Implementeringen af velfærdsteknologi i ældreplejen: En etnografisk undersøgelse af velfærdsteknologi i kommunale plejecentre

Abstract

This Master thesis investigates the factors that may influence the implementation of welfare technology in two Danish nursing homes. This investigation will be executed through the analytical strategy of Actor-Network Theory by Bruno Latour, which lets the empirical material direct the course of analysis. By using the analytical strategy of Actor-Network theory we wish to investigate how actors create order in streams of associations thus constituting a network. In order to understand this process, Actor-Network theory provides analytical components to support such an investigation; actor, network, translation, powerand black box. It is on the basis of our empirical research on welfare technology, that we will identify the ‘actors’ that constitute a ‘network’ where ‘translation processes’ take place. The analysis will take a closer look on these translation processes that occur in associa-tions between actors. The unfolding of these translation processes will be complemented by sense making theory. In these translation processes we will determine ‘power’ relations as well as ‘black boxed’ actors in order to indicate; when an actor in a stream of associations seems to be accepted by others. This notion of acceptanceis what we will be using in order to determine whether or not a welfare technology as an actor has been successfully implemented.The empirical material of this thesis takes form on the basis of an ethnographic study of two nursing homes, Kildevæld Sogns Plejehjem and Ålholmhjemmet during a period of one and a half months. The observations of this ethnographic study show-cased how employees, managers and residents of the two nursing homes interacted with and talked about ‘welfare technology’ on a daily basis. It is through these inter-actions that we will identify the translation processes, power relations and black boxed actors in order to determine; what makes a welfare technology become accepted, thus implementedby members of these two nursing homes as an integrated part of their dailywork. In the end, we will identify the factors that influence the implementation of welfare technologies at the two nursing homes, in order to produce a momentary indication of the social context that we are observing.