Governance, Sociotechnical Systems and Knowledge Society: Challenges and Reflections

Governance, Sociotechnical Systems and Knowledge Society: Challenges and Reflections

Antonio José Balloni, Paulo Henrique de Souza Bermejo, Jeanne Holm, Adriano O. Tonelli
Copyright: © 2012 |Pages: 20
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-1764-3.ch002
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Abstract

This paper’s objective is presenting some challenges and reflections about governance, knowledge society, and sociotechnical systems. Based on the Action Network Theory, Theory of Constraints, and others techniques, questions are discussed in a systematic and innovative way. Points like the synergism and collaborative ecosystem research efforts, knowledgeable organizations, and organizations as living beings, the involvement of people and others’ IT resources regarding the questions, as well as others are discussed, while considering questions, challenges and future perspectives. In conclusion, points are made to offer governance the normative goals of sustainability, existing socio-technical systems, and to imply connecting and synchronizing changes among the knowledge society actors.
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Panorama On Knowledge Society And Sociotechnical Systems

Information Technology (IT) is redefining the business basis. Customer attendance, operations, products strategies, marketing and distribution and even the society of knowledge depend, sometimes even totally on information system (IS). IT and its costs are integral part of the enterprise day-by-day. However, many enterprises still believe that the simple act of computerizing, spreading computers and printers throughout departmental units, connecting them in a network and installing applications systems, can organize the same. Technology fortechnolog’s sakey, without planning, management and effective action from knowledge workers and above all, without considering the sociotechnical systems, does not bring any contribution to the enterprise (Balloni, 2006).

The Knowledge Society

Knowledge societies are those in which knowledge becomes a major creative force, i.e., a major component of any human activity. Economic, social, cultural, and all other human activities become dependent on a huge volume of knowledge and information.

Knowledge societies are not a new occurrence: fishermen have long shared the knowledge of predicting the weather to their community and this knowledge gets added to the social capital of the community. What is new in a knowledge society (Storling & Vessuri, 2007)?

  • A.

    With current technologies, knowledge societies need not be constrained by geographic proximity. One example is the Internet cost per kilobit, that has decreased in the last years (Willinger, 2002; Laudon & Laudon, 2006);

  • B.

    Current technology offers greater possibilities for sharing, archiving and retrieving knowledge. Nowadays, everything about ourselves could be stored in a personal computer (Laudon, 2004; Chang, 2010);

  • C.

    Knowledge has become the most important capital in the present age, and hence the success of any society consists in controlling and making use of it.

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