The Strategic Role of Remote Embedded Systems

Abstract

This thesis started with an ambition to match the business community’s desire to obtain pragmatic data and a useful analysis with stringent academic demands. We used the theoretical framework of technological frames as well as theories around sensemaking to analyse the data obtained with interviews from ten managers in the same number of organizations. The managers were influential in the decisions made around the implementation of a specific type of system (remote embedded system), and our goal was to inquire into their perceptions of the strategic role of their remote embedded system. We found that three frames, or perceived strategic roles, were present among the respondents: rationalization, control and structural transformation. One of our interpretations indicates that there are few differences in the strategic roles between traditional systems and the examined remote embedded systems.