TY - JOUR
T1 - Digital Discretion
T2 - Unpacking Human and Technological Agency in Automated Decision Making in Sweden’s Social Services
AU - Ranerup, Agneta
AU - Zinner Henriksen, Helle
PY - 2022/4
Y1 - 2022/4
N2 - The introduction of robotic process automation (RPA) into the public sector has changed civil servants’ daily life and practices. One of these central practices in the public sector is discretion. The shift to a digital mode of discretion calls for an understanding of the new situation. This article presents an empirical case where automated decision making driven by RPA has been implemented in social services in Sweden. It focuses on the aspirational values and effects of the RPA in social services. Context, task, and activities are captured by a detailed analysis of humans and technology. This research finds that digitalization in social services has a positive effect on civil servants’ discretionary practices mainly in terms of their ethical, democratic, and professional values. The long-term effects and the influence on fair and uniform decision making also merit future research. In addition, the article finds that a human–technology hybrid actor redefines social assistance practices. Simplifications are needed to unpack the automated decision-making process because of the technological and theoretical complexities.
AB - The introduction of robotic process automation (RPA) into the public sector has changed civil servants’ daily life and practices. One of these central practices in the public sector is discretion. The shift to a digital mode of discretion calls for an understanding of the new situation. This article presents an empirical case where automated decision making driven by RPA has been implemented in social services in Sweden. It focuses on the aspirational values and effects of the RPA in social services. Context, task, and activities are captured by a detailed analysis of humans and technology. This research finds that digitalization in social services has a positive effect on civil servants’ discretionary practices mainly in terms of their ethical, democratic, and professional values. The long-term effects and the influence on fair and uniform decision making also merit future research. In addition, the article finds that a human–technology hybrid actor redefines social assistance practices. Simplifications are needed to unpack the automated decision-making process because of the technological and theoretical complexities.
KW - Discretion
KW - Automated decision making
KW - Robotic process automation
KW - Social work
KW - Actor-network theory
KW - Discretion
KW - Automated decision making
KW - Robotic process automation
KW - Social work
KW - Actor-network theory
U2 - 10.1177/0894439320980434
DO - 10.1177/0894439320980434
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0894-4393
VL - 40
SP - 445
EP - 461
JO - Social Science Computer Review
JF - Social Science Computer Review
IS - 2
ER -