scholarly journals Pilot Users and Their Families: Inventing Flexible Practices in the Smart Grid

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 54-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Nyborg
Keyword(s):  
Smart Grid ◽  
Smart Home ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Everyday Practices ◽  
Domestication Theory ◽  
Situated Perspective ◽  
Home Users ◽  
Innovative Capacity ◽  
Empirical Material

Households are increasingly the centre of attention in smart grid experiments, where they are dominantly framed in a role as ‘flexible consumers’ of electricity. This paper reports from the Danish smart grid demonstration project eFlex, which aimed to investigate the ‘flexibility potential’ of households, and it shows how householders are far from just ‘consumers’ in the system. Drawing on empirical material from ethnographic fieldwork in 49 households that tested smart grid equipment, the paper firstly demonstrates how eFlex users were also creative innovators. Secondly, by integrating user innovation literature, domestication theory and practice theory, the paper illustrates how the eFlex equipment interacted with a variety of collectively shared everyday practices in the household and argues that this unique family context accordingly had implications for the ‘innovative capacity’ of these pioneer users. The paper thus calls for smart grid stakeholders to begin taking the ‘innovator role’ of smart home users seriously, but equally calls for a more contextual and situated perspective when involving innovative users – their families have an equal part to play in the development of the smart grid.

scholarly journals Domesticating the “Smarter Than You” Home. Gendered Agency Scripts Embedded in Smart Home Discourses

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-317
Author(s):  
Deborah Chambers
Keyword(s):  
Smart Home ◽  
Moral Economy ◽  
Gender Disparities ◽  
Networked Systems ◽  
Critical Study ◽  
Gendered Agency ◽  
Domestication Theory ◽  
Home Technology ◽  
Smart Home Technology

Smart home networked systems promise a mode of comfort, efficiency and convenience that infers the easing of housekeeping chores. They impact on the moral economy of the home in ways we barely understand. Drawing on feminist technology studies and domestication theory, this article investigates how gendered relations are assigned and legitimated in smart home marketing reports and advertisements to enquire whether men and women are invited to participate equally or unequally in smart home technology. This raises questions about how promotional texts might influence and circumscribe domestic adoption. An interpretive content analysis of marketing reports and advertisements explains the pedagogic role of smart scenarios in coaxing and coaching householders to domesticate IoT-operated technology. The concept of “agency script” is employed to explain how smart actions are conveyed and assigned by promotional texts to activate smart home adoption. This enables an enquiry into the values and ideals conveyed in smart home discourses at the commodification stage of domestication and their implications for later stages. We might assume that smart technology democratises the home by fostering gender equality in the organisation of homemaking routines. But a critical study of the narrativization and assignment of smart home agency reveals significant gender disparities.

The importance of human resources to the innovative capacity of portuguese firms

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armando Silva
Keyword(s):  
Human Resources ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Community Innovation Survey ◽  
Innovative Process ◽  
Qualified Personnel ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Innovation Capacity ◽  
Innovative Capacity ◽  
Training Of Personnel

In this study I test the importance of several Human Resource variables to the innovation capacity of portuguese firms but also the effects that the innovation process generates on Human Resources. A branch of the innovation literature states that the ability of firms to innovate relies on an innovative capacity, which, in turn, depends on several factors, both internal and external to enterprises. One of those factors is the effort of firms to train their personnel specifically in order to enable them to innovate. The present test is applied to 4818 Portuguese enterprises for the period 2002-2004 through the use of the fourth Community Innovation Survey data. In order to evaluate the contribution of Human Resources to innovation I have estimated several knowledge Production Functions, mainly using probits and tobits. In that framework it is assumed that innovation depends on some inputs (as the training of personnel) and on information-flows from the existing knowledge stock (as clients). I have found significant the role of personnel training for the innovative process of Portuguese firms. Moreover, I also found that the lack of qualified personnel hinged critically more innovative performance of firms and, in addition, it is noticed that the improvement of productivuty (cost reduction) was the main effect of innovation in Portuguese firms.

The problem of reflection in German philosophy of the XVIII - XIX centuries

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (152) ◽  
pp. 141-145
Author(s):  
L. A. Checal ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Development ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Conceptual Representation ◽  
German Philosophy ◽  
Historical Aspect ◽  
Theoretical Significance ◽  
Self Knowledge

This study focuses on a conceptual representation of the metaphysical and non-classical context of reflection in its subjective dichotomous understanding. The author successively reviews the specifics of reflection, as well as the features of methodology of cognition and self-knowledge in the context of determining the values and priorities of human development and consciousness. The article also includes an overview of the main categories of reflection through a breakdown of theoretical relationships and the most important conceptual discourses. The theoretical significance of the problem of cognition and self-knowledge is determined by the central role of man in society and history. The analysis shows that the methodology of cognition and self-knowledge should be based on the principles of axiological disengagement, a combination of logical and historical aspect, as well as on the coherence of theory and practice.

A Typology of International Judicial Practices

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey L Dunoff ◽  
Mark A Pollack
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
Practice Theory ◽  
Third Parties ◽  
International Courts ◽  
Everyday Practices ◽  
The Everyday ◽  
Judicial Opinions

This chapter discusses the inner working of ICs, such as the drafting of judicial opinions; practices concerning separate opinions; the role of language and translation; and the roles of third parties. It also presents a preliminary effort to identify and examine the everyday practices of international judges. In undertaking this task, the authors draw selectively upon a large literature on ‘practice theory’ that has only rarely been applied to international law in general or to international courts in particular. A typology and synoptic overview of practices is presented.

scholarly journals Assessing Users’ Privacy and Security Concerns of Smart Home Technologies

i-com ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 197-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Verena Zimmermann ◽  
Paul Gerber ◽  
Karola Marky ◽  
Leon Böck ◽  
Florian Kirchbuchner
Keyword(s):  
Smart Home ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
Security And Privacy ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Private Lives ◽  
Societal Level ◽  
Home Users

AbstractSmart Home technologies have the potential to increase the quality of life, home security and facilitate elderly care. Therefore, they require access to a plethora of data about the users’ homes and private lives. Resulting security and privacy concerns form a relevant barrier to adopting this promising technology. Aiming to support end users’ informed decision-making through addressing the concerns we first conducted semi-structured interviews with 42 potential and little-experienced Smart Home users. Their diverse concerns were clustered into four themes that center around attacks on Smart Home data and devices, the perceived loss of control, the trade-off between functionality and security, and user-centric concerns as compared to concerns on a societal level. Second, we discuss measures to address the four themes from an interdisciplinary perspective. The paper concludes with recommendations for addressing user concerns and for supporting developers in designing user-centered Smart Home technologies.

scholarly journals Problematizing leadership learning facilitation through a trickster archetype: An investigation into power and identity in liminal spaces

Leadership ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 174271502199822
Author(s):  
Gareth Edwards ◽  
Beverley Hawkins ◽  
Neil Sutherland
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Power Relations ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Liminal Spaces ◽  
Learning Facilitation ◽  
Reflective Conversations ◽  
Permanent Resident ◽  
Shadow Side ◽  
Learning Development

This study uses the archetype of a ‘trickster’ to reflect back on, and hence problematize, the role of the educator/facilitator identity in leadership learning. This is based on the view that a trickster is a permanent resident in liminal spaces and that these liminal spaces play an important role in leadership learning. Our approach was based on the reading of the trickster literature alongside reflective conversations on our own experiences of facilitation of leadership learning, development and education. We suggest that paying attention to the trickster tale draws attention to the romanticization of leadership development and its facilitation as based on a response to crisis that leads to a further enhancement of the leader as a hero. Hence, it also offers ways to problematize leadership learning by uncovering the shadow side of facilitation and underlying power relations. We therefore contribute by showing how, as facilitators, we can use the trickster archetype to think more critically, reflectively and reflexively about our role and practices as educators, in particular, the ethical and power-related issues. In our conclusions, we make recommendations for research, theory and practice and invite other facilitators to share with us their trickster tales.

scholarly journals Transnational Lived Citizenship – The Case of the Eritrean Diaspora

2021 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-18
Author(s):  
Tanja R. Müller ◽  
Milena Belloni
Keyword(s):  
The State ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Diaspora Studies ◽  
Historical Events ◽  
Everyday Practices ◽  
Key Questions

This special focus section analyses state–diaspora relationships with a focus on the case of Eritrea, a paradigmatic example, as we show in this introduction, to elaborate on the following key questions: What determines loyalty between diaspora and the state? How can we understand the dynamics of co-optation, loyalty, and resistance that characterise many diaspora–state relationships? What is the role of historical events and memory in building alliances as well as divides among different generations and different groups in the diaspora? How do diaspora citizens interpret and enact their citizenship in everyday practices of engagement? By engaging with both citizenship and diaspora studies, this introduction shows the significance of analysing these questions through the lens of “transnational lived citizenship.” This concept enables a look at the intersections between formal aspects of citizenship as well as the emotional and practical aspects related to feelings of belonging, transnational attitudes, and circulation of material cultures.

scholarly journals François Fénelon: Modern philosopher or conservative theologian?

2021 ◽  
pp. 147488512110020
Author(s):  
Alexandra Oprea
Keyword(s):  
Political Philosophy ◽  
Political Economy ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Early Modern ◽  
Political Thought ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Education Of Women ◽  
Political Philosopher

Ryan Patrick Hanley makes two original claims about François Fénelon: (1) that he is best regarded as a political philosopher, and (2) that his political philosophy is best understood as “moderate and modern.” In what follows, I raise two concerns about Hanley’s revisionist turn. First, I argue that the role of philosophy in Fénelon’s account is rather as a handmaiden of theology than as an autonomous area of inquiry—with implications for both the theory and practice of politics. Second, I use Fénelon’s writings on the education of women as an illustration of the more radical and reactionary aspects of his thought. Despite these limits, the book makes a compelling case for recovering Fénelon and opens up new conversations about education, religion, political economy, and international relations in early modern political thought.

The Failure of Functional Theologies of Ministry and the Promise of a Relational Alternative

Ecclesiology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 27-43
Author(s):  
Graham Buxton
Keyword(s):  
Pastoral Theology ◽  
Pastoral Ministry ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Theological Method ◽  
Systematic Theology ◽  
The Social ◽  
Practical Ministry ◽  
Pastoral Theory ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThe author critiques inductive approaches to pastoral theology that rely on the empirical methodology of the social and human sciences, and presents an alternative Christocentric praxis model of pastoral ministry. The result is an attempt to integrate pastoral theory and practice that shifts the perspective away from functionally-determined theologies of ministry to a relationally oriented and hermeneutically coherent model of orthopraxis in which theory and practice interact in a way that is intended to both deepen faith and transform lives. Some of the key themes that inform the discussion are the importance of theological method, the role of the community as the context for care, the relationship between practical ministry and systematic theology, and the notion of praxis in articulating the nature and scope of practical theology today.

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