Series of configurational movements : User activities in technology generalization

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Access rights

openAccess
publishedVersion

URL

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä

Major/Subject

Mcode

Degree programme

Language

en

Pages

15

Series

Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Volume 200

Abstract

The detailed studies of adoption and user activities indicate that continuous alterations accompany the proliferation of new technology, yet diffusion theory and system change-oriented frameworks portray the spread of technologies across a social or sociotechnical system with relatively few changes. To better reconcile the two orientations, we introduce a series of configurational movements (SCM) as a conceptual register for the generalization of new technology in society. We elaborate on the SCM with an over-a-decade-long investigation into heat pumps in Finland, one of the globally furthest progressed energy transitions. The process has thus far involved nine configurational movements, each featuring a change in the character of the technology, the ecology of actors relevant to it, and the contexts in which the technology spreads. SCM analysis further surfaces eight user activity types that have shaped how the technology, its deployment, and its markets have evolved: Adoption and routine use, adaption and adjustment, championing, user innovation, community building, peer intermediation, market creation and production of legitimating discourse on heat pumps. In all, the generalization features significant shifts in user practices, the technology, and societal impact throughout the process, not only during its early phases, instilling energy system wide change.

Description

Funding Information: The authors have received funding from the Academy of Finland project “Digitally mediated decarbon communities in energy transition” [grant number 348197 ] and Academy of Finland Profiling grant for Finnish universities (Profi 7) Aalto University (project no 352955 ). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors

Other note

Citation

Hyysalo, S & Juntunen, J K 2024, 'Series of configurational movements : User activities in technology generalization', Technological Forecasting and Social Change, vol. 200, 123158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2023.123158