"Understanding New Technological Products: Identity, Practice, & Materiality"

Abstract

In response to Barley’s clarion call (1986) to consider the interrelationships among actors, technologies, practices, and contexts when attempting to understand new technologies, organizational scholars have embarked on two distinct theoretical approaches: “practice” and “identity.” In this symposium, we have two aims: 1) making sense of these approaches, and 2) developing a better understanding of the areas of convergence and divergence between them. To achieve these goals, the symposium will begin with a look at an empirical project. This will provide a jumping-off point for a discussion among the panelists in which they consider the role of identity, practice theory, and materiality in making sense of new technologies. A discussant will then synthesize the dialogue before opening-up the discussion to the audience.