Sociological traditions as a complementary lens to better understand digital transformation policies

Purpose This paper aims to introduce how sociological traditions can provide a complementary, conceptual lens needed to better understand a country’s orientation in its digital transformation policies. While historically sociology has been used to study technological effects, introducing a sociological lens that considers broader macro digital policies can better complement a country’s national innovation system framework by highlighting where forms of acceleration and inertia in digital diffusion may or may not occur. Design/methodology/approach To formulate this lens, iterative literature reviews were conducted and four major sociological traditions (i.e. Durkheim, Functional-Utilitarian, Marxist and Micro-interactionist) were identified and integrated into one structure. The integrated structure was then applied to the French case of Minitel as a sample application. The French Minitel was selected because it is well-known and due to one of the author’s familiarity with the French culture. The description was based upon secondary data. Findings Through the use and application of this lens, the findings reveal that understanding a country’s specific orientation within a sociological tradition can help academics and practitioners determine what accelerates or provides inertia in the diffusion of new digital technologies within a country’s sociological frame. For the French Minitel, two dominant views seem to exist in France, the Durkheim and the Functional-Utilitarian view, which both affected the country’s path dependency in continued investments in Minitel. Research limitations/implications While policymakers are tasked with the development and implementation of digital transformation policies, a key consideration for both scholars and practitioners on digital policy and governance is to understand the broader macro ramifications of sociological frameworks on the evolving effects of digital transformation. While the authors provide a sample illustration, future research is needed to operationalize this lens and to apply it across various regions and countries in the development of new digital transformation policies. Practical implications As countries face considerable pressure to digitize their economies, policymakers require a better framework to advance the sociological aspects of digitization and its effects upon local institutions and actors in society. The paper provides a complementary lens that can better help them in this regard. Originality/value To date, policymakers and governments lack an integrated framework to understand the sociological effects of digital technologies and their diffusions along with their implications on societies such as on the framework of national innovation. The authors provide a sample integrated structure and sample application.

Poverty and Digital Divide: A Study in Urban Poor Neighborhoods

Literature suggests that the penetration of digital technology may create a digital divide, particularly for groups that lack resources and the capacity to access technology. This study is keen to examine the poverty and digital divide, particularly in urban poor areas. There are two research objectives. Firstly, to examine the digital diffusion and digital literacy within poor urban neighborhoods in the City of Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. Secondly, to understand the variation of digital diffusion and digital literacy across areas (with different levels of poverty), age groups, genders and occupations. The data is collected from surveys focused on measuring the access to information, digital diffusion and the use of technology among the poor. This study found that there is a digital divide problem among people in urban areas, especially among people with low incomes. Moreover, the diffusion is dominated by certain groups such as younger people and females. Furthermore, digital literacy among the poor is low. The policy implication is to improve access for digital diffusion and provide assistance to improve digital literacy skills.

THE ROLE OF THE DIGITAL ECONOMY IN ENSURING THE ECONOMIC SECURITY OF THE COUNTRY

The article examines the main conditions for the development of the digital economy, the dependence of the economic development model on new means of production associated with the development of microelectronics, automation systems, information and computer technologies that generate demand for digital technologies. The current state of production facilities and related infrastructure makes digital diffusion possible, since the process is largely determined by the extent to which these technologies are used in these types of devices and equipment. Аннотация. Ушбу мақолада рақамли иқтисодиётни ривожлантиришнинг асосий шартлари, иқтисодий ривожланиш моделининг рақамли технологиялардан фойдаланишга талабни шакллантирадиган микроелектроника, автоматлаштириш тизимлари, ахборот ва компютер технологияларининг ривожланиши билан боғлиқ бўлган янги ишлаб чиқариш воситаларига боғлиқлиги кўриб чиқилди. Ишлаб чиқариш воситалари ва тегишли инфратузилманинг ҳозирги ҳолати рақамли технологияларнинг тарқалиш имкониятини яратмоқда, чунки бу жараён асосан ушбу турдаги қурилмалар ва ускуналарда қўлланиладиган ушбу технологиялар кўлами қанчалик кенглиги билан белгиланади. Аннотация. В статье рассматриваются основные условия развития цифровой экономики, зависимость модели экономического развития от новых средств производства, связанных с развитием микроэлектроники, систем автоматизации, информационных и компьютерных технологий, которые формируют спрос на цифровые технологии. Текущее состояние производственных мощностей и соответствующей инфраструктуры делает возможным распространение цифровых технологий, поскольку процесс во многом определяется степенью использования этих технологий в этих типах устройств и оборудования.

Dynamics of Digital Diffusion and Disadoption

The digital divide between Indigenous and other Australians describes the unequal access to information and communications technology (ICT) between these groups. Historically, researchers have focused on acquiring new technology, but we argue that it is important to understand all the dynamics of digital usage, including the loss of access to ICT within a household. For long-lived technology such as internet access, it is particularly important to consider that retention of access to the technology. This paper conducts a longitudinal analysis of changes in internet usage for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian households using the Australian Census Longitudinal Dataset, 2006–2016. While earlier work analyses the digital divide in terms of ‘diffusion’ or adoption of ICT, this paper shows that the failure to retain internet access is also important in driving the digital divide. The dynamics of the digital divide have important and ongoing implications for addressing broader socioeconomic disadvantages experienced by Indigenous Australians. The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the urgency of policy addressing the digital divide, given the renewed momentum for remote learning and telecommuting.

Exploring engagement with digital screens for collecting patient feedback in clinical waiting rooms: The role of touch and place

Health service settings are increasingly installing digital devices to enable people to engage digitally with multiple processes, including automated ‘check-in’, as well as collecting feedback on experiences of care. In addition, policy is increasingly driving digital agendas to promote patient engagement with online services, management of health records and routine monitoring. While this tendency towards widespread digital diffusion has been viewed as a means of enabling greater empowerment of patients and improved responsiveness of services to ‘patient voice’, social scientists have provided critical insights on the use of digital technologies in practice. However, there remains limited understanding of the mechanisms and contexts for digital engagement. In particular, there is a need for further research on the sensory and spatial aspects of engagement that are integral to everyday use (or non-use) of technology in practice. This article reports new insights from detailed qualitative case studies utilising in-depth interviews with patients, carers and staff, in addition to ethnographic observations of different digital modalities and their usage in specific health care contexts. A sociomaterial approach and concepts of affective atmosphere and technogeography are drawn upon to analyse the role of touch and place in the collection of digital feedback in multiple waiting room settings for people with physical and mental health long-term conditions. The findings highlight how barriers to engagement varied by context such as particular concerns about privacy for those with mental health problems and physical and sensory barriers for those with physical impairments. The findings demonstrate how digital inequalities can play out in practice and have implications for the design and development of digital innovations and tackling inequalities that may be associated with implementation of new digital technologies in healthcare.

Retail Medicine in an Era of IoT and Medical Errors in the Age of Ubiquitous Connectivity

Digital diffusion in healthcare is poised to usher delivery of care in integration with software as a service to the edge. Time compression due to the latter may catalyze the convergence between "sense and response" in a manner which may enhance quality of service (QoS) or quality of care at the point of contact (PoC). Digital transformation is likely to influence the broad spectrum of instances ranging from high acuity patients to preventive care scenarios. Access to healthcare for individuals before they become patients may eventually lead to improved health and reduced healthcare cost.