Description
It has been over twenty years since developments in actor-network theory were first written on paper. Since then, the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) community has begun to discover the power of using actor-network theory as an explanatory framework for much of its research. This research community has come to an understanding that information systems are, of necessity, socio-technical in nature and require a socio-technical approach to their investigation. Thanks to developments in actor-network theory, researchers can now approach people and technology as one single entity that gives support to social influences on technological innovations.
Social Influences on Information and Communication Technology Innovations discusses in great detail the use of actor-network theory in offering explanations for socio-technical phenomena, focusing greatly on information communication technologies. Implementation and use of information and communication technologies inevitably involves the interactions of both technology and people. This publication facilitates international growth in the body of research investigating the value of using actor-network theory as a means of understanding socio-technical phenomena and technological innovation.
Author's/Editor's Biography
Arthur Tatnall (Ed.)
Arthur Tatnall is an Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Business at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia. In his PhD he used actor-network theory to investigate adoption of Visual Basic in the curriculum of an Australian university. Arthur’s research interests include technological innovation, history of technology, project management, information systems curriculum, information technology in educational management and electronic business. Much of his research is based on the use of actor-network theory. Arthur is a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society and active in the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) as Chair of IFIP WG9.7 – History of Computing, Chair of IFIP WG3.4 – ICT in Professional and Vocational Education and a member of IFIP WG3.7 – Information Technology in Educational Management. He has published widely in journals, books, book chapters and conference proceedings and recently edited the
Encyclopaedia of Portal Technology and Applications, and Web Technologies: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications for IGI Global. Arthur is also Editor-in-Chief of the
International Journal of Actor-Network Theory and Technological Innovation, Editor-in-Chief of the
Journal of Education and Information Technologies and Editor of the
Journal of Business Systems, Governance and Ethics.