There exist projects whose realisation cannot be evaluated by directly predicting costs and benefits, due to their uncertain outcomes. Instead, decisions are driven by project owners’ and sponsors’ visions of desired futures, defined as fictional expectations. Sociotechnical Imaginaries (SIs) and narratives are pivotal in affecting such fictional expectations, shaping decisions for projects aimed at concretising desired distant futures, such as breakthrough complex product and systems (CoPS) research and development (R&D) innovations. This thesis aims to investigate which SIs and narratives shape breakthrough CoPS R&D innovations, and how SIs become performative, hence driving investments. This thesis proposes a conceptual framework comprehensively linking SIs, narratives, and fictional expectations to projects. This thesis focuses on the fusion energy technological innovation system as single case study, using data from secondary sources. This thesis structures the data analysis in two phases. In the first one, based on a Critical Discourse Analysis I identify fusion energy narratives, whether promoting or challenging technology development, and the main narrative elements beyond narrative content, including narratives’ type, focus, temporal nature, emotional links, and dystopian present. In the second phase, I discern SIs from narratives and deductively apply Augustine et al. (2019) framework. SIs analysis shows that the dominance of alternative SIs over time corresponds to emerging societal challenges. Due to fusion energy complexity and innovation, alongside SIs envisioning technology as a solution to global issues, an opposing SI exists, preferring proven technologies. Since narrative elements contribute to narratives’ persuasiveness, I discuss their role in affecting SIs’ performativity and define some performativity dimensions: credibility, concreteness, centrality, and affect. Finally, this thesis proposes an improved framework to analyse SIs. This thesis paves the way for further studies on non-energy related case studies and projects not completely relying on fictional expectations.
Esistono progetti la cui realizzazione non può essere valutata prevedendo direttamente costi e benefici, a causa dei loro risultati incerti. Invece, le decisioni sono guidate dalle visioni riguardo futuri desiderati dei proprietari e finanziatori del progetto, definite come aspettative fittizie. Gli Immaginari Sociotecnici (IS) e le narrative sono fondamentali nell’influenzare tali aspettative fittizie, plasmando le decisioni per progetti finalizzati a concretizzare futuri desiderati distanti, come i progetti di ricerca e sviluppo (R&S) per rivoluzionari prodotti e sistemi complessi innovativi. L’obiettivo della tesi è indagare quali IS e narrative danno forma ai progetti di R&S per rivoluzionari prodotti e sistemi complessi innovativi, e come gli IS diventano performativi, guidando gli investimenti. Questa tesi propone un framework concettuale che collega collettivamente IS, narrative e aspettative fittizie ai progetti. La tesi adotta il sistema di innovazione tecnologica dell’energia di fusione come caso di studio singolo, utilizzando dati da fonti secondarie. Questa tesi struttura l’analisi dei dati in due fasi. Nella prima, basandomi su un’analisi critica del discorso, identifico le narrative sull’energia di fusione, sia che promuovono sia che contestano lo sviluppo della tecnologia, e i principali elementi narrativi che vanno oltre al contenuto, includendo tipo di narrativa, focus, natura temporale, legami emotivi, e presente distopico. Nella seconda fase, derivo gli IS dalle narrative e applico deduttivamente il framework di Augustine et al. (2019). L’analisi degli IS mostra che la dominanza di IS alternativi nel tempo corrisponde alle sfide sociali emergenti. A causa della complessità e innovazione dell’energia di fusione, insieme agli IS che vedono la tecnologia come soluzione ai problemi globali, esiste un IS opposto, che preferisce tecnologie comprovate. Poiché gli elementi narrativi contribuiscono alla persuasività delle narrative, discuto il loro ruolo nell’influenzare la performatività degli IS e definisco alcune dimensioni di performatività: credibilità, concretezza, centralità, e l’attaccamento affettivo. Infine, questa tesi propone un framework migliorato per analizzare gli IS. Questa tesi apre la strada a ulteriori studi su casi studio non legati all’energia, e progetti che non si basano completamente su aspettative fittizie.
The role of sociotechnical imaginaries and narratives in creating fictional expectations
Bennati, Giulia
2023/2024
Abstract
There exist projects whose realisation cannot be evaluated by directly predicting costs and benefits, due to their uncertain outcomes. Instead, decisions are driven by project owners’ and sponsors’ visions of desired futures, defined as fictional expectations. Sociotechnical Imaginaries (SIs) and narratives are pivotal in affecting such fictional expectations, shaping decisions for projects aimed at concretising desired distant futures, such as breakthrough complex product and systems (CoPS) research and development (R&D) innovations. This thesis aims to investigate which SIs and narratives shape breakthrough CoPS R&D innovations, and how SIs become performative, hence driving investments. This thesis proposes a conceptual framework comprehensively linking SIs, narratives, and fictional expectations to projects. This thesis focuses on the fusion energy technological innovation system as single case study, using data from secondary sources. This thesis structures the data analysis in two phases. In the first one, based on a Critical Discourse Analysis I identify fusion energy narratives, whether promoting or challenging technology development, and the main narrative elements beyond narrative content, including narratives’ type, focus, temporal nature, emotional links, and dystopian present. In the second phase, I discern SIs from narratives and deductively apply Augustine et al. (2019) framework. SIs analysis shows that the dominance of alternative SIs over time corresponds to emerging societal challenges. Due to fusion energy complexity and innovation, alongside SIs envisioning technology as a solution to global issues, an opposing SI exists, preferring proven technologies. Since narrative elements contribute to narratives’ persuasiveness, I discuss their role in affecting SIs’ performativity and define some performativity dimensions: credibility, concreteness, centrality, and affect. Finally, this thesis proposes an improved framework to analyse SIs. This thesis paves the way for further studies on non-energy related case studies and projects not completely relying on fictional expectations.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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2024_07_Bennati_Executive Summary.pdf
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2024_07_Bennati_Tesi.pdf
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/223324