This chapter provides a theoretical contribution regarding the implications of adopting algorithms for monitoring workers’ health and well-being as a different form of control of their employers. Through a literature review and adopting an anti-deterministic view of the phenomenon within a theoretical framework informed by the STS approach, the chapter shows that the algorithmisation of workers’ health and well-being connects to the emergence of a selective form of paternalistic leadership. The proposed concept of selective paternalism points out how initiatives that challenge individual lifestyles and personal health needs and beliefs reinforce the introduction of the principle of selectiveness in the paternalistic style of leadership, diverging from the “duty” of inclusivity that characterised paternalistic employers. However, we argue, that the STS concepts of “affordance” and “appropriation” together allow us to see how employees and employers are not passive agents in front of algorithms, as they can appropriate them, thus leading to different potential interactional configurations between humans and algorithms.

Rossi, P., Tirabeni, L. (2024). The Algorithmisation of Well-Being Promotion: Towards a Selective Paternalism. In F. Miele, P. Giardullo (a cura di), Reframing Algorithms STS perspectives to Healthcare Automation (pp. 45-71). Palgrave Macmillan [10.1007/978-3-031-52049-5_3].

The Algorithmisation of Well-Being Promotion: Towards a Selective Paternalism

Rossi, Paolo;Tirabeni, Lia
2024

Abstract

This chapter provides a theoretical contribution regarding the implications of adopting algorithms for monitoring workers’ health and well-being as a different form of control of their employers. Through a literature review and adopting an anti-deterministic view of the phenomenon within a theoretical framework informed by the STS approach, the chapter shows that the algorithmisation of workers’ health and well-being connects to the emergence of a selective form of paternalistic leadership. The proposed concept of selective paternalism points out how initiatives that challenge individual lifestyles and personal health needs and beliefs reinforce the introduction of the principle of selectiveness in the paternalistic style of leadership, diverging from the “duty” of inclusivity that characterised paternalistic employers. However, we argue, that the STS concepts of “affordance” and “appropriation” together allow us to see how employees and employers are not passive agents in front of algorithms, as they can appropriate them, thus leading to different potential interactional configurations between humans and algorithms.
Capitolo o saggio
Well-being, algorithm, affordance, appropriation, organization, paternalism
English
Reframing Algorithms STS perspectives to Healthcare Automation
Miele, F; Giardullo, P
2024
9783031520488
Palgrave Macmillan
45
71
Rossi, P., Tirabeni, L. (2024). The Algorithmisation of Well-Being Promotion: Towards a Selective Paternalism. In F. Miele, P. Giardullo (a cura di), Reframing Algorithms STS perspectives to Healthcare Automation (pp. 45-71). Palgrave Macmillan [10.1007/978-3-031-52049-5_3].
reserved
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Rossi-Tirabeni-2024-Reframing Algorithms-Capitolo-VoR.pdf

Solo gestori archivio

Descrizione: ROSSI TIRABENI 2024
Tipologia di allegato: Publisher’s Version (Version of Record, VoR)
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati
Dimensione 291.7 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
291.7 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/484079
Citazioni
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
Social impact