[pt] O tema amplo deste trabalho é a hegemonia tecnológica contemporânea, em seus aspectos ontológicos e sociológicos. Na impossibilidade de cobrir todo o campo fenomênico dessa hegemonia, elegemos as tecnologias digitais e o paradigma informacional que lhe corresponde como nossos objetos de estudo imediato e exemplar. A contemporaneidade e a velocidade das transformações que concernem a esses objetos colocam, por sua vez, problemas diretos ao desenvolvimento de um trabalho mais canônico ou sistemático. A escolha foi trabalhar com autores de referência, diversos entre si, como Jean Baudrillard, William Gibson e Pierre Lévy. Foi elaborado um diálogo tendo como base alguns conceitos dos autores citados, por exemplo: simulação (Baudrillard), ciberespaço (Gibson) e, numa chave mais crítica, virtualidade (Lévy). Investigamos como essas tecnologias do virtual organizam, de forma mais ou menos insidiosa, a realidade e a vida através desse paradigma informático. Dado o abalo dos referenciais de sentido protagonizados por essa hegemonia tecnológica, discutimos, em suma, os caminhos ainda trilháveis nessa atmosfera de positivação do encantamento e da ilusão, ou seja, o que nos resta do mundo e da nossa capacidade de pensá-lo. / [en] This study has the contemporary technological hegemony as a theme, both in it s ontological and sociological aspects. Since it s impossible to cover the phenomenological field of this hegemony as a whole, we chose digital technologies and it s informational paradigm as our immediate and exemplary subject of estudy. Contemporaneity and the fast transformations concerned to these subjects lead to problems regarding the development of a more orthodox or systematic study. To overcome such obstacle, the choice of working with referenced and diversified authors, as Jean Baudrillard, William Gibson and Pierre Lévy, was made. A dialogue between these authors was elaborated, using some of their concepts as a foundation, such as: simulation (Baudrillard), cyberspace (Gibson) and, in a more critical approach, virtuality (Lévy). The way these virtual technologies organize reality and life through an informational paradigm, in a somewhat insidious way, was investigated. Given the downfall of the sense references protagonized by this technological hegemony, we discussed, in short, the possible paths to follow under this atmosphere of enchantment s and illusion s positivation, that is, what is left of the world and of our capacity of thinking it.

Background/ Problem/Purpose: Sustainability and Digitalisation are two buzzwords nowadays. The textile value chain is one of the most criticised value chains with respects to ecological as well as social sustainability. Thus, it seems a worthwhile project to be examined in the context of how digital technologies can be used to support sustainability aspirations. Academic literature rarely describes the relation between sustainability and digitalisation in a theoretical and empirical way. Most studies focus on one of the two topics, especially in the context of textile procurement. The purpose of this study is to investigate to which extent digital technologies, such as Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence and Robotic Process Automation, can contribute to sustainable procurement in the textile value chain. Methodology: The study follows a qualitative approach and combines insights obtained by means of conducted semi-structured interviews combined with secondary data related to the studied cases. While embracing an abductive approach, the data analysis follows the extended six-dimension model by Münch et al. (2022) based on the socio-technical system theory. The findings were summarised in two frameworks and discussed in the context of the socio-technical system theory and academic literature. Findings – Through the differentiated model, the findings shed light on the relationship between sustainability and digitalisation in the context of textile procurement. Internal and external organisational aspects of technology implementation were identified for digital tools towards sustainability in the textile procurement. Consequently, possible external and internal drivers, challenges and requirements could be identified for implementing digital technologies. Moreover, the contribution of specifically Robotic Process Automation, Artificial Intelligence as well as Blockchain to sustainable procurement in the textile value chain was analysed and compared. Originality/Value – This study combines, as one of the few, sustainability and digitalisation in the context of the textile value chain. It provides an insight into external as well as internal aspects that can foster or hamper the successful implementation of advanced digital technologies, as well as requirements needed for a successful implementation. Furthermore, the study applies the theory of socio-technical system theory in the context of sustainability and digitalisation. The study offers practitioners a better understanding of the potential effects of advanced digital technologies towards sustainable procurement. It also provides a framework that can support the sustainability driven implementation of advanced digital technologies.

Bionic devices for reestablishing or augmenting users' capabilities (e.g., bionic prostheses or exoskeletons) are becoming increasingly common. While prior research examined how such devices affect others' perceptions of their users, little is known about how these devices affect users' self-image and -perception, and the corresponding theory is scarce. To account for this gap, we conducted semi-structured interviews with users of bionic upper limb prostheses to obtain insights into their self- and meta-perceptions. Results of our qualitative analysis indicate that using bionic prostheses influences the social (self-) perception of bionics users in multiple ways, such that users describe themselves as being seen as more competent by others and treated differently after receiving the bionic prosthesis in comparison to simpler models. Results imply a somewhat complex dual identity among users in the sense that the bionic device instills competence, but disability-related feelings of stigma are present simultaneously. Despite being exploratory, our findings thus indicate that using bionic devices affects users' self-perception, stereotypes, and interpersonal perceptions. The ongoing proliferation of restoring devices and the introduction of augmenting technologies in future work contexts, for example, might thus have unintended social consequences that need to be accounted for.

In academic institutions, e-learning platforms are widely used to manage learning contents, assessments, and student communication and act as a primary system for managing teaching and learning activities. Due to public health concerns during COVID-19, online learning was the primary medium of instruction used to teach students. During this time, the world also noticed the increased activity of identity theft, individual and institutional content theft, and ransom attacks in many educational institutions since most students were using digital technologies to learn, and information, including personal and intellectual content, was being shared online. This study sought to identify college students' perceptions of information security regarding online learning platforms. This study focused on college students because they are active users of online learning tools, and there is a potential need for increased awareness regarding information security measures within these tools that could potentially create vulnerabilities that may lead to security breaches. The global COVID-19 pandemic accelerated online learning methods, making it more critical for institutions to pay more attention to cybersecurity and ransom attacks. The results from this study will facilitate an understanding of student's confidence in the learning platforms and their level of knowledge related to information security while using the Internet. Additionally, the result may help e-learning platform providers to create safer and more secure solutions that protect the integrity of the information shared.

This thesis examines the application of digital technologies to enhance Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) using an order fulfillment risk management process of a Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company as a case-study. The specific focus is on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the order fulfillment risk management process through the identification of gaps and the proposal of digital solutions. Previous research has established the importance of SCRM, highlighting the need for resilient and adaptive strategies. However, there is a limited understanding of how digital technologies can specifically enhance risk management practices. By exploring and proposing digital solutions, this study fills a gap in the existing literature and provides practical insights for improving risk management practices. The research approach combines qualitative interviews and document review for process analysis. This approach allows for a comprehensive examination of the current challenges and potential opportunities for enhancing risk management through digital technologies. The findings of this research highlight the key risks faced by the FMCG company and the issues the current risk management process faces in mitigating these risks. Furthermore, based on the analysis of the process, relevant solutions are proposed and developed. The results of the thesis offer practical insights and recommendations for organizations seeking to improve their risk management strategies. Ultimately, this research provides a roadmap for implementing digital solutions, enabling organizations to enhance risk mitigation, improve decision-making processes, and strengthen their supply chains. / Denna avhandling undersöker tillämpningen av digitala teknologier för att förbättra hanteringen av risker i försörjningskedjan genom att använda en process för hantering av tjänsterisker i en FMCG (snabbkonsumtionsvaror) företag som fallstudie. Det specifika fokusområdet är att förbättra effektiviteten i processen för hantering av tjänsterisker genom att identifiera luckor och föreslå digitala lösningar. Tidigare forskning har fastställt vikten av hantering av risker i försörjningskedjan och framhävt behovet av motståndskraftiga och anpassningsbara strategier. Det finns dock en begränsad förståelse för hur digitala teknologier specifikt kan förstärka riskhanteringspraxis. Genom att utforska och föreslå digitala lösningar fyller denna studie en lucka i den befintliga litteraturen och ger praktiska insikter för att förbättra riskhanteringspraxis. Forskningsansatsen kombinerar kvalitativa intervjuer och processanalys. Denna ansats möjliggör en omfattande undersökning av de aktuella utmaningarna och potentiella möjligheterna att förbättra riskhanteringen genom digitala teknologier. Forskningsresultaten belyser de viktigaste riskerna som företaget inom FMCG-sektorn står inför och de problem som den nuvarande riskhanteringsprocessen möter vid hanteringen av dessa risker. Dessutom föreslås och utvecklas relevanta lösningar baserat på analysen av processen. Resultaten från avhandlingen erbjuder praktiska insikter och rekommendationer för organisationer som vill förbättra sina riskhanteringsstrategier. Slutligen ger denna forskning en vägledning för att implementera digitala lösningar, vilket möjliggör för organisationer att förstärka riskhanteringen, förbättra beslutsfattandeprocesser och stärka sina försörjningskedjor.

Children’s use of digital technologies is rapidly increasing, with caregivers reporting that children spend more time on their devices than engaging in exercise, reading books, or socializing (Christofferson & Karlsson, 2023). The shift in children’s behavior has caregivers and organizations debating the risks and seeking ways to protect children. This study aims to promote a healthy lifestyle for children aged 7 to 11 through digital technologies by designing a proposal for a video streaming service interface, specifically Telia Play Kids. The study uses the digital diet approach by Orben (2022) and research on child-computer interaction to understand the technology’s impact on children. The research questions aim to identify which aspects of children’s digital lives need to be considered and to determine which design features need to be prioritized when designing a video streaming service interface. The study was conducted through a research through design process where the target group’s needs were investigated through interviews, findings were elaborated upon into concepts, and a prototype was designed. The findings indicated the importance of understanding which factors influence children’s digital lives, being aware of the consequences of the digital life, and which design improvements were needed to accommodate both children and caregivers. Design features prioritized in the final prototype included supporting visual perception, children’s cognition, language, and interests in addition to experiences focusing on the child’s well-being and caregiver’s needs. The study concludes that children’s digital lives are complex, highlighting the need to adapt video streaming services and other digital technologies through dialogue with children and caregivers but also through research on child-computer interaction.

Diese Dissertation hat die institutionalisierte Form des Sammelns in europäischen Museen zum Gegenstand. Mit dieser Arbeit analysiere ich die Auswirkungen des Einsatzes digitaler soziotechnischer Systeme für die Dokumentation von Museumssammlungen. Dafür kombiniere ich eine dezidiert theoretisch-kulturwissenschaftliche mit einer praxisorientierten Perspektive, die von der kritischen Museologie, der Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) und der Visualisierungsforschung informiert ist. Die zugrunde liegende Hypothese lautet, dass weder der Einsatz digitaler soziotechnischer Systeme zur Museumsdokumentation noch die daran anschließenden Formen der Veröffentlichung und Zugänglichmachung von Museumssammlungen zu einer »digitalen Transformation« des musealen Sammelns geführt haben. Diese Hypothese basiert auf der Beschreibung des musealen Sammelns als Kulturtechnik. Aufbauend auf diesem theoretischen Konzept betone ich das symmetrisch gedachte Zusammenspiel der technisch-medialen und der symbolischen Dimension kulturhervorbringender Praktiken. Um meine Hypothese zu überprüfen, analysiere ich Artikel, Handreichungen, Klassifzierungsstandards, technische Berichte und Software-Evaluierungen, die für und von Museumsfachleuten geschrieben wurden. Meine Analyse zeigt, dass die symbolische Dimension der Kulturtechnik des Sammelns - konkret die mit Sammlungen hergestellten und abgebildeten »epistemischen Ordnungen« - trotz der Nutzung von digitalen Technologien von Kontinuität geprägt ist. Die epistemischen Ordnungen werden bisher insbesondere durch die Dominanz und Priorisierung von standardisierter Wissensrepräsentation stabilisiert. Aufbauend auf diesen Erkenntnissen gehe ich der Frage nach, ob und wie digitale soziotechnische Systeme und algorithmische Verfahren im Kontext des musealen Sammelns so gestaltet werden können, dass sie der Destabilisierung und Pluralisierung von Museumsordnungen dienen und somit »Transformationsimpulse« verstärken oder auslösen können. / This dissertation is concerned with the institutionalised form of collecting in European museums. In this work, I analyse the effects of using digital socio-technical systems for documenting museum collections. For this, I combine a theoretical approach grounded in cultural studies with a practice-oriented perspective informed by critical museology, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), and visualisation research. My guiding hypothesis is that neither the use of digital socio-technical systems for museum documentation nor the subsequent forms of publishing and access to museum collections have led to a »digital transformation« of museum collecting. This hypothesis is based on the description of museum collecting as a cultural technique (Kulturtechnik). Building on this theoretical concept, I emphasise the symmetrical interplay of the technological and the symbolic dimensions of culture-producing practices. To test my hypothesis, I analyse articles, guidelines, classification standards, technical reports, and software evaluations written for and by museum professionals. My analysis shows that the symbolic dimension of the cultural technique of collecting - specifically the »epistemic orders« produced and represented with collections - is characterised by continuity despite the use of digital technologies. The epistemic orders are stabilised, particularly by the dominance and prioritisation of standardised knowledge representation. Building on these findings, I explore the question of whether and in what way digital socio-technical systems and algorithmic processes can be designed in such a way that they serve to destabilise and pluralise museum orders and consequently can contribute to amplifying or triggering »transformation impulses« in the context of museum collecting.

As an expression of current challenges faced by contemporary societies, past decades have witnessed heavy demands for higher education to change and transform. One key question here has been the increased digitalization of higher education. Within this wider setting, this thesis deals with an attempt to handle the increasing shortage of physicians in Sweden by way of digitalizing medical education. The aim of this explorative and longitudinal thesis is to describe and analyze structural and educational transformation work in medical education during the digitalization of the program and the transition from face-to-face to distance education. This thesis focuses on teachers, students and management, who are all heavily involved in this transition of the medical program. Two questions guide the research: (1) what are teachers’ and students’ expectations pending the transition, and what are the influences of already established tools and activities on the program and (2) in what ways do conflicts and changes occur over time, and how do teachers, students, and management deal with these as part of the transition? Cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) serves as the theoretical framework of the thesis. In particular, the concepts of dominant and non-dominant activities, conflicts, transitional actions, and levels of learning inform the analysis. The data are generated by surveys (N = 108), logging of actors’ activity patterns (N = 100 teachers and 100 students), field studies (65 hours), and interviews (N = 62). The data cover teachers’, students’ and management’s roles in the transition. The analysis shows that the way of theoretically understanding the transition – from a dominant face-to-face activity to a new and unproven non-dominant distance activity – have proved to contribute to deeper understanding of the process of digitalizing medical education. The analysis further displays how the transition from face-to-face to distance education creates considerable conflicts that over time force teachers, students and management into structural and educational transformation work. This type of work successively renders new educational design solutions and new flexible ways of organizing distance medical education. This thesis discusses how the structural and educational transformation work forces actors to collectively engage in the transition by experimenting with new suitable methods and designs, as digital technologies and technology-enhanced learning (TEL) could make sense to teachers and students when they are at a distance.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T14:32:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marilene Andrade Ferreira Borges.pdf: 2551854 bytes, checksum: 5fa6c98a362a91ee17f0e06688f2a0fe (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-06-24 / The objective of this thesis is to investigate how people Appropriate digital technologies, more specifically, to reveal and to understand how this process takes place. Initially the use of the term Appropriation was studied in different knowledge areas.The practical work included the study of the training course "Projeto Gestão Escolar e Tecnologias" (School and Technologies Management Project) and the data used was the text extracts from the "Memoriais Reflexivos" (Reflexive Memorials) produced by educational managers who participated in the course. These extracts were analyzed, categorized, compiled and submitted to a new analysis, using a multidimensional statistical method performed by the software CHIC- Coercion, Implication and Hierarchic Classification. The software generated similarity trees and the numbers of occurrences of the specified categories. Bar charts were then elaborated based on these numbers,using Excel. Based upon the analysis of all this information the result showed that: the presence of orientation principles of the Complex Thought, indicating that the process of technological Appropriation is a Complex process; the relations established among the person, the object and the "other", signaling that technological Appropriation is not in the person nor in the technologies itself, but it is in the relations established among them; and the Appropriation is configured as a spiral in an ascending movement, which happens as part of the computer mediation, peers and the course professors. This confirms, therefore, that the digital technologies Appropriation is a Relational, Complex and Spiral process, which is constituted in levels, although singular in its identities, they are part of a unique movement. At the base of this process it is the Emotional level which supports the existence of other levels such as Imitation,, Relation- Communication, Relation-Information, Reflective-Relation/Expression and Selfeducation. The Emotional level is not related to the Technical-Operational level. The identification, the comprehension and the understanding of these levels, will be able to contribute to the educators' training actions or to other segments that have digital technologies as one of the supports for its accomplishment, to use these technologies as communication, information and expression means, allowing the students to appropriate them. Another result is to extend to the persons who have not appropriated the technologies, but who are trying to look for means to the realization of their emotions (MATURANA, 2001) / O presente trabalho tem como objetivo mostrar como ocorre a Apropriação das tecnologias digitais pelo sujeito, mais especificamente, desvelar e compreender como se configura esse processo. Inicialmente foi feito um estudo do termo Apropriação em diversas áreas do conhecimento. Como parte prática, foi estudado o curso de formação do "Projeto Gestão Escolar e Tecnologias", e os dados utilizados foram os extratos textuais dos Memoriais Reflexivos, elaborados pelos gestores educacionais, participantes do curso. Esses extratos foram analisados, categorizados,compilados e submetidos a uma nova análise, utilizando-se o método estatístico multidimensional viabilizado pelo software CHIC - Classificação Hierárquica, Implicativa e Coercitiva - que gerou as árvores de similaridade e os números de ocorrências das categorias e a partir delas, utilizando-se o Excel, os gráficos de barras foram elaborados. Com base nessas informações o resultado das análises mostrou que: a presença de princípios norteadores do Pensamento Complexo que apontam o processo de Apropriação tecnológica como um processo Complexo; as relações estabelecidas entre o sujeito, objeto e o "outro", sinalizando que Apropriação tecnológica não está nem no sujeito e nem nas próprias tecnologias,mas nas relações estabelecidas entre eles; e que a Apropriação se configura em espiral, num movimento ascendente, realizado com a mediação do computador, pares e professores. Confirma, portanto, que Apropriação das tecnologias digitais é um processo Relacional, Complexo e em Espiral, que se constituem níveis, que mesmo singulares em suas identidades, fazem parte de um único movimento. Na base desse processo está o nível Emocional, que potencializa a existência dos níveis: Imitação, Relação-Comunicação, Relação-Informação, Relação/Expressão-Reflexiva e Autoformação. O nível Emocional só não está relacionado com o nível Técnico-Operacional. A identificação, a compreensão e o entendimento dos níveis, poderão contribuir para que as ações de formação de educadores ou outros segmentos, que têm nas tecnologias digitais um dos suportes para a sua realização, utilizem-nas como forma de comunicação, informação e expressão, possibilitando aos cursistas delas se apropriarem; e, num desdobramento estende-se a todos os sujeitos que não se apropriaram das tecnologias, mas tentam-no buscando meios para a realização de suas emoções. (MATURANA, 2001)

Esta pesquisa tem por objetivo fundamental investigar, descrever e analisar o impacto das tecnologias digitais sobre as formas de ação nas artes cênicas contemporâneas. Entendemos que as tecnologias digitais contribuem para alterar a ação linear e frontal precipitada a partir de um ator humano, típica das formas artísticas tradicionais, dando origem a processos nos quais elementos humanos e não humanos interagem numa configuração ecossistêmica e em rede. Partindo de um percurso histórico-teórico que busca refletir sobre a presença e a participação da tecnologia nas artes cênicas, do teatro grego a nossa contemporaneidade, apresentamos a perspectiva da ação em rede, pela qual se pretende analisar a cena contemporânea como uma ecologia e pensar as novas formas em que se organizam as relações entre artista, espectador e obra de arte no contexto das tecnologias digitais. Como analisar, por exemplo, uma obra em que atores, em lugares físicos distintos, contracenam apenas a partir de uma conexão de Internet? Qual a natureza da relação com o espaço característico dessas obras, sobretudo quando comparadas àquelas que se ancoram na pressuposição de um espaço físico? Em última instância, promovendo a pesquisa transdisciplinar, pretende-se, assim, analisar como a comunicação digital estaria alterando a própria forma de atuação artística em nossa época. Para aprofundar a reflexão, a pesquisa apresenta uma análise de casos representativos, com obras do grupo catalão-espanhol La Fura dels Baus, do francês Collectif Iduun e do brasileiro Coletivo Phila 7, a fim de realizar uma articulação teórico-prática entre seus trabalhos e alguns dos conceitos que tangenciamos, como presença, tempo, espaço e performatividade da tecnologia / This research aims to investigate, describe and analyze the impact of digital technologies on the forms of action in contemporary performing arts. We believe that digital technologies contribute to change the linear and frontal action, precipited from a human actor and characteristic of traditional art forms, giving rise to processes in which human and non-human elements interact in an ecosystemic and networked configuration. From a historical and theoretical path that seeks to reflect on the presence and the participation of the technology in the performing arts - from the Greek theater to our times -, we present the perspective of the networked action, by which we intend to analyze the contemporary scene as an ecology and to think the new ways in which the relations between artist, spectator and work of art are organized in the context of the digital technologies. How to analyze, for instance, a work in which actors, in different physical locations, perform only by an Internet connection? What is the nature of the relationship with the space in this works, especially when compared to those anchored in a physical space? Finally, we intend, therefore, to analyze how the digital communications are altering the forms of art in our time. To develop our reflection, the research presents an analysis of representative cases, with works of Catalan-Spanish group La Fura dels Baus, the French Collectif Iduun and the Brazilian Coletivo Phila 7, in order to realize a theoretical and practical connection between their works and some of the concepts which we discuss, as presence, time, space and performativity of the technology.