Sociological concepts for understanding agricultural decision support systems
Clair Gambley, Emma Jakku, P.J. Thorburn · 2004
This paper identifies concepts from the sociology of science and technology that can extend our understanding of the development and application of agricultural decision support systems (DSSs) for improving farm management. Three concepts are useful for analysing agricultural DSSs: interpretive flexibility, technological frames and boundary objects. These concepts can provide insight into two important issues which are pertinent to the development and implementation of agricultural DSSs. Firstly, these concepts can help us understand why DSSs have not been adopted at the rate that those developing them would like and secondly, they could provide guidance for the development of strategies to encourage the broader diffusion of these new technologies into farm management. The value of these concepts is that they can encourage critical reflection on the way in which DSSs might be more effectively developed in partnership with relevant stakeholders and on the intangible benefits that are associated with such technologies. The concepts outlined in this paper contribute to an increasing appreciation of the need to reconsider the role of agricultural DSSs.