Computers and information technology are essential facilitators of everyday life. Just like accounting and legal, every business opportunity needs and information technology enabler to compete. Technology is referred as a cost of doing business and an opportunity to do business more. The benefits of information technology are enormous and allow businesses to reach new heights. It expands the reach for potential customers and provide an opportunity for the provider to develop a business relationship with them. It also streamline operations and enable reduced costs, improved efficiency and maximization of profits with minimum wastage.
With the fast technological innovation and its consequence on cultures, visa vera, hi-tech determinist, and social determinist should be harmonious. This is not only because each is influenced by the other but because of how the world evolves. Technology assemblage refers to the approaches, activities, manifestations, understandings and effects that incorporate a dynamic form. They present themselves as concrete but are not known explicitly. Technology assemblages progress continually and adjust in time taking into account the structure way of enunciation. Technology is seen as an assemblage in the way it functions. Taking the example of a self-checkout machine, it comprises of all the factors and components that make it a convenient solution to the population. Each and every variable that contributes to a claim need to be considered if the technology is to be regarded as an assemblage. The factors that lead to an assemblage should be dynamic and never static. This should be true so that at the point when something new turns out, there should be a change in the assemblage (Cressman, 2009).
The information technology assemblage can enhance the transmission, storage, and retrieval of information. An analysis of various example will show how an assemblage may facilitate storage, retrieval and transmission of information. Taking the example of archeology as an assemblage. There are so many discrete pieces that are combined to produce a whole functional component. The small contributions fit into the puzzle to make the whole picture. The idea of iPhones is relevant. As a mobile device, it captures the technological determination and the association of the people on using their mobile devices to communicate and exchange information. There is the technology component and the people component that cannot be separated or made to work independently. People will need mobile devices to communicate, receive and store information regarding other people. The thought of the wireless and the artifacts that make it up need to be considered. To comprehend how cell phone make an assemblage, an understanding of the improvement and mix of innovation and the people behind to facilitate communication is required (Clinton).
Another example of how technology can be utilized as an assemblage for the exchange of information is the concept of a watch. A watch is a whole assembly of many articulating aspects. The different articulations are making up the clock make the clock an assemblage. Summative joints and the pieces of implements inside the chronometer are the requirements for the watch as a functional item or assemblage. With the absence of one of the implements, the chronometer lack the provisions of an assemblage, neither would it be regarded as a functional item. Behind the clock, there are the technological aspects and the people aspects. This explanation is derived from the Actor-Network theory developed by Michael Callon and Bruno Latour. Their work revolved around the explanation of the progressive constitution of a network comprising of human and non-human players that assume identities as per the dominant strategies of interaction (Donzello, 2013 p. 234).
In an Actor-Network environment, both the actors and actants are engaged for the reconstruction of the network of associations that lead to the stabilization of a system. However, the crucial difference between the two is that the actors are in a position to subdue the actants in a system of circulation (Cressman, 2009).
The concept of technology assemblage may be beneficial as well as problematic for businesses. The emergence of social technologies has increased control over human activity via new regimes of visibility and discipline. This is a concern that resonates other themes in the works of Arendt, Foucault, and Polanyi regarding power and knowledge. The focus on reflection, practical and transformative work as central to the present regimes in businesses or otherwise is a concern. Some of the inquiries a business pioneer may approach to devise methodologies for affecting the network are: what thoughts, developments, objects, offices, assets can be made or assembled and compared inside of the system to accomplish fancied results? By what method can thoughts and material protests inside of the system required for designing of social relations be conveyed? How are choices interpreted into activities inside of the system? What connections should be built up, realigned, repaired? How does a pioneer, lead successfully inside of this system (Clinton)?
Action Network Theory seems to get many theorists in a collision path. Being the idea that clarify the human science of science and innovation and spread to different fields, for example, administration, authoritative studies, financial matters and theory, ANT has set forward tenacious assault on the classifications and ideas that are a piece of the Western world's idea for a really long time (Donzello, 2013 p.250).
The actor-network theory has been used to explain some of the concepts in business. For example, ANT has been used to explain a variety of accounting phenomena including the potential for accounting to be a formidable force for achieving long-distance control, the power of accounting as a rationale for institutional or system change and interconnections of human and non-human aspects in facilitating accounting reforms. However, the research has meet with challenges of the lack of knowledge of the semiotic nature of inscriptions and how power can be mobilized in accounting practice creation and modifications. For instance, on the off chance that inscriptions, as secret elements, are routinely activated in standard life and regarded as unproblematic depictions of the bookkeeping sensation, then ANT ought not try to unload these traditions, but instead test how these traditions can advantage the calling. Rising inquiries incorporate how some bookkeeping frameworks and practices are made and practices while some are more imperative and effective than others. It likewise tries to clarify why some bookkeeping angles are more common than others regarding associations that utilization them and why a few organizations are more steady than others. These questions to this end, are still unanswered regarding action network theory. The force administration in the middle of human and non-human components is the key concern in deciding the various and unraveling idea of bookkeeping and administration practices and material and social variables appear to take part in the force system (Collier p. 65).
References
Anonymous, 2015. Culture and Technology Assemblage, s.l.: MediaWiki.
Clinton, S., n.d. THE DEVELOPMENT OF ACTOR-NETWORK LEADERS: A new Mission for Business Schools, s.l.: s.n.
Collier, S., n.d. Global Assemblages, Anthropoligical problems, s.l.: s.n.
Cressman, D., 2009. A Short Outlook of Actor-Network Theory: Punctualization, Heterogeneous Engineering & Translation, s.l.: ACT Laboratory (CPROST).
Donzello, C., 2013. Employing Actor Network Theory to Explore the role of Management Control Systems in new product development projects, s.l.: s.n.
Hossein, M., 2013. Assemblage of Social Technologies and Informal Knowledge Sharing, s.l.: AAAI technical report.
