| 1. |
- Adam, A., et al.
(author)
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A decade of neglect : Reflecting on gender and IS
- 2004
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In: New technology, work and employment. - 0268-1072 .- 1468-005X. ; 19:3, s. 222-240
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents the case that research on gender and information systems (IS), from both quantitative and qualitative traditions, is problematic as the concept of gender continues to remain under-theorised. This will be elaborated upon with a critique of some recent qualitative and quantitative research papers that have been published in key IS journals within a ten-year period.
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| 2. |
- Bergvall-Kåreborn, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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Amazon Mechanical Turk and the Commodification of labour
- 2014
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In: New technology, work and employment. - : Wiley. - 0268-1072 .- 1468-005X. ; 29:3, s. 213-223
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Crowd employment platforms enable firms to source labour and expertise by leveraging Internet technology. Rather than offshoring jobs to low-cost geographies, functions once performed by internal employees can be outsourced to an undefined pool of digital labour using a virtual network. This enables firms to shift costs and offload risk as they access a flexible, scalable workforce that sits outside the traditional boundaries of labour laws and regulations. The micro-tasks of 'clickwork' are tedious, repetitive and poorly paid, with remuneration often well below minimum wage. This article will present an analysis of one of the most popular crowdsourcing sites-Mechanical Turk-to illuminate how Amazon's platform enables an array of companies to access digital labour at low cost and without any of the associated social protection or moral obligation.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Bergvall-Kåreborn, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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Disregarding history : Contemporary IS contexts and participatory design
- 2014
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In: Communications of the Association for Information Systems. - 1529-3181. ; 34:1, s. 1319-1332
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- User participation has long been seen as a core topic of study within the IS field, yet its relevance to contemporary development environments and contexts has recently been brought into question. The aim of this article is to investigate the extent to which this rich history and experience is used to inform contemporary practices. We provide a survey that evaluates the degree to which PD (participatory design) is currently represented in the IS literature, the results of which reveal a low representation. Based on these findings, a number of propositions are offered. © 2014 by the Association for Information Systems.
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| 5. |
- Bergvall-Kåreborn, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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Mobile applications development on Apple and Google platforms
- 2011
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In: Communications of the Association for Information Systems. - 1529-3181. ; 29:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The uptake of Internet-enabled multifunctional mobile devices is an emerging area within software development. This article examines the under-researched area of mobile application developers and considers some of the current challenges facing this sector within the IT workforce. We frame our study within the wider context of the evolution of the industry in order to illustrate how the emerging business model of mobile application development shapes the everyday practices of systems developers, specifically those working on iPhone and Android platforms. Drawing on qualitative research carried out in Sweden, the UK, and the U.S., we analyze developers’ experiences in order to illustrate how they respond and adapt to the turbulent environment of the IT sector.
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| 6. |
- Bergvall-Kåreborn, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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Outsourcing creative work : A study of mobile application development
- 2011
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In: International Conference on Information Systems 2010 (ICIS 2010). - Red Hook : Curran Associates, Inc.. - 9780615418988
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- As the mobile phone industry converges with the IT/software industry, the emerging internetenabled multifunctional mobile devices are bringing together many diverse stakeholders. This paper examines the under-researched area of mobile application developers. We frame our study within the wider context of the mobile application industry in order to illustrate how the business models of large IT firms shape the everyday practices of systems developers, specifically those working on iPhone and Android platforms. By broadening out the study in this way we are able to situate seemingly new and distinctive technological artefacts and practices and show how they build on a number of continuing trends within the field. Drawing on qualitative data with developers working in this emerging market, we analyse their practices in order to (a) provide detail on this under-studied area and (b) show the ways in which developers adapt to the turbulent environment of the IT sector.
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| 7. |
- Bergvall-Kåreborn, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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Participation in living lab : designing systems with users
- 2010
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In: Human Benefit through the Diffusion of Information Systems Design Science Research. - Berlin, Heidelberg : Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology/Springer Verlag. - 9783642121128 ; , s. 317-326
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Drawing on a case study of a living lab, this paper considers the process of participation during the design stages of a health care project for the elderly in Sweden. While participation has an established history, more recently it has been described as an "old, tired concept" that is in need of revitalization in order to cater for changing IS practices. In this paper, we reflect on how participation materializes in a context that is quite dissimilar from more traditional development settings and report on the kinds of practices that may be used to assist design with users
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| 8. |
- Bergvall-Kåreborn, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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Persistent problems and practices in information systems development : a study of mobile applications development and distribution
- 2014
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In: Information Systems Journal. - : Wiley. - 1350-1917 .- 1365-2575. ; 24:5, s. 425-444
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The widespread uptake of mobile technologies has witnessed a re-structuring of the mobile market with major shifts in the predominance of particular firms and the emergence of new business models. These sociotechnical trends are significant in the ways that they are influencing and shaping the working lives of software professionals. Building on prior research investigating the persistent problems and practices of systems development, this paper examines mobile applications development and distribution. A qualitative study of 60 developers based in Sweden, the UK and the USA was analysed around the interrelated problems of diversity, knowledge and structure. The analysis revealed how platform-based development in an evolving mobile market represents significant changes at the business environment level. These changes ripple through and accentuate ongoing trends and developments, intensifying the persistent problems and challenges facing software developers.
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| 9. |
- Bergvall-Kåreborn, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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The Apple business model : Crowdsourcing mobile applications
- 2013
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In: Accounting Forum. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0155-9982 .- 1467-6303. ; 37:4, s. 280-289
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Much to Apple's chagrin, the ‘suicide express’ at the Foxconn manufacturing complex in China has been widely reported. While outsourcing the manufacture of technology components is neither new nor unique, the external sourcing of digital content is integral to the success of Apple's business model. In 2008, Apple opened up their platform to third-party IT developers, leveraging their expertise for the supply of applications. Apple's rapid dominance of the mobile market led to the emergence of a business model that weaves together Internet-enabled mobile devices with digital content, brought together within a closed proprietary platform or ecosystem. Applying a Global Production Network analysis, this paper reports on fieldwork among Apple mobile application developers in Sweden, the UK, and the US. The analysis shows that although some developers experience success, financial returns remain elusive and many encounter intense pressure to generate and market new products in a competitive and saturated market. Crowdsourcing allows Apple to effectively source development to a global base of software developers, capitalizing on the mass production of digital products while simultaneously managing to sidestep the incurred costs and responsibilities associated with directly employing a high-tech workforce.
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| 10. |
- Bergvall-Kåreborn, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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‘The future’s bright, the future’s mobile’ : a study of Apple and Google mobile application developers
- 2013
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In: Work, Employment and Society. - : SAGE Publications. - 0950-0170 .- 1469-8722. ; 27:6, s. 964-981
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Software work is often depicted as a ‘sunrise occupation’, consisting of knowledge workers that are able to craft stable careers. The aim of this article is to question this account by analysing the experiences of mobile applications developers, with a focus on Apple and Google platforms. The analysis is situated in the context of wider socioeconomic trends and developments in product and technology markets, since these structures frame the working practices of software developers. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork in Sweden, the UK, and the US, the study reveals how changing market structures have given rise to increasingly precarious working conditions and unstable labour markets.
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