Information society, work, and the generation of new forms of socia l exclusion

Objective

Summary

The project aims at answering the question:

"What are the social but also the microeconomic implications of the emerging information society?"

It focuses on developments in the domain of companies assuming that the informatization of work is a key factor behind the emergence of information society. The project represents a break with traditional technological determinism as it is based on a "bottom up" approach, analyzing the concrete processes of building up an information society by implementing modern information and communication technologies within companies and in inter-organizational networks. This will shed light on the possible emergence of Europe-specific ways to an Information Society. "Technological practice" is used as a key concept, which describes specific ways of embedding information and communication technology applications into organizational forms and cultural patterns.

The project will analyse the development process of such technological practices in different intra- and inter-organizational fields, including shop floor co-operation up to regionally based networks of companies and supporting institutions. It will further investigate in what way emerging technological practices within companies are influenced by and exert influence over the institutions of regional and national environments. And it will analyse the social and micro-economic implications of different technological practices. As regards social implications the project will focus particularly on the aspect of social exclusion and integration. In the project a mix of different methods will be applied including case studies. secondary analysis of existing data sets, a company survey, and comparative analysis. Based on the results of the research project an anszer can be given to the question whether a common European model of information society is emerging or whether different countries follow different paths into information society.

Programme(s)

• FP4-TSER - Specific programme of targeted socio-economic research, 1994-1998

Topic(s)

• 0102 - Evaluation of the inter-relations between short and medium-term needs and socio-economic changes and new scientific and technological developments

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF TAMPERE

Address

4,Tullikatu 6
33014 Tampere
Finland

Participants (7)

FORSCHUNGS- UND BERATUNGSSTELLE ARBEITSWELT

Austria

Address

Aspernbrueckengasse 4/5
Wien

FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM KARLSRUHE GMBH - TECHNIK UND UMWELT

Germany

Address

5,Weberstrasse 5
76021 Karlsruhe

Fundaçáo da Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia da Univesidade Nova de Lisboa

Portugal

Address

.,Quinta Da Torre
2825 Monte De Caparica

INSTITUTE FOR EMPLOYMENT STUDIES

United Kingdom

Address

University Of Sussex, Mantell Building
BN1 9RF Brighton / Falmer

ISTITUTO RICERCHE ECONOMICHE E SOCIALI

Italy

Address

Via S. Teresa 23
00198 Roma

KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN

Belgium

Address

2E,e. Van Evenstraat 2E
3000 Louvain / Leuven

Nexus Europe (Ireland) Ltd

Ireland

Address

.,Fumbally Lane
8 Dublin