When Technology is Taken for Granted: The Paradox of Co-working

Co-working is an exemplary case for exploring the organisation and significance of work. Two main thrusts prompt co-working arrangements: the idea of exploiting information and communication technology (ICT) to share experiences and knowledge, and the idea of joining forces to survive economically. Drawing upon a scoping review, this qualitative paper argues that the role of ICT artefacts in studies on co-working takes a back seat. Invoking technology ‘in name only’ prevents research from connecting the social to the technological. We claim it is crucial to bring technology into the analysis to better understand how co-working ‘works’. We could do that by considering co-working as a ‘work-oriented infrastructure’ and recognising its dynamic complexity.