In this paper I will examine the ways that power operates and resistance might be possible under political, social, and cultural conditions which are increasingly manufactured and mediated by information technologies. More specifically, I will focus on how the work of Michel Foucault and Jean Baudrillard might be used to better understand the political problems and potentialities of informationalization. Some of the questions I address here are: What exactly are we speaking of when we call this the "information age?" Has it replaced or merely subsumed the older, industrialized era? What are some of the effects of informationalization on the subject, knowledge, and "reality?" Can Foucault's analytics of power (which describes the birth of the modern era) be extended to the problematic of informational society? Can Baudrillard's acidic descriptions of informationalized consumerism be used for progressive political projects? Finally, I will discuss what the role of the intellectual might be in informationalization. By examining the conditions of informationalization, I hope that we can better understand the theoretical and political implications of Foucault's and Baudrillard's work. / Master of Arts

Yet, Kam Hon. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-134). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in Chinese; appendixes includes Chinese.

The ubiquitous and pervasive nature of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) fosters societies driven by knowledge rather than traditional capital and labour through the simplified socio-economic participation. No longer are individuals impacted by spatial and environmental conditions when conducting personal, community and even national obligations and duties. However, the effective use of ICT is governed by personal, interpersonal and environmental factors. Nowhere else is this impact more evident than in rural areas. Rural areas are plagued by a number of challenges which affect ICT use. Some of these challenges relate to the scarcity of income, education and infrastructure. A holistic investigation on the challenges experienced by rural areas was necessary. Based on the outcome of the investigation, rural areas were classified as resource-constrained environments. The study then set out to explore concepts that highlight the opportunities offered by ICT in rural areas and those that mitigate challenges posed by these environments on ICT use. The theoretical grounding of the concepts identified in the study firstly set out to understand and explain general ICT use, then extended this ICT use to rural areas. A conceptual model explaining challenges posed by resource constraints inherent in rural areas on ICT use was incepted. This conceptual model was empirically investigated for evaluation and validation purposes resulting in the final model of the study. The final model of the study facilitated the process of understanding and explaining the effective use of ICT in rural areas based on the inherent resource constraints in these environments. By mitigating the factors affecting ICT use in rural areas, the impact of effective ICT use can potentially be extended to resource-constrained environments, including rural areas. / School of Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)

Orientador: Lea Maria Leme Strini Velho / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociencias / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-11T03:21:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Feltrin_RebecaBuzzo_M.pdf: 4845623 bytes, checksum: f354966366370256b3d090849bf8ff0f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: Os programas habitacionais brasileiros, embora apresentem facilidades às famílias de baixa renda, tendem a excluir os futuros moradores da participação nas decisões sobre sua própria casa. O projeto da casa popular ou ¿habitação social¿ apresenta uma arquitetura padrão e fechada que não leva em consideração as necessidades individuais das famílias moradoras, gerando frustrações com relação ao produto final. Os futuros moradores, excluídos da fase de elaboração do desenho de suas casas, acabam encarando uma segunda luta pela moradia adequada: a adaptação da casa padrão de forma a transformá-la em uma moradia que realmente atenda às necessidades de sua família. No entanto, o processo de transformação das casas populares passa a ser uma batalha individual para essas famílias, sem o apoio do Estado. O presente trabalho analisa o processo de planejamento, negociação, construção e transformação de casas populares em um Projeto Habitacional brasileiro, destacando a participação das famílias mutirantes ¿ futuros moradores ¿ nesses processos. Utiliza-se o referencial teórico do Construtivismo Social da Tecnologia, com destaque para as relações entre gêneros. Desta forma, alguns aspectos foram observados, como: os grupos sociais relevantes, os conflitos de interesses entre os grupos, a influência dos moradores no processo de decisão e implementação dos acordos entre grupos, fechamento das situações de conflito, além da participação das mulheres na construção física e social das casas populares. A análise se baseia, principalmente, na observação direta da atuação do grupo de moradores e representantes da Prefeitura durante reuniões para discussão dos rumos do Projeto Habitacional no bairro Jardim dos Lírios, em Americana/SP. Algumas entrevistas com os principais atores envolvidos no caso estudado contribuíram para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa. A organização dos futuros moradores ¿ em especial das mulheres ¿ com o objetivo de criar estratégias para influenciar o processo de desenvolvimento do artefato, conquistando alterações no desenho inicial das casas tem-se mostrado um grande avanço na busca por projetos habitacionais mais participativos e democráticos / Abstract: Although the Brazilian housing programs presents some facilities to low-income families, they tend to exclude future residents from the participation in the decision-making process about their own houses. The ¿social housing¿ project presents a standard and closed design, which does not take into consideration the residents¿ needs and life styles.The tenants, after receiving the standard houses, have to struggle again, by rebuilding and transforming the received units, in order to achieve what they consider as adequate housing. At this stage, however, the process of transformation of the popular houses becomes an individual battle for these families, without State support. The present work analyzes the process of planning, negotiation, construction and transformation of popular houses in a Brazilian Housing Project, with a special focus on the participation of the future residents in these processes. The research is undertaken in line with the framework of the social construction of technology (SCOT). As such, it is concerned with the social process of building of popular houses in a Brazilian Housing Project, identifying all relevant social groups involved, their interests and views about the final artefact (the house unit), as well as their strategies to shape the artefact. The analysis has also identified situations of conflict among social actors, negotiation processes and agreements reached. Special attention was given to the women¿s role in the whole process. The analysis is based, mainly, on direct observation of the performance of the participants during the meetings between the group of future residents and representatives of the City Hall. Interviews with key actors in the housing project contributed to the development of the research. The organization of the group of residents - in special of the women - to influence the construction process and to search alterations in the initial design of the house has proved to be a new and successful route to more participative and democratic housing projects / Mestrado / Mestre em Política Científica e Tecnológica

The study investigated whether a relationship existed between using technology for recreation, and attachment style with important individuals in the lives of respondents. The main results showed that (4) a decrease in friend anxiety contributes towards an increase in the positive attitude towards using the HES for explicit content; (5) An increase in romantic partner anxiety contributed towards an increase in the positive attitude towards using the HES for social replacement. (6) Decreased father avoidance and increased father anxiety lead to an increasingly positive attitude towards using the PC for social, romantic and sexual improvement; (7) an increase in mother avoidance and anxiety, partner anxiety and friend anxiety contributed towards an increase in the positive attitude towards using the cell phone for explicit content and relationship related activities. / Psychology / (M.A. (Psychology))

Mobile phone usage involves the mobile phone, the telecommunications system, mobile phone users, and the adoption and use of the system. Mobile communications is a complex and rapidly changing industry consisting of the hardware, software, network and business aspects. Mobile phone users are influenced by demographic, social, cultural and contextual factors that complicate the understanding of mobile phone usage. Advances in technology and market competition drive the addition of new services and features. In contrast, human cognition and attention are more constrained and many users find it difficult to cope with the cognitive demands of mobile phone technology. The aim of this study is to develop a model for representing the influence of motivational needs and cultural factors on mobile phone usage variety. The link between motivational needs and mobile phone usage variety, the cultural factors that influence mobile phone usage variety, as well as usage spaces as an approach to representing usage variety, are researched. The research encompasses a literature study, structured interviews, a pilot study and a survey. The pilot study and survey yielded data about mobile phone usage of university students under the age of 30 in South Africa. The results from the statistical analysis were triangulated with the findings of the literature study and the observations made about mobile phone usage during this two-year period. A final survey was conducted to verify the model. The contribution of this study is a mobile phone technology usage model (MOPTUM) for representing the motivational and cultural factors that influence mobile phone usage variety in such a way that users can use the model to express their mobile phone usage needs in non-technical terms while marketers and designers can use the model to convert the expressed user needs into the features required. MOPTUM draws on concepts and models from sociology, computer-supported cooperative work, human-computer interaction and technology adoption models from the field of marketing. MOPTUM verifies some existing findings on mobile phone usage and then integrates and extends these existing models to provide a new model for understanding the motivational and cultural factors that influence mobile phone usage variety. / Computing / Ph. D. (Computer Science)

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aims to investigate the enabling role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a tool to develop the South African economy, taking into account the change in the economy from a primary to a secondary economy and tertiary economy. It also analyses the impact of apartheid on the social and economic conditions in South Africa (SA). The legacy of apartheid is still evident if we look at the underdevelopment of basic infrastructure in the rural areas. The report studies ICT development within seven provinces and reveals that major gaps exist in the development of the rural versus the urban areas. SA has come a long way fifteen years into democracy, having developed in various areas. However, structural challenges, race, gender and economic inequalities are problems that cannot be resolved in the short term but need long term planning to see desired results. The high poverty rate, inadequately skilled workforce and high unemployment rate in SA makes it difficult to convince local communities that there is a need for ICT. Introducing the internet in rural areas for example is also a major challenge due to the poor infrastructural development and the low penetration of fixed line telecommunication services. The generation of ICT infrastructure and access to this technology is a priority for the development of the South African economy. For SA to achieve their development goals, ICT infrastructure needs to be distributed equally. This is one of the goals of the South African government, more specifically of the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA). In order for the South African government to create a competitive ICT sector, changes to the regulations and framework strategies in the telecommunications sector was necessary. The Telecommunication Act of 1996 was extensively criticized because the Telkom monopoly was viewed as a major restraint to competition for ICT development. In 2001, the Telecommunication Act of 1996 was modified to address the inequity in the ICT sector and to make telecommunications more affordable. Furthermore, SA signed the World Trade Organization Telecommunication Agreement to liberalise trade by opening up the world market to competition. There exists a lack of clear national strategy in SA that includes the input of all the stakeholders such as Small, Medium and Micro-sized Enterprises (SMME), government departments, private sector etc. The Information Technology (IT) strategy should have timelines with clear guidelines on where the IT industry is going. There is also a need for the identification of focus areas where high growth and development are required. South Africa has the capacity to develop into an ICT leader, but for this to happen the culture must change from being dependent on innovations of developing countries to becoming independent. ICT will not necessarily alleviate poverty, but it is merely an accelerator to develop people by changing information into valuable knowledge to empower communities. Poverty does not only refer to the lack of basic needs like water, shelter and food, but it is also prevalent when people are: • Unable to access property and credit to do business. • Vulnerable and powerless in situations like crime, economic downturns and recessions. • Socially and economically excluded from society. The ICT Charter was developed to address issues such as employment equity, skills development and socio-economic development, as well as to clarify treatment of multinational enterprises. The charter is the Code of Good Practice for the ICT sector. The automation of work processes, machinery and the use of technology has further led to obsolete positions in the workplace. The change in the structure of the South African economy and the emergence of the digital economy has brought about fundamental economic changes. For SA to keep abreast with global developments it must embrace the transformational stages and exploit the market opportunities of the digital economy. The conditions for creating an environment that is conducive to socio-economic growth include investment in ICTs, policies, human resources and a clear IT strategy. These conditions form the pillars on which the framework of this research report is built. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die bemagtigingsrol van inligting- en kommunikasietegnologie (IKT) in die ontwikkeling van die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie. Die oorgang in die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie van ‘n primêre ekonomie na ‘n sekondêre en tersiêre ekonomie word in ag geneem, en die impak van apartheid op die sosio-ekonomiese omstandighede word geanaliseer. Die nalatenskap van apartheid is nog steeds sigbaar as ons kyk hoe onderontwikkel die basiese infrastruktuur in landelike gebiede is. Hierdie studie ontleed die ontwikkeling van IKT in sewe provinsies, en dit is duidelik dat daar groot verskille bestaan ten opsigte van IKT-ontwikkeling in landelike gebiede vergeleke met dié in stedelike gebiede. Die Suid-Afrikaanse demokrasie het in die afgelope vyftien jaar baie ontwikkel in verskeie areas. Die resultate van die planne wat geïmplementeer word ten opsigte van strukturele probleme, rasseverdeling en ekonomiese ongelykhede sal egter eers oor die langtermyn sigbaar wees. Die hoë armoedesyfer en die oorwegend onvoldoende geskoolde bevolking, tesame met die hoë persentasie werkloosheid in veral landelike gebiede, maak dit moeilik om hierdie gemeenskappe te oortuig dat daar ‘n behoefte aan IKT bestaan. Dis ook moeilik om tegnologie soos die internet in dié gebiede te vestig weens die agterstand in die ontwikkeling van die nodige infrastruktuur en die klein aantal telefoonlyne wat beskikbaar is. Die ontwikkeling van IKT en toegang daartoe is ’n voorvereiste vir die groei van die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie. Een van die vereistes om dit te bereik is die eweredige verspreiding van IKT-infrastruktuur. Die Suid-Afrikaanse regering, en meer spesifiek USAASA (Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa), stel dit gevolglik as een van hulle doelwitte. Die Suid-Afrikaanse regering het besef dat veranderinge aan die wetgewing rakende die telekommunikasiesektor nodig was om ’n mededingende IKT-sektor te vestig. Die Telekommunikasiewet van 1996 het wye kritiek ontlok, aangesien die monopolie van Telkom geïdentifiseer is as ’n struikelblok in die ontwikkeling van IKT. Die wet is in 2001 hersien, waartydens die ongelykhede in die IKT-sektor aangespreek is, om sodoende telekommunikasie meer bekostigbaar te maak. Suid-Afrika (SA) het ook die World Trade Organisation Telecommunication-ooreenkoms onderteken, wat blootstelling aan internasionale markte en wêreldwye kompetisie verseker. Daar bestaan tans geen duidelike nasionale IKT-strategie wat insette van al die rolspelers, soos Klein- en Medium-Sakeondernemings, regeringsdepartemente en die private sektor, bevat nie. So ’n strategie sal tydroosters met duidelike riglyne aan die IKT-bedryf moet verskaf. Die identifisering van fokusareas waar vinnige groei en ontwikkeling noodsaaklik is, is ’n prioriteit. Suid-Afrika het die vermoë om ’n leier op die gebied van IKT te word, maar die kultuur van afhankliheid van die ontwikkelende lande moet omgeswaai word na ’n kultuur van onafhanklikheid. IKT sal nie noodwendig armoede in SA direk verlig nie, maar dit sal sorg vir die sneller ontwikkeling van mense wanneer inligting getransformeer word na kennis waardeur gemeenskappe bemagtig kan word. Die definisie van armoede is nie beperk tot die gebrek aan basiese lewensmiddele soos water, voedsel en huisvesting nie, maar kom ook voor wanneer mense: • Nie toegang het tot eiendom en krediet om handel te dryf nie. • Weerloos is teen geweld, ekonomiese insinkings en resessies. • Sosiaal en ekonomies afgesny is van die breër samelewing. Die IKT Handves is ontwikkel om ongelykheid op die gebied van indiensneming, vaardigheidsontwikkeling en sosio-ekonomiese ontwikkeling aan te spreek, en om riglyne vir multinasionale projekte te verskaf. Hierdie ooreenkoms vorm ook die gedragskode van die IKT-bedryf. Outomatisering in die werkplek het gelei tot die afskaffing van talle poste. Strukturele veranderinge sowel as die ontwikkeling van die digitale ekonomie het die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie fundamenteel verander. SA moet hierdie transformasietydperk omarm en in pas met die wêreld bly, en in die proses leer om geleenthede in die digitale ekonomie ten volle te benut. Hierdie ondersoek kyk na die voorvereistes om ’n omgewing te skep waarin sosio-ekonomiese groei kan plaasvind, insluitend beleggings in IKT, menslike hulpbronne, beleidsraamwerke en ’n duidelike IKT-strategie. Die genoemde vorm die fondament waarop die raamwerk van hierdie navorsingstudie rus.

In December 2009, the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) approved enhanced proxy disclosure rules requiring companies to disclose the board’s leadership structure and the board’s role in risk oversight. Apart from general business risks, boards are increasingly interested in Information Technology (IT) risks as it affects all aspects of the organization (PricewaterhouseCoopers [PwC], 2013). Since the effectiveness of IT risk management depends on senior managers’ actions, this dissertation attempts to answer the question of whether the maturity of IT risk management practices (the extent to which management performs particular activities to identify, assess, monitor and respond to IT-related risks) in organizations depends on the Chief Information Office (CIO) reporting structure and the board’s leadership structure. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

This thesis is the first dedicated sociological attempt to offer a critical response to cultural studies and allied discourses that concern themselves with the relationship between technology and violence. A critical reconstruction is necessary because these cultural theorists have failed to adequately contextualize their arguments in relation to both the globally ascendant neoliberal policy outlook and its associated social Darwinian technoculture: the combined pernicious effects of which could be described as the logic of ???social constructionism as social psychosis???. The most prominent manifestation of this theoretical psychosis has to do with an interest in biotechnology in particular. The problem I identify in the treatment of this theme is how easily it can be used to support a technologically determinist position. One undesirable side effect is that these determinists are able to project from present trends a dystopian exhaustion of all critique through their focus on violence. In the thesis of ???bioglobalism??? this state of affairs is also deployed to take sociologists to task for insufficient recognition of processual ???network??? forms of distributed agency in technological processes. At stake therefore is the recovery of sociological critique. It follows that the core of my thesis is the radical reworking of two related heuristic devices: seriality and contingency. Seriality is taken to refer to social practices as diverse as the possible relationships between the social problem of rationality, case studies of individuals who have run amok, and the functioning of network characteristics. I use contingency to eschew seriality???s deterministic accounting of the social. Here I propose a new conceptual relationship between creativity and action. Emphasis is accordingly placed upon two related normative projects: Raymond Williams???s cultural materialism, and three of the ???problematiques??? Peter Wagner has identified as inescapable for theorizing modernity: the continuity of the acting person, the certainty of knowledge, and the viability of the political order. I conclude with a renewed conception of the role of normative critique as a form of conceptual therapy for bioglobal projections of seriality.

The presence of a device meant to enhance the medical encounter may alter the nature of the doctor-patient interaction in a way that affects patient satisfaction. The focus of this study was to examine the social impact of introducing advanced exam-room technologies to the doctor-patient interaction. By comparing cohorts (young: 18-39 and older: 62-89) we examined a possible age-related interaction. Participants viewed one of several video conditions portraying a physician conducting a medical interview in which he uses one of various documenting technologies (Nothing, Pen and Paper, PDA, Desktop Computer, Wearable Computer). After viewing the interaction, participants completed a series of questionnaires evaluating their general satisfaction with the quality of care (QoC) given during the medical interview. Patient satisfaction levels did significantly vary depending on the technology condition, participant cohort, and participant gender. Overall, young adults and females rated the doctor more favorably. The favorability of ratings for each technology condition depended on the aspect of QoC examined.