Title: Organising competences: actor-network theory in virtual settings

Authors: Fernando Abreu Goncalves, Jose Figueiredo

Addresses: Engineering and Management Research Center, Technical University of Lisbon (IST), Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049–001 Lisboa, Portugal. ' Engineering and Management Department, Engineering and Management Research Center, Technical University of Lisbon (IST), Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049–001 Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract: In our work, we follow professionals in their settings, networking and negotiating with other actors, information technologies and organisations. Some of the negotiations trigger displacements where innovations emerge. Actor-Network Theory (ANT) is our paradigm, our view of the action navigating between different theories and metaphors. The Socio-Technical Graph is an inspiring conceptual tool we use to follow the actors in their settings. To work in a virtual environment, we designed and developed a web tool, our observation platform over the action going on.

Keywords: actors; actor-network theory; ANT; competences; division of labour; information systems; ontologies; practices; professionals; routines; networking; innovation; sociotechnical graph; virtual environments; web tools; internet.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNVO.2009.022481

International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, 2009 Vol.6 No.1, pp.22 - 35

Published online: 09 Jan 2009 *

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