogue between industry practitioners and academic researchers in the cultural and creative industry.
... This case not only presents a gender asymmetry but also sheds light on the user/designer dichotomy, which has sparked a whole field of study within STS known as User Studies (Pinch & Oudshoorn, 2003). Some interesting research that highlights their active role in the design of contemporaneous key technologies includes the car in the rural US (Kline & Pinch, 1996) and mountain bikes (Rosen, 1993), to name some classic examples. To rethink the users, not as passive receptors but as participants in design processes echoes with the proposals of codesign (Botero, 2013) and social design (Manzini, 2015). ...
Objective: To investigate how the pandemic and the post-COVID-19 scenario may impact current and future plans in health (medical area), the environment, and the population's quality of life. Theoretical Framework: In 2019, the world began to live as a hostage to an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. As uncertainty reigns, the severity of the situation has shown that it could have social, health, educational, economic, and environmental aspects. Method: The methodology adopted for this research comprises a bibliographic review based on books, cataloged scientific articles being published on digital platforms including Scientific Library Online (SciELO), Pubmed, Periódico Capes, Cochrane, and Google Scholar, using the descriptors: COVID-19; quality of life; environment; health; and their respective synonyms, in Portuguese and English, published between 2015 and 2024. The exclusion criteria used in this study were duplicate articles in more than one database, with similar titles and that did not cover the topic, as well as articles published before 2015 in Portuguese and English. The main aspects analyzed for inclusion were the year of publication, type of study, language, objectives and main findings, according to the relevance of the original and current topic. Therefore, considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we made a cut of works published in the last 9 years and in the end 31 works were selected for the construction of this study. Results and Discussion: The results obtained revealed that all social spheres were, and may still be, affected unequally by the pandemic, since it is a situation of unknown nature, which is intensified every day by globalization and social inequalities. Direct impacts on the economy and jobs, as well as indirect effects of learning losses among children who are out of school. In terms of health and the impact on quality of life, we found changes in mental health, with an increase in the diagnosis of depression among adults. Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed, providing insights into how the results can be applied or influence practices in the fields of health, environment and education. These implications can cover areas of health promotion, economics and public and private management. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by addressing a current topic with extreme social relevance that prioritizes deepening knowledge in the area that has changed humanity the most in current times: the COVID-19 Pandemic. Furthermore, it analyzes the real impacts of this historical and unique moment in the global context, with a greater focus on health, the environment and the quality of life of the human population.
Objective: To investigate how the pandemic and the post-COVID-19 scenario may impact current and future plans in health (medical area), the environment, and the population's quality of life. Theoretical Framework: In 2019, the world began to live as a hostage to an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. As uncertainty reigns, the severity of the situation has shown that it could have social, health, educational, economic, and environmental aspects. Method: The methodology adopted for this research comprises a bibliographic review based on books, cataloged scientific articles being published on digital platforms including Scientific Library Online (SciELO), Pubmed, Periódico Capes, Cochrane, and Google Scholar, using the descriptors: COVID-19; quality of life; environment; health; and their respective synonyms, in Portuguese and English, published between 2015 and 2024. The exclusion criteria used in this study were duplicate articles in more than one database, with similar titles and that did not cover the topic, as well as articles published before 2015 in Portuguese and English. The main aspects analyzed for inclusion were the year of publication, type of study, language, objectives and main findings, according to the relevance of the original and current topic. Therefore, considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we made a cut of works published in the last 9 years and in the end 31 works were selected for the construction of this study. Results and Discussion: The results obtained revealed that all social spheres were, and may still be, affected unequally by the pandemic, since it is a situation of unknown nature, which is intensified every day by globalization and social inequalities. Direct impacts on the economy and jobs, as well as indirect effects of learning losses among children who are out of school. In terms of health and the impact on quality of life, we found changes in mental health, with an increase in the diagnosis of depression among adults. Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed, providing insights into how the results can be applied or influence practices in the fields of health, environment and education. These implications can cover areas of health promotion, economics and public and private management. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by addressing a current topic with extreme social relevance that prioritizes deepening knowledge in the area that has changed humanity the most in current times: the COVID-19 Pandemic. Furthermore, it analyzes the real impacts of this historical and unique moment in the global context, with a greater focus on health, the environment and the quality of life of the human population.
Only a few short months ago, Generative AI was sold to us as inevitable by the leadership of AI companies, those who partnered with them, and venture capitalists. As certain elements of the media promoted and amplified these claims, public discourse online buzzed with what each new beta release could be made to do with a few simple prompts. As AI became a viral sensation, every business tried to become an AI business. Some businesses added "AI" to their names to juice their stock prices, and companies talking about "AI" on their earnings calls saw similar increases. While the Generative AI hype bubble is now slowly deflating, its harmful effects will last.
This paper presents a queuing-theoretic framework to analyze the business of business-to-customer carsharing services with electric vehicle (EV) fleets. When grid-connected, EVs can use their batteries for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) interactions. In this work, we allow a carsharing platform to conceptually split its EV batteries into two parts: one part to provide transportation to carsharing customers and another for energy trading. We characterize the optimal storage control policy for price arbitrage during transportation-idle times and leverage equilibrium analysis of
M/G/N/N
queues with
N
cars to calculate the platform’s average revenue rate from dual service provision. For the single-EV case, we explicitly characterize the optimal price, both with patient and impatient customers. For the general
N
-car case, we provide an algorithm to maximize revenue rate over price and battery split, and utilize the algorithm to numerically study the variation of the optimal solutions with problem parameters.
We welcome Stewart Russell's paper, 'The Social Construction of Artefacts: A Response to Pinch and Bijker',1 not only because the author fully supports our objective of 'developing an explanation of the content of technology', but also because the points he raises give us an opportunity to comment further upon the exciting developments in this new field of science studies. Since writing our earlier paper advocating a new sociology of technology, the rapid growth of this field has been most encouraging. Two edited collections of papers have appeared in which the theme of a sociology of the content of technology is developed.2 Furthermore, an international Workshop has been held which has brought together proponents of a variety of new approaches in the history and sociology of technology approaches which are in sympathy with many of the proposals outlined in our earlier paper. An edited volume of papers from this workshop will appear later this year.3 As one commentator has noted in discussing this Workshop, 'we may look back to it as the place where the social study of technology first became a recognizable field'.4 One of the most satisfying things about these recent developments is that detailed empirical case studies which attempt to show how the content of technology is socially shaped are at last being carried out. Thus, in a sense, our earlier paper has rapidly been overtaken by events in the field.5
This paper explores ways in which the 'social shaping of technology' (SST) approach to the technology-society relationship might be extended, by drawing on ideas which have been developed in media and cultural studies. We introduce the various approaches to the social shaping of technology by discussing, in particular, the work of Raymond Williams and Langdon Winner. We argue that the SST approach is limited on three counts. First, it fails to take account of ideology in the social shaping of technology. We argue that ideology is central to functional and symbolic encoding, and suggest that designers are a key group in these processes. Second, we identify marketing as a process which is central to the shaping of technology: it plays an important part in both constructing the demand for technologies, and in informing their development. Third, we suggest that the SST approach fails to take account of the appropriation of technologies by users. Technologies offer varying possibilities for such appropriation, but these are not limitless: some technologies are more 'open' than others in the range of possible uses to which they may be put. But appropriation is not just about the use of a technology: it is also about the meaning the technology has for its user. These ideas are discussed in relation to recent work on various domestic technologies.
The need for an integrated social constructivist approach towards the study of science and technology is outlined. Within such a programme both scientific facts and technological artefacts are to be understood as social constructs. Literature on the sociology of science, the science-technology relationship, and technology studies is reviewed. The empirical programme of relativism within the sociology of scientific knowledge and a recent study of the social construction of technological artefacts are combined to produce the new approach. The concepts of `interpretative flexibility' and `closure mechanism', and the notion of `social group' are developed and illustrated by reference to a study of solar physics and a study of the development of the bicycle. The paper concludes by setting out some of the terrain to be explored in future studies.
L'A. decrit l'ideologie des habitudes de travail des femmes dans les fermes americaines au XX e siecle en etudiant l'histoire sociale de la technologie rurale qui leur a permis d'ameliorer et d'alleger leurs conditions de travail
The social constructivist approach to the development of technology is adopted to study the development of two ultracentrifuges which have emerged somewhat independently of each other. In a comparative analysis of these two cases, the socially constructed character of the artefacts is demonstrated: it is shown that the different designs of the two ultracentrifuges reflect the different meanings attributed to them by the researchers involved. Finally, two important aspects are identified which should play a role in theoretical explanations of the developmental process of technological artefacts.
Based on the cost savings of tractors relative to horses, nearly twice as many farmers in the Corn Belt should have invested in tractors as actually did so in the 1920s. During the Great Depression, however, the proportion of farmers owning tractors jumped from 25 to 40 percent. I argue that financial barriers explain farmers' reluctance to buy this expensive invention during the 1920s, while two New Deal regulatory agencies altered farmers' investment climate and spurred the adoption of capital equipment.
FMCA, Acc. 972, Box 1913-1916; Motor Age
- Ford Sales
Ford Sales Bulletin, June 17, 1916, p. 195, FMCA, Acc. 972, Box 1913-1916; Motor Age, September 2, 1915, p. 46. This content downloaded from 195.78.108.174 on Fri, 20 Jun 2014 21:25:54 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 2, 1917, p. 401; March 16, 1917, p. 510; and July 27, 1917, p. 1054. Motor Age, May 17, 1917, p. 42; May 24, 1917, pp. 40-41; November 22, 1917, pp. 71-74; December 13, 1917, p. 46; February 21, 1918, p.