Digital Transformation of Work

Abstract:

The objective of this research collaboration is to strengthen the research on digital transformation of work. Research on new technologies in the workplace is short of knowledge on how new digital technologies such as robots, artificial intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT) are transforming the nature of work and how management is responding to the opportunities and challenges raised by the new wave of technologies. In specific, we are exploring three areas of transformation: 1) Are the tasks and the nature of decision-making in administrative organizations being transformed with the use modern technologies ? If yes, what is the nature of the transformation? Focus area 1 will revisit the classical work by Herbert Simon, hence focusing on administrative behaviour. 2) Is the nature of how management respond to the opportunities and challenges raised by new technologies challenging the classical areas of strategy, changing the attention to technology as the key driver for change? Focus area 2 will revisit the classical strategy-work by Chandler exploring how management takes decisions:long-term (strategy), mid-term (tactical), and short term (operational) perspectives with respect to transformation of work. 3) Are concerns on privacy and norms being balanced in new ways due to the advantages in technologies? This focus area relies on the work by Westin (Privacy & Freedom) hence exploring whether workers perceive their privacy sphere being invaded by technologies and whether workers balance the possible control mechanism with overall job improvement.