When Is a Work-Around? Conflict and Negotiation in Computer Systems Development Export

@article{citeulike:3368530, abstract = {The notion of a "work-around" is a much-used resource within the sociology of technology, reflecting an interest in showing how users are not simply shaped by technologies but how they, through adopting artifacts in ways other than those for which they were designed or intended, are also shapers of technology. Using the language and concerns of actor-network theory and focusing on recent developments within computer-systems implementation, this article seeks to explore and add to our understanding of work-arounds through unpacking the work of one group of "users" as they attempt to tailor and roll out a system within the administration departments of their university. This article argues that paying attention to the various networks that lead to and from work-arounds can improve our understanding of the way users both shape and are shaped by technologies. Focusing on work-arounds as "networks in place" also allows us to highlight some of their contingencies; for example, the other actors and entities on which these depend and are constituted.}, author = {Pollock, Neil}, citeulike-article-id = {3368530}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://sth.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/30/4/496}, day = {1}, journal = {Science Technology Human Values}, keywords = {ant, concepts, development, is, software, users, work\_around}, month = {October}, number = {4}, pages = {496--514}, posted-at = {2008-10-03 09:16:02}, priority = {3}, title = {When Is a Work-Around? Conflict and Negotiation in Computer Systems Development}, url = {http://sth.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/30/4/496}, volume = {30}, year = {2005} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:3368530 L3 - citeulike-article-id:3368530 N2 - The notion of a "work-around" is a much-used resource within the sociology of technology, reflecting an interest in showing how users are not simply shaped by technologies but how they, through adopting artifacts in ways other than those for which they were designed or intended, are also shapers of technology. Using the language and concerns of actor-network theory and focusing on recent developments within computer-systems implementation, this article seeks to explore and add to our understanding of work-arounds through unpacking the work of one group of "users" as they attempt to tailor and roll out a system within the administration departments of their university. This article argues that paying attention to the various networks that lead to and from work-arounds can improve our understanding of the way users both shape and are shaped by technologies. Focusing on work-arounds as "networks in place" also allows us to highlight some of their contingencies; for example, the other actors and entities on which these depend and are constituted. IS - 4 JF - Science Technology Human Values EP - 514 TI - When Is a Work-Around? Conflict and Negotiation in Computer Systems Development VL - 30 SP - 496 KW - ant KW - concepts KW - development KW - is KW - software KW - users KW - work_around AU - Pollock, Neil PY - 2005/10/01/ UR - http://sth.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/30/4/496 ER -