Boxes, Non-Human Stakeholders and the Translation of IT Through Mediation

Abstract

The adoption of technological determinism or social constructivism (or a dialectical combination of the two) is considered to he problematic due to a lack of symmetry between organizational work and technology. Latour's notion of quasi-objects is introduced to mitigate the limitations of an artificial distinction between object and subject worlds that results from the adoption of a dualistic approach. The idea of a mediated network of technology and organizational context is proposed, in which Information Technology implementations become black boxes as a result of dissemination through space and time. This process requires that allies be enrolled and controlled, which in turn indicates a need for the interests of relevant stakeholders (human and non-human) to be understood. The ideas of quasi-objects and mediated networks are applied to a case study of an automated access control system for a car park. The case study demonstrates the potential impact of (information) technology on organizational work through physical and informating changes in a pluralistic situation.