scholarly journals Make Way for the Algorithms: Symbolic Actions and Change in a Regime of Knowing

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stella Pachidi ◽  
Hans Berends ◽  
Samer Faraj ◽  
Marleen Huysman
Keyword(s):  
Technological Change ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Radical Change ◽  
Large Datasets ◽  
Personal Contact ◽  
Positive Side ◽  
Sales Organization ◽  
Model Predictions ◽  
Real Change ◽  
Technology Introduction

When actors deem technological change undesirable, they may act symbolically by pretending to comply while avoiding real change. In our study of the introduction of an algorithmic technology in a sales organization, we found that such symbolic conformity led unintendedly to the full implementation of the suggested technological change. To explain this surprising outcome, we advance a regime-of-knowing lens that helps to analyze deep challenges happening under the surface during the process of technology introduction. A regime of knowing guides what is worth knowing, what actions matter to acquire this knowledge, and who has the authority to make decisions around those issues. We found that both the technologists who introduced the algorithmic technology, and the incumbent workers whose work was affected by the change, used symbolic actions to either defend the established regime of knowing or to advocate a radical change. Although the incumbent workers enacted symbolic conformity by pretending to comply with suggested changes, the technologists performed symbolic advocacy by presenting a positive side of the technological change. Ironically, because the symbolic conformity enabled and was reinforced by symbolic advocacy, reinforcing cycles of symbolic actions yielded a radical change in the sales' regime of knowing: from one focused on a deep understanding of customers via personal contact and strong relationships, to one based on model predictions from the processing of large datasets. We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings for the introduction of technology at work and for knowing in the workplace.

Questions of Lebanon

Worldview ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 18-21
Author(s):  
Avi Shlaim
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Radical Change ◽  
Full Scale ◽  
Political Program ◽  
Real Change ◽  
Religious Parties ◽  
Election Results ◽  
One Year ◽  
Land Of Israel

The second government formed by Menachem Begin, following the Likud party's narrow victory in the June, 1981, elections, represented a real change in Israeli foreign policy. Dominated by a group of hard-liners committed to the ideology of "Greater Israel" and powered by a drive for regional hegemony, this government led Israel along a nationalistic and militant course, culminating within one year in a full-scale invasion of Lebanon. The election results, which gave the Likud 48 seats in the new Knesset compared with the Labor party's 47, hardly provided an unequivocal mandate for the pursuit of Begin's far-reaching political program, a program that can be summed up in the two words Eretz Yisrael—the whole land of Israel. Nor could a coalition with the religious parties, which commanded a wafer-thin majority of 61 in the 120-member Knesset, be considered a natural vehicle for bringing about such a radical change in foreign policy.

A Study of Abrasive Jet Micro-Grooving of Quartz Crystals

2010 ◽  
Vol 443 ◽  
pp. 645-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Moridi ◽  
Jun Wang ◽  
Yasser M. Ali ◽  
Philip Mathew ◽  
Xiao Ping Li
Keyword(s):  
Predictive Models ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Machining Process ◽  
Micro Machining ◽  
Machining Performance ◽  
Quartz Crystals ◽  
Abrasive Jet Machining ◽  
Model Predictions ◽  
Micro Grooving ◽  
Good Agreement

Owing to its various distinct advantages over the other machining technologies, abrasive jet machining has become a promising machining technology for brittle and hard-to-machine materials. An experimental study is presented on the micro-grooving of quartz crystals using an abrasive airjet. The effect of the various process parameters on the major machining performance measures are analysed to provide a deep understanding of this micro-machining process. Predictive models are then developed for quantitatively estimating the machining performance. The models are finally verified by an experiment. It shows that the model predictions are in good agreement with the experimental results under the corresponding conditions.

Epidemiology and the Scientific Method

1982 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 659-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan F. Chalmers
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Scientific Method ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Radical Change ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
The Social ◽  
Modern Physics ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Made In

This article refutes the claim that the field of epidemiology and community health would benefit from the application of the scientific method. It is argued that the methods of physics are not appropriate for other disciplines. When applied to the social sciences, positivism is a conservatizing force, causing theory to become based on a mere description of social phenomenon. Since it cannot lead to a deep understanding of social phenomena, positivism is incapable of revealing ways in which society could be radically changed. Moreover, such theory is far from neutral. Rather, it is formed and influenced by the forms of life experienced and practiced in the society. This is illustrated by an analysis of the origin of modern physics at the time when society was changing from a feudal to capitalist form of organization. It is concluded that advances will be made in epidemiology and community health when this field breaks from its focus on the individual and incorporates class into its analysis. However, given the interconnection between social structure and social theory, resistance to such a radical change can be expected.

Women and Nation Building: The Case of the United Arab Emirates

Hawwa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hissa Al Dhaheri
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Identity ◽  
Gender Bias ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Core Curriculum ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Grass Roots ◽  
Positive Side ◽  
The Social ◽  
Real Change ◽  
The Media

AbstractThe newly formed United Arab Emirates appears to be making strides towards the empowerment of women, with women becoming visible in public roles—particularly as professional broadcasters in the media and high-ranking ministers in government posts. However, some evidence suggests that in reality, the progress of women may be a patriarchal image created merely for the sake of appearances as part of the emerging nation's political agenda that seeks to convey the image of a 'modern' state. Fundamentally laws are still biased against women and the education system is still embedding gender bias into the minds of youths via the nation's core curriculum. On the positive side, those visible roles given to women as part of nation-state building and cultural identity projects cannot fail to lead to changes in the social perception of women. However, the fear is that the more the state focuses on creating an image; real change at the grass roots level will be sidelined.

Reusing Transaction Models for Dependable Cloud Computing

2012 ◽  
pp. 248-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Gallina ◽  
Nicolas Guelfi
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Computing ◽  
Technological Change ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Easy Task ◽  
Transaction Models ◽  
Requirements Identification ◽  
Fundamental Requirement

Cloud computing represents a technological change in computing. Despite the technological change, however, the quality of the computation, in particular its dependability, remains a fundamental requirement. To ensure dependability, and more specifically, reliability, transaction models represent an effective means. In the literature, several transaction models exist. Choosing (reusing entirely) or introducing (reusing partially) transaction models for cloud computing is not an easy task. The difficulty of this task is due to the fact that it requires a deep understanding of the properties that characterize transaction models to be able to discriminate reusable from non reusable properties with respect to cloud computing characteristics. To ease this task, the PRISMA process is introduced. PRISMA is a Process for Requirements Identification, Specification and Machine-supported Analysis that targets transaction models. PRISMA is then applied to engineer reusable requirements suitable for the achievement of the adequate transaction models for cloud computing.

scholarly journals Information About the Optimism of a Placebo/Nocebo Provider and Placebo/Nocebo Side Effects

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carina Schlintl ◽  
Anne Schienle
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Side Effect ◽  
Drug Product ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Personal Contact ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Written Information ◽  
Positive Side ◽  
Oil Sunflower ◽  
Positive Side Effects

BackgroundResearch has demonstrated that personality characteristics, such as optimism are associated with placebo/nocebo responding. The present study investigated whether written information about the optimism of a placebo/nocebo provider can influence the occurrence of reported placebo/nocebo side effects.MethodWe analyzed data from 201 females (mean age = 26 years) who participated in a “clinical study on a new massage oil with stone clover extract.” The oil (sunflower oil) was introduced as either eliciting a negative side effect (unpleasant itching; “nocebo oil”) or a positive side effect (pleasant tingling; “placebo oil”). The administration of the oil was combined with written information about the maker of the product. The oil maker was either portrayed as a very optimistic person or no personal information was provided (only the company name). The participants had no personal contact with the experimenter and received all materials and instructions per post.ResultsThe participants reported more frequent and intense itching when they received a nocebo suggestion compared to a placebo suggestion. Positive tingling sensations were reported more frequently than itching but did not differ between the placebo/nocebo conditions. Information about the optimism of the oil maker was associated with a lower frequency of reported side effects (adverse and beneficial).ConclusionThis study demonstrated that it is sufficient to provide participants with written information about an inert substance to elicit the suggested side effect. Information about the provider’s optimistic personality did not specifically influence reported side effects. Future studies should focus on how to adapt written information about a drug/product to minimize adverse side effects and to maximize positive side effects.

Cultural Competence Needed to Distinguish Disorder from Difference: Beyond Kumbaya

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 64-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine J. Crowley ◽  
Kristin Guest ◽  
Kenay Sudler
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Cultural Competence ◽  
York City ◽  
Cultural Sensitivity ◽  
Graduate Program ◽  
Language Disorder ◽  
New York State ◽  
Deep Understanding

What does it mean to have true cultural competence as an speech-language pathologist (SLP)? In some areas of practice it may be enough to develop a perspective that values the expectations and identity of our clients and see them as partners in the therapeutic process. But when clinicians are asked to distinguish a language difference from a language disorder, cultural sensitivity is not enough. Rather, in these cases, cultural competence requires knowledge and skills in gathering data about a student's cultural and linguistic background and analyzing the student's language samples from that perspective. This article describes one American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)-accredited graduate program in speech-language pathology and its approach to putting students on the path to becoming culturally competent SLPs, including challenges faced along the way. At Teachers College, Columbia University (TC) the program infuses knowledge of bilingualism and multiculturalism throughout the curriculum and offers bilingual students the opportunity to receive New York State certification as bilingual clinicians. Graduate students must demonstrate a deep understanding of the grammar of Standard American English and other varieties of English particularly those spoken in and around New York City. Two recent graduates of this graduate program contribute their perspectives on continuing to develop cultural competence while working with diverse students in New York City public schools.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document