why actor-network?

In Social constructionism vs. technological determinism it has been suggested that the actor-network theory and its methodological framework may provide the language and the mode of explanation to elaborate in a common framework the interplay between human and non-human entities.

Most importantly, the major contribution of the actor-network theory seems to be the fact that it treats the human and non-human elements (or actors as the various element in a given topology are named in the actor-network language) alike as being able to influence each other.

For example, a network topology representing a department in a given organization may consist of various human and non-human actors such as employees, manager(s), inter and intra-departmental structures, communication channels, forms of communication, information and communication systems, meetings, tasks, routines, etc. All of these actors are linked to each other via links (single or multiple).

So, what next? Well, if actors are linked to each other they can potentially influence each other. For example, given the departmental structure, the manager has a direct link/communication with the employees and in many cases affects how the employees do their job. At the same time the employees may affect how the manager does his/her job regarding a particular project. However, the influence that the manager can exert on the employees perhaps is stronger than the influence any particular employee might be able to exert on his/her manager. Here we see an example of the actor 'structure' as a moderating actor in the communication/link between the manager and the employees.

Another example would be the use of a particular information system for performing certain project related tasks. If a particular system is already being used for given tasks, some limiting capabilities of the system when used for a similar task will effect how the task is performed by the employees. When cost becomes an issue (we can't always have the systems changed the way we want), the functionalities of a particular system might even define the departmental structure and the scope of the task. Here we see an example of an information technology actor/artifact having a say on how tasks are performed.

If actors in a given topology can effect each other, what are then the properties and the attributes of the actors and the links then can further help us elaborate and explain the nature of a particular topology?