Digi HTOS - The Digital Encounter between Humans, Technology, Organization and Society
Digi MTOS - Det digitala mötet mellan människa, teknik, organisation och samhälle

MAM040F, 7.5 credits

Valid from: Autumn 2022
Decided by: Åsa Håkansson
Date of establishment: 2020-02-14

General Information

Division: Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology
Course type: Third-cycle course
Teaching language: Swedish

Aim

The encounter with new digital technology in the form of, for example, smartphones, apps, Virtual Reality, Internet of Things, Information and Communication Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Robots, is becoming an increasingly important part of our everyday lives. Therefore, it is important that we incorporate technology in our studies of work and work environment. The aim of the course is to provide students with tools for discussing and analyzing what happens in the encounter between digital technology, organizations and people, but also how technology is normed and is attributed different characteristics and purposes. By studying the encounter between technology, people, organization and society from different theoretical perspectives, these encounters and the opportunities and obstacles created by them can be understood.

Goals

Knowledge and Understanding

For a passing grade the doctoral student must

• be able to explain social conditions and obstacles to digitalisation
• be able to actively use central concepts as well as current theories in the area of human-technology-organization (HTO) and be able to relate these to digitalization
• demonstrate an in-depth insight into and an ability to discuss how the working environment, organization and management are affected by and interact with the growth of digital technology

Competences and Skills

For a passing grade the doctoral student must

• be able to independently search and compile information linked to the course content
• be able to analyze a digital system from an HTO perspective
• be able to link the course content to one owns dissertation project
• be able to compile and orally present an independent project report/study linked to the course content and own dissertation project

Judgement and Approach

For a passing grade the doctoral student must

• be able to critically reflect on the role of digital technology for individuals, organizations and society
• be able to critically review and compare published research results in the area of HTO and digitalisation

Course Contents

The course will deal with aspects such as: changing interactions and relationships, impact on working life, industries, professions, work organization, work routines and work environment in relation to digital technology (such as Virtual Reality, Internet of Things, Information and Communication Technology, Artificial Intelligence, digital platforms and robots). The course will further cover the adaptation between society, organization technology and people. The course is organized into three two-day, on campus, sessions. The first session provides a comprehensive introduction to the digitalization of society in general and different industries. The second session deals with the interaction between man and technology at the organizational and individual level. The third session discusses future opportunities and challenges from a work environment perspective.

Course Literature

Lupton, D.: Digital Sociology. Routledge, 2015.
Plus articles

Instruction Details

Types of instruction: Lectures, seminars, project, self-study literature review

Examination Details

Examination formats: Written report, written assignments, seminars given by participants. The course is examined through the submission of three written homework assignments, which reflect the course's various sub-areas and together form a whole. For approved grades, all home assignments must be approved and put together in the form of a submitted and orally presented report.
Grading scale: Failed, pass
Examiner:

Admission Details

Admission requirements: Only PhD students admitted to Falf's research education school.
Assumed prior knowledge: None
Selection criteria: The doctoral students are chosen so that they represent a spread in terms of geographical area, discipline and empirical study object.

Further Information

Maximum number of students: 12.

Course Occasion Information

Contact and Other Information

Course coordinators:
Web page: https://www.design.lth.se/utbildning/forskarutbildning/forskarutbildningskurser/