Spaces for the Social Shaping of Information Technology and Work. A reassessment of Scandinavian action research and its implications for action

This contribution explores a range of social spaces where unions and workers have played or potential can play a role in the local social shaping of IT and work. It will mainly be based on the authors own research and experiences within Scandinavian research on technology and working from the past 30 years.

The paper provides an overview of Scandinavian research within technology and working life form a Danish perspective. A major contribution is con-cerned with a variety of strategies employed by social actors involved in action research pro-jects and their role in the social shaping of technology. The point is made that no single strat-egy have proved to provide an uncontested route for union or workers influence.

Instead the Scandinavian experiences indicate, that a range of spaces, players and positions have been developed, providing opportunities for addressing questions related to technology and work.