Socio-technical Factors Research Articles

Incident response: A structured model from detection to containment and recovery

As cyber-attacks evolve in sophistication; organizations are under constant threat. This necessitates a cohesive approach to prioritize incident response (IR) capabilities and mitigate potential damages. This research paper explores integrating Information Security Management (ISM) and Incident Response (IR) functions; underlining the need for a unified strategy that leverages organizational learning theory. The study comprehensively analyzes the Incident Response Lifecycle; outlining the critical phases of preparation; detection and analysis; containment; eradication; recovery; and post-incident activities. It also investigates the crucial role and structure of Incident Response Teams (IRTs); advocating for tailored team formations that adapt to the dynamic nature of cyber incidents. By fostering collaboration between ISM and IR functions and focusing on technical and socio-technical factors; organizations can enhance their resilience against cyber threats and improve their overall security posture.

Understanding Ethiopia’s maize innovation system: Application of integrated innovation system and sustainability transition perspectives

Agricultural innovation is a top priority on the global sustainable development agenda to solve food insecurity, land degradation, climate-change issues, poverty, and unemployment. This paper aims to identify systemic problems and socio-technical transition factors that hinder the development, dissemination, and utilization of improved maize varieties in Ethiopia. Primary data were gathered through structured and semi-structured interview schedules, and then analyzed thematically. Results show that systemic failures such as the absence of key actors, institutional problems, lack of interaction between actors, and inadequate infrastructure are the major hindrances to the systems functioning. Three functions, including entrepreneurship, knowledge development, and creating legitimacy, were found to be weaker than others in the case of improved maize varieties released by Pioneer Hi-Bred Seeds Ethiopia Plc. However, these functions were stronger in the case of improved maize seed varieties released by public research centres. Knowledge dissemination and resource mobilization were the stronger functions of Pioneer Hi-Bred Seeds Ethiopia Plc., which were found to be weak in the public research centres. The result also shows that policies and governance affected the sustainable development of improved maize varieties released by Pioneer Hi-Bred Seeds Ethiopia Plc. Promoting knowledge development and resource mobilization within networks of policymakers, the public sector, and local and foreign private sectors, and a regulation on breeders’ rights to encourage the involvement of private companies in the sector are recommended to enable the innovation system to function sustainably.

Natural resources, socio-technical regimes, and the environmentally sustainable transition: Evidence from OECD countries

The availability of natural resources is critical for an environmentally sustainable transition: greater availability may lead to more exploitation and affect the underlying socio-technical regime, which determines policy strategies and decisions, with significant implications for the environment. By distinguishing countries based on their rate of natural resource depletion, we investigate the differences in supporting socio-technical factors. We use a Panel Vector Auto Regression in first differences on a panel of 36 OECD countries, divided into three sub-panels (‘low’, ‘middle’, and ‘high’) based on their depletion rate, from 1995 to 2021. Some levers, such as economic inequality and the ability to generate rents from resources, exhibit distinct characteristics, suggesting interesting policy implications. Additionally, different structural and technological shifts cause further divergence. The results reveal that in low depletion countries, environmental sustainability is path-dependent, there is no short-sighted interest in maximizing rents from natural resources, and economic inequality (via lobbying) does not hinder the transition. Meanwhile, in these countries, structural and technological changes do not seem to have the same impact on sustainability as they do in high depletion countries.

End user experience of a widely used artificial intelligence based sepsis system.

Research on the Epic Sepsis System (ESS) has predominantly focused on technical accuracy, neglecting the user experience of healthcare professionals. Understanding these experiences is crucial for the design of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems in clinical settings. This study aims to explore the socio-technical dynamics affecting ESS adoption and use, based on user perceptions and experiences. Resident doctors and nurses with recent ESS interaction were interviewed using purposive sampling until data saturation. A content analysis was conducted using Dedoose software, with codes generated from Sittig and Singh's and Salwei and Carayon's frameworks, supplemented by inductive coding for emerging themes. Interviews with 10 healthcare providers revealed mixed but generally positive or neutral perceptions of the ESS. Key discussion points included its workflow integration and usability. Findings were organized into 2 main domains: workflow fit, and usability and utility, highlighting the system's seamless electronic health record integration and identifying design gaps. This study offers insights into clinicians' experiences with the ESS, emphasizing the socio-technical factors that influence its adoption and effective use. The positive reception was tempered by identified design issues, with clinician perceptions varying by their professional experience and frequency of ESS interaction. The findings highlight the need for ongoing ESS refinement, emphasizing a balance between technological advancement and clinical practicality. This research contributes to the understanding of AI system adoption in healthcare, suggesting improvements for future clinical AI tools.

Sociotechnical Factors Affecting Interoperability of Digital Humanities

ABSTRACTIn the past two decades, the digitization of humanities resources has rapidly expanded, giving rise to the field of Digital Humanities (DH). This evolution has fostered a growing need for effective interoperability—the ability to access and integrate data across diverse digital collections, tools, and platforms. Despite significant technological advancements and the development of standards aimed at facilitating interoperability, challenges persist. These challenges are not only technical but are also influenced by sociocultural factors, which include organizational and cultural elements. This paper aims to bridge the gap in the literature concerning these sociotechnical factors affecting interoperability within DH projects and collections.This paper presents the analysis of the real‐world experiences of DH researchers attempting to connect material from different sources. Each participant described a specific incident where combining software or content was particularly problematic. This data was analyzed via thematic analysis. The findings reveal a complex landscape of interoperability challenges, underpinned by a range of sociotechnical factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, discrepancies in metadata standards, differences in organizational cultures, and varying levels of technical expertise among practitioners. By highlighting these factors, the paper contributes valuable insights into the multifaceted nature of interoperability issues in DH, offering evidence‐based plans to address these challenges.

A qualitative interview study exploring continuity within a community integrated palliative care model and the influence of remote and digital approaches to care.

Demand for palliative care is rising. Recent UK policy approaches promote integrated care models - collaborations between generalist practitioners and multidisciplinary specialists - and remote and digital practices. The extent to which different forms of continuity are supported within this evolving context is currently unclear. To explore the experience of continuity and impact of remote and digital practices within an integrated palliative care model. A qualitative interview study of patients and bereaved relatives recruited from a GP practice list and healthcare professionals delivering the integrated palliative care service for that population. 20 narrative and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 patients, relatives, and professionals between May 2022 and November 2023. They explored how care was delivered or received, focusing on coherency and the use of remote and digital practices. Data were theorized using a novel framework that considered psychodynamic, biomedical, sociotechnical, and sociopolitical domains of continuity. The need for human care and connection were of primary importance and affected by intersubjective, biomedical, sociotechnical, and sociopolitical factors that influenced continuity of care. Despite the logistical ease of remote and digital practices, professionals had to work harder or around technologies to provide a 'caring' service. This was exacerbated by a lack of co-localisation, loss of longitudinal relationships, and reduction in tacit knowledge. Numerous complex factors and the exacerbating effects of remote and digital practices influence continuity and coherency within an integrated palliative care model.

Community energy and socio-technical infrastructure resilience: analysis of mini/micro hydro power projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract In 2014–15, Pakistan’s provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) launched a decentralised power generation initiative, installing over 356 small hydro power units to provide electricity to over 2.5 million people in its mountainous regions. This initiative built on the foundation of prior community-based mini/micro hydro-power projects (MHPPs) deployed in the region since the 1980s that have experienced mixed success; by 2020, over 150 units were non-operational. This paper investigates the socio-technical factors influencing the success and failure of these projects, focusing on outcomes and processes integral to community MHPPs. The study analyses the critical implications of MHPPs for socio-economic welfare, gender equity and democratic governance through extensive primary research including field observations at 40 sites, questionnaire surveys with community residents in three in-depth case-studies, and expert interviews with local policymakers and project developers. Analysis shows that electricity provision from MHPPs has had positive outcomes for the communities in terms of improved education, poverty alleviation and economic growth, alongside enhanced access to information and gains in women’s entrepreneurship and health. Nonetheless, the study also identifies significant shortcomings in the processes involved in community MHPPs related to inadequate technical assessments, monitoring, and evaluation, as well as challenges arising from undemocratic governance mechanisms and inequitable participation. By teasing out the multiple socio-technical dimensions that shape infrastructure resilience of MHPPs in KPK, this paper contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable community energy projects and informs policy for decentralised energy transitions that ensure democratic alignment and inclusive design.

Socio-technical factors influencing big data analytics adoption in healthcare

The purpose of this study is to determine the key socio-technical factors influencing big data analytics adoption in healthcare services. A systematic literature review was conducted using peer-reviewed scholarly publications spanning from 2013 to 2023 to illuminate the influencing factors. Twelve papers focused on the factors influencing big data analytics (BDA) adoption in healthcare services were included for review. The factors were divided into four major groups namely i) person, ii) technology, iii) organization, and iv) environment. Analytical skills define a person, whereas technology is characterized by system quality and information quality. Organization support, organization resources, training, data governance, and evidence-based decision-making are all associated with the organization. Finally, government regulations are allocated to the environment. This review presents evidence of the socio-technical factors that influence big data analytics adoption in healthcare services. The findings from this review recommend future big data analytics adoption in healthcare services to carefully evaluate the factors identified in this study.

Applying Socio-Technical Models to Alarm Management: Tailoring Bed Exit Alerts in Medical-Surgical Units.

Integration of smartphone technology with the patient call-bell system provides the opportunity to enhance patient safety by supporting nurses' ability to communicate and prioritize care delivery directly. However, challenges are associated with achieving a balance between alarm support and alarm fatigue, including distracting nurses from patient care or desensitizing the nurse to other alarms and calls [1]. Our hospitals have quantitative and anecdotal reports of seriously high volumes of wireless alerts on the nurses' smartphones. Nurses have complained that the phones are generating too much noise to consume or timely prioritize. Preliminary alarm inventory revealed the Bed Exit wireless alert as a leading contributor of signal volume across many units and hospitals. The lack of standard policies and workflow improvement processes has increased nuisance alarms, making these Health Information Technologies less useful and safe. Using system data, workflow observations, and nursing interviews, Singh and Sittig's HIT Safety framework [2] was applied to identify and prioritize sociotechnical factors and interventions that impact the end-to-end Bed Exit alarm workflow. This study reviews the application of sociotechnical models and frameworks to reduce wireless calls without introducing risk and impacting patient care.

Bio-Objectification and Biobanks

Abstract Bio-objectification is presented in this paper along with a discussion about the boundaries of life in the biomedicalization paradigm, including the biobanking processes that are crucial to the emergence of bio-objects. Regarding methods and materials, STS methodology is implemented and the actor networks that play a significant role to bio-objectification are investigated. The discussion follows through these lens on how bio-objects are co-produced through a multitude of sociotechnical factors, reflecting on how the emergence of bio-objects and the concept of life that stems from them are socially constructed. The standardization of biobanks, population construction through a co-production of technosocial factors, the momentariness of bio-objectification, and the concept of bio-identification are presented and critically reflected upon. The main purpose is to combine a philosophical perspective with an STS one regarding the issue of shifting the boundaries of life through the concept of bio-objectification.

Examining the Interplay of Sociodemographic and Sociotechnical Factors on Users’ Perceived Digital Skills

The rapid pace of technological advancements of the last decades, accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic, has increased the importance of digital skills for individuals, businesses, and society. However, despite efforts to increase digital ownership and educational initiatives, the digital divide remains a persistent issue and a barrier to social inclusion. Digital exclusion is not limited to access vs. no access but encompasses a spectrum of participation influenced by factors such as geographical location, skills, motivation, and identity. The study explores what sociodemographic and sociotechnical aspects shape users’ digital skills. It is based on an online survey of English internet users aged between 20–55 with school-aged children (<em>N</em> = 2,004), to measure their digital skills across six dimensions and analyzes the relationship between these skills and sociodemographic and sociotechnical variables. Results show that among the sociodemographic aspects, including gender, age, education level, employment status, income, and residential area, only income significantly contributes to distinguishing groups per level of digital skills. The study also shows that motivation gap, access gap, usage gap, and social support, are all associated with individuals’ digital skills.

What Motivates Consumers’ Purchase Intentions in E-Commerce Live Streaming: A Socio-Technical Perspective

The surge in popularity of e-commerce live streaming is evident among sellers and consumers. However, a holistic examination of the influencing factors of consumers’ purchase intention from the perspective of social and technical systems is still limited. Utilizing the socio-technical systems theory, we investigate the effects of social and technical system factors on consumers’ flow experience and how flow affects consumer purchase intention in the live streaming setting. Furthermore, we identify how optimal stimulation level moderates the relationship between socio-technical system factors and flow. Empirical results (N = 355) indicate that flow can be strengthened through social system factors (financial bonds, social bonds) and technical system factors (visibility, guidance shopping), consequently affecting consumer purchase intention. In terms of the moderating effects, the optimal stimulation level positively moderates the relationships between social bonds, visibility, guidance shopping, and flow.

“It would work for me too”: How Online Communities Shape Software Developers’ Trust in AI-Powered Code Generation Tools

While revolutionary AI-powered code generation tools have been rising rapidly, we know little about how and how to help software developers form appropriate trust in those AI tools. Through a two-phase formative study, we investigate how online communities shape developers’ trust in AI tools and how we can leverage community features to facilitate appropriate user trust. Through interviewing 17 developers, we find that developers collectively make sense of AI tools using the experiences shared by community members and leverage community signals to evaluate AI suggestions. We then surface design opportunities and conduct 11 design probe sessions to explore the design space of using community features to support user trust in AI code generation systems. We synthesize our findings and extend an existing model of user trust in AI technologies with sociotechnical factors. We map out the design considerations for integrating user community into the AI code generation experience.

Disrupting human resource management with people analytics: a study of applications, value, enablers and barriers in Italy

PurposeThis research aims to explore whether or how organizations adopt people analytics (PA), its value and potential socio-technical factors that can enable or hinder PA projects by disrupting and reshaping human resource management. We do this by focusing on the Italian context.Design/methodology/approachWe conduct a scoping review of data collected between 2018 and 2022 via Google Alerts (GA), a content change detection and notification service that is gaining popularity in scholarly research.FindingsOur findings suggest that the diffusion of PA applications in Italy, especially those of a descriptive nature, is growing. Most of the existing PA applications are positioned in a positive technocratic light, envisioning the value of PA for both employees and organizations. The value for the latter appears to be direct, while the value for employees is realized through organizational initiatives. The findings also suggest that while enablers can vary between PA application types, the barriers, especially technological and environmental, are generic for both descriptive and predictive/prescriptive PA applications.Originality/valueTheoretically, we propose a framework for analyzing PA applications, their values, enablers and barriers. Methodologically, we present and describe in detail a novel approach, drawing on GA that can be used to study PA in specific contexts. Practically, our study serves as a helpful point of reference for managers planning or implementing PA in Italy, for benchmarking PA in Italy over time and for comparative international studies.

Towards an Understanding of Cloud Computing Adoption in SMEs

The advent of digital technologies such as cloud computing has provided enormous opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to digitalise their businesses. However, with increasing cloud computing adoption, the security and privacy threats to the SMEs are on the rise. By conducting an extensive review of literature, this paper examines and identifies the security factors that influence cloud computing adoption specifically by SMEs. The literature review focused on papers published in ten years related to the security requirements and associated cloud computing adoption factors by SMEs. The framework focused on understanding socio-technical factors that influence the intent to adopt cloud computing by SMEs. The findings attest to the impacts of key security and privacy-related factors (including cloud security standard, data privacy concerns, data security concerns, skilled personnel, technology readiness, perceived cloud security benefits, legal compliance and trust in cloud service providers) on SMEs' intent to adopt cloud computing.

Role of Digital Transformation and Its Impact on Employee Readiness for Technology Changes Through Measurement of ‘Digital Prowess’ During Online Mode of Working

The global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the emergence of the civil rights movement through technologies like Chat-GPT has given a highly complexly woven social and technical fabric to dwell upon. The capacity to visualize the evolving relationship between technology and social frames in organizations through online mode of working has been the focus of the current research. In this research, the ways in which the digital prowess of employees can be measured and enhanced through the online mode of working mode of engagement of an employee with an organization has been explored. A quantitative method (SEM) has been applied in the current study to study the socio-technical factors that interplay for employee effectiveness during online mode of working. This study investigates the affordance of digital technologies through the construct of digital prowess for enhancing employee efficacy at work during the online mode of working mode of working. A research model has been developed based on the socio materiality theory and affordance theory as the theoretical background. The results show that the digital prowess constitutes three dimensions namely technical acumen, uncertainty management, and ability to collaborate. Specifically, this study provides an impetus to the role of digital transformations and its impact on employee readiness for technology changes for effectiveness at work through affordances theory which advocates that human-technology interactions can be harnessed for problem-solving capabilities if the employees are empowered with competencies like digital prowess and ways to nurture this balance of technology embedded in social interactions.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PERCEPTIONS AND USAGE OF CHATGPT

This study investigates gender differences in the adoption and usage of ChatGPT among university students across various academic disciplines. Utilizing a combination of convenience, snowball, and purposive sampling methods, data were collected from 217 participants through digital platforms and analyzed using the Abbreviated Technology Anxiety Scale, an adapted Technological Acceptance Model, and a newly developed Perceived Risk scale. Results indicate no significant gender difference in ChatGPT acceptance but reveal variations in usage patterns and concerns related to technological over-reliance and privacy. Males reported longer usage times, while females showed higher usage frequency and greater apprehension about over-reliance on ChatGPT. Despite these differences, both genders found ChatGPT useful for educational purposes, suggesting its potential as an inclusive learning tool. The study's findings accentuate the importance of considering gender dynamics in educational technology deployment and call for further research into the socio-technical factors affecting ChatGPT usage

Evaluating health information systems-related errors using the human, organization, process, technology-fit (HOPT-fit) framework.

Complex socio-technical health information systems (HIS) issues can create new error risks. Therefore, we evaluated the management of HIS-related errors using the proposed human, organization, process, and technology-fit framework to identify the lessons learned. Qualitative case study methodology through observation, interview, and document analysis was conducted at a 1000-bed Japanese specialist teaching hospital. Effective management of HIS-related errors was attributable to many socio-technical factors including continuous improvement, safety culture, strong management and leadership, effective communication, preventive and corrective mechanisms, an incident reporting system, and closed feedback loops. Enablers of medication errors include system sophistication and process factors like workarounds, variance, clinical workload, slips and mistakes, and miscommunication. The case management effectiveness in handling the HIS-related errors can guide other clinical settings. The potential of HIS to minimize errors can be achieved through continual, systematic, and structured evaluation. The case study validated the applicability of the proposed evaluation framework that can be applied flexibly according to study contexts to inform HIS stakeholders in decision-making. The comprehensive and specific measures of the proposed framework and approach can be a useful guide for evaluating complex HIS-related errors. Leaner and fitter socio-technical components of HIS can yield safer system use.

A three-level view of readiness models: Statistical and managerial insights on industry 4.0

Over the past ten years, business intelligence (BI) and data analytics (DA) have consistently increased their impact on information management and firms' strategies, as evidenced in decision-making processes. Moreover, using new tools in so-called digitalization has become a core element, and while it may help firms sustain their competitive advantage, it could also have multiple side effects. Therefore, this paper adopts a service ecosystem perspective and focuses on firms’ level of digitalization to observe the effects of technologies regarded as actors, as well as deriving outlooks beyond the firm level. Additionally, a multilevel view is aligned with the digital service ecosystem and supports the analysis of Industry 4.0 as sociotechnical factors in smart manufacturing technologies. Using principal component analysis (PCA), an analysis of industries was conducted to identify where the modernization of manufacturing and the contribution of digitalization show lower levels of readiness. Furthermore, the purpose of the analysis is to alert firms about opportunities to gain the most from digitalization or to enhance their level of implementation of such technologies. A three-level view emerges because novel technology implementation ranges from companies to industries to regions; therefore, a general process of digitalization may also increase competitiveness at a wider level.

Examining the magnitude and causes of variation in electricity use in a sample of Indian dwellings with and without air conditioning

ABSTRACT Understanding the factors that drive the use of residential electricity in India is essential for designing policies that can reduce its expected growth. This study empirically examines the magnitude and causes of variation in electricity use in a sample of Indian dwellings with and without air conditioning (AC), using an interview-based survey approach applied in 41 dwellings located across two cities representing the composite climate of India. Statistical analysis was used to unpack the relationship between electricity use and socio-technical factors. Despite the small sample size and having the same climatological realm, there was a wide variation observed in electricity use by income groups and the presence of ACs. The mean annual residential electricity consumption (REC) was observed to be highest in high-income group dwellings (5,618 kWh/year), followed by middle-income group dwellings (3,870 kWh/year) and lowest in low-income group dwellings (2,169 kWh/year). The mean REC of AC dwellings (4,208 kWh/year) was found to be nearly double that of non-AC dwellings (2,260 kWh/year) with significant seasonal variation. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the presence of ACs, household size (number of occupants), annual non-AC appliance hours, dwelling size (number of rooms) and income group accounted for 80% of the variability in REC across the study sample. Residential energy policy in India should consider these key factors that drive REC. To be effective, such policy programmes need to be customised for different income groups, adopting incentives as well as energy awareness campaigns to influence both purchasing and habitual behaviours.