Understanding Information Communication Technologies and Society : A Modified Social Shaping Perspective

Several theoretical perspectives (i.e. Technological Determinism, Socio-Technical System, Actor Network Theory, Structuration Theory, Social Shaping Theory, Social Presence Theory, Social Constructivism Theory, Instrumental Theory and Substantive Theory) underpin existing studies and discourse by scholars and development experts in the field of communication technologies and development to aid our understanding of the relationship between technology and society. However, most of such debates and empirical studies about the influence of technology on socio-economic change are often framed by Technological Determinism. Social Shaping perspective on the other hand attempts to address what seems to be a major drawback in the technological determinism thinking - an apparent oversight/neglect of social factors implications in its analysis, but fails to clearly acknowledge the valid argument of technological determinism. Likewise, Socio-Technical System seems to suggest a much deeper understanding of the relationship between technology and society by providing a convincing perspective of a more symbiotic and proportionate interaction between technology and social forces, but restricts its conceptualisation of ‘social forces’ to human agency within an organisation. This article critically examines the technological determinism, social shaping and socio-technical system perspectives in particular, in the context of their contributions to deepening our understanding of the role of technology in society. It acknowledges their contributions to development debate, but argues that each only gives a partial, inadequate account of a more symbiotic relationship between technology and society. Therefore, this study suggests a modification to the social shaping perspective to reflect a balanced, two-way, mutually-influencing relationship between technology and society. It is believed the modification would make the theory more robust, improve its applicability to different situations, whilst also deepening our understanding of the relationship between technology (communication technologies) and society