NFQ Summit 2023 | Tech as Social Practice - Why Values Matter by Jan Stassen

Updated: November 17, 2024

NFQ Asia


Summary

The video delves into how technology is intertwined with our values, shaping behaviors and societal norms beyond just digital tools. It stresses the evolving nature of values across countries, emphasized through the World Values Survey data. Ethical implications of technological advancements and the necessity of aligning technology with ethical values and societal impact are explored, alongside the role of leadership in driving behavior change and co-creating company culture. The importance of transparency, storytelling, and recognizing ethical issues in technology development is underscored for building trust and positive relationships in a rapidly changing world.


Introduction and Background

The speaker introduces the topic of how technology is influenced by our values and provides background information about their organization and work related to values and technology.

Definition of Technology

Explores the definition of technology, its origin, and how it is not limited to digital tech but encompasses cultural and social aspects as well.

Importance of Value Sensitivities

Discusses the significance of understanding how technologies influence behavior, values, and relationships in society, especially amidst ongoing crises like COVID-19 and political challenges.

Changing World Dynamics

Examines the complexities of a changing world with increasing political confusion, generational gaps, and rapid societal transformations, posing challenges for sense-making and adaptation.

World Values Study

Presents data from the World Values Survey showing how values change over time in different countries, highlighting the dynamic nature of societal beliefs and norms.

Impact of Technology on Values

Explores the ethical implications of technological advancements, discussing how technology influences behavior, decision-making, and societal structures.

Language and Leadership

Analyzes the role of language in leadership, highlighting how different generations use metaphors and how language shapes perception and understanding in organizational contexts.

Negotiating Identities

Discusses how individuals negotiate their identities in the workplace based on their backgrounds and perspectives, emphasizing the importance of understanding diverse identities for effective leadership.

Parable of People Selling Solutions

People coming from their own backgrounds and selling solutions as leaders can make it hard to understand the actual problem, leading to quick resolutions that may not address the real issue.

Innovative Hiring Practices

A company in the Netherlands, an architecture firm and construction company, stopped hiring traditional construction workers and instead hired circus equipment companies to use minimal materials and build quickly, avoiding unnecessary markups on materials.

Changing the Playing Field

Discussion on why linens in hotels are always white, linking the color to creating an illusion of cleanliness and trust, highlighting the relationship between trust, transparency, and complexity reduction.

Leadership Strategies

Using examples of a football coach and behavior change tactics, showcasing how changing the game's rules or playing field can influence behavior and perceptions, emphasizing the role of leaders in creating new behaviors.

Creating Transparency and Trust

Emphasizing the importance of transparency in leadership, using white linen as a metaphor for trust and the concept of changing the playing field to influence behavior positively.

Effective Leadership Qualities

Exploring the qualities of a good leader, reflecting on personal experiences and the influence of leaders on behavior, discussing the need for co-creation and weaving individual values into company culture.

Empowering Company Culture

Discussing the importance of co-creating company culture, sharing an example of how a company developed values collectively across different locations, highlighting the value of storytelling and individual connections to values.

Ethics in Technology Development

Exploring unintended consequences in technology development, such as biased AI in hiring practices, and the importance of aligning technology with ethical values and societal impact.

Data Ethics and Responsibility

Introducing the concept of data ethics and the responsibility of individuals, analysts, and policymakers in recognizing ethical issues in data projects, emphasizing the importance of considering values in technological development.

Relationship Building and Expression

Highlighting the significance of communication, resonance, sensory experiences, and expression in creating relationships and fostering understanding, using different formats and approaches to engage diverse audiences in sense-making activities.


FAQ

Q: What is the significance of understanding how technologies influence behavior, values, and relationships in society?

A: Understanding how technologies influence behavior, values, and relationships in society is crucial because it impacts societal norms, organizational structures, and individual interactions.

Q: How do values change over time in different countries, according to the World Values Survey data presented?

A: Values change over time in different countries, as shown by the World Values Survey data, highlighting the dynamic nature of societal beliefs and norms influenced by various factors.

Q: What are some ethical implications of technological advancements discussed in the context of influencing behavior and societal structures?

A: Ethical implications of technological advancements include how technology influences behavior, decision-making processes, and shapes societal structures, raising concerns about privacy, biases, and social inequalities.

Q: Why did a company in the Netherlands opt to hire circus equipment companies instead of traditional construction workers?

A: A company in the Netherlands chose to hire circus equipment companies for construction to minimize material usage, reduce costs, and complete projects quickly, avoiding unnecessary markups on materials.

Q: What is the relationship between white linens in hotels and the concept of cleanliness and trust?

A: White linens in hotels are often used to create an illusion of cleanliness and trust, showcasing the link between color psychology, perception management, and building trust with consumers.

Q: How can changing the rules or playing field influence behavior and perceptions, as illustrated with the example of a football coach?

A: Changing the rules or playing field can influence behavior and perceptions, as demonstrated by a football coach using behavior change tactics to showcase the impact of altering the environment on individuals' actions and attitudes.

Q: What does co-creating company culture involve, and why is it important?

A: Co-creating company culture involves developing values collectively across different locations, emphasizing storytelling, fostering individual connections to values, and encouraging employee participation, which is crucial for a strong organizational culture.

Q: What are some unintended consequences in technology development discussed, such as biased AI in hiring practices?

A: Unintended consequences in technology development include issues like biased AI in hiring practices, emphasizing the importance of aligning technological advancements with ethical values and societal impact considerations.

Q: How can communication, resonance, sensory experiences, and expression contribute to relationship-building and understanding?

A: Communication, resonance, sensory experiences, and expression are key factors in creating relationships and fostering understanding, utilizing various formats and approaches to engage diverse audiences and facilitate sense-making activities.

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