Agency in Sociotechnical Systems: How to Enact Human–Robot Collaboration

Abstract

As artificial agents are introduced into diverse workplaces, basic configurations underlying the organization of work undergo a fundamental change. This implies that the work we do is subject to alteration along with who does the work that opens new social challenges. Questions regarding the extent of acceptance of these agents in work settings as well as the consequences of collaborating with artificial agents on human agents indicate the need to better understand the mechanisms that underpin a collaborative sociotechnical system. This book chapter discusses how the interplay between humans and artificial agents enables human–robot collaboration as a new way of working. Thus, we first focused on the agents and their interactive processes in the system to analyze how agency is ascribed to nonhuman entities. Thereafter, the results of two experiments are presented to reflect on the impact of attributing agency to an artificial agent on humans. This study provides recommendations for the design of artificial agents and organizational strategies in terms of which social practices and changes in the working context are required to provide possibilities for successful collaborations.