“ Sustainable Collaborative Research ”

1. “Sustainable Collaborative Research” Dr Mary Allan Social Science Research Centre University of Canterbury December 08

2. Aim of project The project investigates ways of implementing sustainable research practices for flourishing international research with minimum carbon emission generated by travel. December 08

3. The Global Knowledge Economy is about fast and effective decisions making processes, it is about mobility and connectivity, It is reliant on interdependent production processes and requires collaboration across often geographically dispersed teams (Carlaw, Oxley, Walker, Thorns, & Nuth, 2006; Drucker, 1969; Drucker, 2003; Oxley & Thorns, 2007; Toffler, 1990). However, it is operating within a growing awareness of the impact of human activities on carbon emissions (Wiedmann & Minx, 2007) and hence It is increasingly required to change collaboration practices to align with environmental requirements and reduce carbon footprint associated with travel. Background to Sustainable Research December 08

4. Low hanging fruit solutions “Save money on long distance meetings with Video Conferencing” isthe opening catch phrase on Telecom’s New Zealand website (Telecom, 2007). Telecom is not exclusive in its promises, proponents describe the technology as: An effective solution for conducting cost effective, environmentally friendly meetings between people who are geographically dispersed, reducing travel costs and carbon footprint (Irwin, 2004). December 08

5. Low hanging fruit solutions continued • Engineering approach- provide technical solution- Enhanced teleconferencing tools for remote interactions, • Underpinning rationale – better technology will provide more enjoyable experience and hence reduce people’s inclination to choose travel over virtula meeting. December 08

6. Reality Check Users’ surveys show that in-spite of the rigorous technological enhancements uptake is lower than anticipated The dyadic model of addressing the problem by providing a mechanical solution has not delivered the desirable outcomes and alternative approaches are needed. (Frost & Sullivan., 2005; Hirsh, Sellen, & Brokopp, 2005; Sankar, 2006; Vilaboy, 2007 Thorns, D., Allan, M., Barclay, B., Chamberlain, G., Kerr, R., & Scott, J. (2008 allan, m forthcoming December 08

7. Towards an alternative solution • Using Snow and Collini’s [1993] terminology, the project proposes that we need a change in discourse replacing the dyadic problem > solution ‘engineering discourse’ with a ‘humanistic discourse’ which introduces a model of problem understanding and choice, implying an active agent making choices, rather than merely reacting to external processes. • Technology is only a part of the solution. Human choices driven by values, ethics, operating in political and economic contexts play an important part in implementing sustainable research practices. This implies that the mechanistic scheme of isolable causal trains is insufficient • To implement sustainable research there is a need for a holistic approach which will outline the interdependencies of the different systems at play • Understanding the interdependencies will explain how action in each system will trigger changes in others and will have the potential to change or create a ‘feedback loop’ which will affect the structure of the whole system [Georgio2007] December 08

8. Some methodological ideas • Map the systems involved • Map the ways in which they interact in scenarios where individuals or groups want to collaborate with off site colleagues. This will enable to Identify interdependencies between systems December 08

9. Mapped systems • Socio technical systems • Technology serving a need • Social process of uptake of technology • use , and impact of use on the technological design • Socio economic system • Technology enabling the collaborative complex production systems of the knowledge economy, • technology facilitating production in global production networks.- • Socio Techno environmental system • In which social awareness calls for the use of tele-technologies for enabling the n reduction of travel • Socio cultural system • A culture which is conducive to the use of technology for reducing travel Culture is a man- created universe (Bertalanffy), hence this conducive culture has to get created somehow by someone – or some ones December 08

10. Towards creating The Culture Two levels • Individuals as active agents • Social construction of technology as a tool serving the common good • To create the culture I propose to make visible the ‘tragedy of the commons’, through the presentation of visual illustrations of how the agency of individuals changes the macro • I suggest that by pproviding individuals with the macro representation of their actions, illustrating how the actions of one person can have an impact on large systems individuals will gain a better understanding and appreciation of their ability to contribute to the decision making processes and have a positive input in the efforts to reduce travel related carbon emissions – hence creating a conducive culture to the use of technology for reducing travel • The macro representation will also provide an illustration of how the different systems interrelate ( because it will show how the need of an individual triggers movement in various systems. • The macro illustration will also enable to view technology not as an autonomous but rather a complex enterprise which operates in various context and is shapge and in turn is shaping human values ( Ellul, 1964) December 08

11. Mapping how systems interact - representation of agency • Produce a visual model of how systems interrelate • Show interrelatedness from the point of action of an individual, or a small group, • Illustrate the way one action ricochets across systems altering their structures and the way they function December 08

12. Mapping interdependencies Variables were identified through a survey conducted in October November this year encompassing 125 respondents from all parts of the globe December 08

13. Visualising interrelating systems • Graph Theory – elaborates relational structures by representing them in a topological space (Bertalanffy) December 08

14. Visual representations of interdependencies • Interdependencies are shown in Directed Graphs showing how variables i is interdependent variable j: • V= variable i will help achieve variable j • A=Variable i will be achieved by variable j • X=Variable i and j will help achieve each other • O=Variable i and j are unrelated December 08

15. Discussion Q&A Feedback Suggestions Further Ideas December 08

16. Thank you Mary Allan Mary.allan@canterbury.ac.nz December 08