2023
Journal Articles
1.
Green, Brandon; Pécoud, Antoine
Talking about Migration in Times of Crisis: A Textual Analysis of Narratives by IOM and UNHCR on Migrants and Refugees Journal Article
In: American Behavioral Scientist, 2023, ISSN: 0002-7642.
@article{Green2023,
title = {Talking about Migration in Times of Crisis: A Textual Analysis of Narratives by IOM and UNHCR on Migrants and Refugees},
author = {Brandon Green and Antoine Pécoud},
url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00027642231182899},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1177/00027642231182899},
issn = {0002-7642},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-06-24},
urldate = {2023-06-24},
journal = {American Behavioral Scientist},
publisher = {SAGE Publications},
abstract = {In the absence of a binding and coherent international migration regime, the global governance of migration relies on normative narratives produced by UN agencies and other intergovernmental forums, in line with the discursive legitimacy traditionally associated with international organizations. Such narratives impact migrants, asylum-seekers, and refugees because they support certain policy frameworks among member states. Yet, global migration governance remains fragmented, especially as far as the long-standing divide between the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is concerned. This article contributes to this discussion by applying corpus-assisted critical discourse analysis to the narratives produced by these two organizations. The article identifies some of the dominant worldviews in the narratives of IOM and UNHCR. Results show that IOM and UNHCR have distinct worldviews, associated with different textual patterns, and that, while IOM’s textual productions seem to influence UNHCR’s discourses, the opposite is less true. This would support the view that IOM is currently the leading actor in terms of framing migration, thereby exerting a strong influence on global migration governance.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
In the absence of a binding and coherent international migration regime, the global governance of migration relies on normative narratives produced by UN agencies and other intergovernmental forums, in line with the discursive legitimacy traditionally associated with international organizations. Such narratives impact migrants, asylum-seekers, and refugees because they support certain policy frameworks among member states. Yet, global migration governance remains fragmented, especially as far as the long-standing divide between the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is concerned. This article contributes to this discussion by applying corpus-assisted critical discourse analysis to the narratives produced by these two organizations. The article identifies some of the dominant worldviews in the narratives of IOM and UNHCR. Results show that IOM and UNHCR have distinct worldviews, associated with different textual patterns, and that, while IOM’s textual productions seem to influence UNHCR’s discourses, the opposite is less true. This would support the view that IOM is currently the leading actor in terms of framing migration, thereby exerting a strong influence on global migration governance.
Masters Theses
2.
Virta, Vera
Performance indicators in sustainability reporting: Evidence from Finland Masters Thesis
Utrecht University, 2023.
@mastersthesis{Virta2023,
title = {Performance indicators in sustainability reporting: Evidence from Finland},
author = {Vera Virta},
url = {https://studenttheses.uu.nl/bitstream/handle/20.500.12932/44680/MASTER%20THESIS%20Vera%20Virta%202196433.pdf?sequence=1},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-06-30},
school = {Utrecht University},
abstract = {Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasingly gaining attention both among academia and the business world, as environmental concerns continue to take more critical turns. Legislation is tightening around the topic and sustainability reporting is becoming more mandatory. Disclosure requirements are extending to reach smaller corporations as well. Hence, many companies are in a situation where they need to start reporting about their sustainability for the first time. One significant aspect of these CSR reports is Sustainability Performance Indicators (SPI), which are also part of several reporting frameworks. SPIs are useful tools to transform qualitative information into quantitative. They are considered effective in communicating non-financial information, providing reliable and accurate results for stakeholders.
This thesis investigates the sustainability performance indicators disclosed in the Finnish context, solely focusing on indicators defined by Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). It aims to examine what indicators are companies currently including in their reports, whether there can be differences detected regarding company characteristics, and whether it is possible to assess the level of disclosure quality and completeness. The sample consists of 29 large listed companies with origins in Finland.
Text mining and content analysis are performed on the sample reports to examine the disclosed indicators and disclosure quality.
The results show that on average, companies include 40 out of the total 88 GRI indicators in their reports. Environmental and social indicators are highlighted over economic ones, and the most used indicators relate to emissions and energy usage. Larger companies, both in the sense of revenue and number of employees, use more indicators than smaller ones. Differences are detected between industries, suggesting that air transport uses the most indicators, while companies in finance, insurance,
programming, and consultancy use the least indicators. Regarding the indicator preferences, results show that manufacturing companies focus on material and water, while wholesale and retail companies find procurement practices, waste, and suppliers important. Finance etc. companies then highlight customer privacy over other indicators. Findings suggest that there is room for improvement regarding both completeness of the disclosures and their quality, referring to both report content such as completeness, as well as external qualifications such as clarity. Based on the results it can be stated that companies are under external pressure to disclose sustainability information and use multiple performance indicators, but the pressure does not impact the report quality.
This thesis adds to the literature on sustainability reporting and sustainability performance indicators. It provides new insights into the rather scarce literature on the topic by providing results in the context of Finland. The thesis contributes to the stakeholder theory, legitimacy theory, and institutional theory. The results have practical value as well, as can be used by other companies who are starting their sustainability reporting journey, as they can adopt the reporting manners of the larger companies and on the other hand learn from their aberrations.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {mastersthesis}
}
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasingly gaining attention both among academia and the business world, as environmental concerns continue to take more critical turns. Legislation is tightening around the topic and sustainability reporting is becoming more mandatory. Disclosure requirements are extending to reach smaller corporations as well. Hence, many companies are in a situation where they need to start reporting about their sustainability for the first time. One significant aspect of these CSR reports is Sustainability Performance Indicators (SPI), which are also part of several reporting frameworks. SPIs are useful tools to transform qualitative information into quantitative. They are considered effective in communicating non-financial information, providing reliable and accurate results for stakeholders.
This thesis investigates the sustainability performance indicators disclosed in the Finnish context, solely focusing on indicators defined by Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). It aims to examine what indicators are companies currently including in their reports, whether there can be differences detected regarding company characteristics, and whether it is possible to assess the level of disclosure quality and completeness. The sample consists of 29 large listed companies with origins in Finland.
Text mining and content analysis are performed on the sample reports to examine the disclosed indicators and disclosure quality.
The results show that on average, companies include 40 out of the total 88 GRI indicators in their reports. Environmental and social indicators are highlighted over economic ones, and the most used indicators relate to emissions and energy usage. Larger companies, both in the sense of revenue and number of employees, use more indicators than smaller ones. Differences are detected between industries, suggesting that air transport uses the most indicators, while companies in finance, insurance,
programming, and consultancy use the least indicators. Regarding the indicator preferences, results show that manufacturing companies focus on material and water, while wholesale and retail companies find procurement practices, waste, and suppliers important. Finance etc. companies then highlight customer privacy over other indicators. Findings suggest that there is room for improvement regarding both completeness of the disclosures and their quality, referring to both report content such as completeness, as well as external qualifications such as clarity. Based on the results it can be stated that companies are under external pressure to disclose sustainability information and use multiple performance indicators, but the pressure does not impact the report quality.
This thesis adds to the literature on sustainability reporting and sustainability performance indicators. It provides new insights into the rather scarce literature on the topic by providing results in the context of Finland. The thesis contributes to the stakeholder theory, legitimacy theory, and institutional theory. The results have practical value as well, as can be used by other companies who are starting their sustainability reporting journey, as they can adopt the reporting manners of the larger companies and on the other hand learn from their aberrations.
This thesis investigates the sustainability performance indicators disclosed in the Finnish context, solely focusing on indicators defined by Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). It aims to examine what indicators are companies currently including in their reports, whether there can be differences detected regarding company characteristics, and whether it is possible to assess the level of disclosure quality and completeness. The sample consists of 29 large listed companies with origins in Finland.
Text mining and content analysis are performed on the sample reports to examine the disclosed indicators and disclosure quality.
The results show that on average, companies include 40 out of the total 88 GRI indicators in their reports. Environmental and social indicators are highlighted over economic ones, and the most used indicators relate to emissions and energy usage. Larger companies, both in the sense of revenue and number of employees, use more indicators than smaller ones. Differences are detected between industries, suggesting that air transport uses the most indicators, while companies in finance, insurance,
programming, and consultancy use the least indicators. Regarding the indicator preferences, results show that manufacturing companies focus on material and water, while wholesale and retail companies find procurement practices, waste, and suppliers important. Finance etc. companies then highlight customer privacy over other indicators. Findings suggest that there is room for improvement regarding both completeness of the disclosures and their quality, referring to both report content such as completeness, as well as external qualifications such as clarity. Based on the results it can be stated that companies are under external pressure to disclose sustainability information and use multiple performance indicators, but the pressure does not impact the report quality.
This thesis adds to the literature on sustainability reporting and sustainability performance indicators. It provides new insights into the rather scarce literature on the topic by providing results in the context of Finland. The thesis contributes to the stakeholder theory, legitimacy theory, and institutional theory. The results have practical value as well, as can be used by other companies who are starting their sustainability reporting journey, as they can adopt the reporting manners of the larger companies and on the other hand learn from their aberrations.
PhD Theses
3.
Lowans, Christopher
A socio-techno economic analysis of energy and transport poverty in Northern Ireland PhD Thesis
Queen's University Belfast, 2023.
@phdthesis{Lowans2023,
title = {A socio-techno economic analysis of energy and transport poverty in Northern Ireland},
author = {Christopher Lowans},
url = {https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/a-socio-techno-economic-analysis-of-energy-and-transport-poverty-
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/files/517510812/CL_Thesis_V3.0.pdf},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-09-12},
urldate = {2023-09-12},
school = {Queen's University Belfast},
abstract = {It is a widely held position in the literature that the current energy transition should be a Just Transition. This is considered a moral imperative, and a practical choice as it seeks to preserve the legitimacy of governments and businesses through the ongoing energy transition.
However, energy and transport poverty present significant barriers to this Just Transition in distributional terms and in terms of recognition. These conditions are difficult to quantify, and definitions abound. Nonetheless, the need to address these interlinked issues is increasingly relevant to policy makers due to the energy price consequences of Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, and the Covid-19 pandemic prior to this.
This work primarily considers Northern Ireland, and to a lesser extent, Republic of Ireland, which are two jurisdictions with many current and potential groups vulnerable to both energy and transport poverty. The initial stages of this work reviewed and analysed the body of literature, from both the academic and policy worlds to understand and critique both the conceptualisation of energy and transport poverty and how they are measured. This initial work concluded that single indicators should be replaced by new composite or multiple existing metrics that examine the overlap of energy and transport poverty and that in the case of composite metrics, these should be the focus of further study alongside the incorporation of what the literature terms vulnerability lenses and other “complex” factors. Further to this, a review of potential solutions found that many are linked to decarbonisation. However, technical analysis tools and data are inadequate to consider their alleviation via these solutions. The use of existing tools requires compromise with regards to what is analysed, and currently requires a focus almost solely on cost aspects.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {phdthesis}
}
It is a widely held position in the literature that the current energy transition should be a Just Transition. This is considered a moral imperative, and a practical choice as it seeks to preserve the legitimacy of governments and businesses through the ongoing energy transition.
However, energy and transport poverty present significant barriers to this Just Transition in distributional terms and in terms of recognition. These conditions are difficult to quantify, and definitions abound. Nonetheless, the need to address these interlinked issues is increasingly relevant to policy makers due to the energy price consequences of Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, and the Covid-19 pandemic prior to this.
This work primarily considers Northern Ireland, and to a lesser extent, Republic of Ireland, which are two jurisdictions with many current and potential groups vulnerable to both energy and transport poverty. The initial stages of this work reviewed and analysed the body of literature, from both the academic and policy worlds to understand and critique both the conceptualisation of energy and transport poverty and how they are measured. This initial work concluded that single indicators should be replaced by new composite or multiple existing metrics that examine the overlap of energy and transport poverty and that in the case of composite metrics, these should be the focus of further study alongside the incorporation of what the literature terms vulnerability lenses and other “complex” factors. Further to this, a review of potential solutions found that many are linked to decarbonisation. However, technical analysis tools and data are inadequate to consider their alleviation via these solutions. The use of existing tools requires compromise with regards to what is analysed, and currently requires a focus almost solely on cost aspects.
However, energy and transport poverty present significant barriers to this Just Transition in distributional terms and in terms of recognition. These conditions are difficult to quantify, and definitions abound. Nonetheless, the need to address these interlinked issues is increasingly relevant to policy makers due to the energy price consequences of Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, and the Covid-19 pandemic prior to this.
This work primarily considers Northern Ireland, and to a lesser extent, Republic of Ireland, which are two jurisdictions with many current and potential groups vulnerable to both energy and transport poverty. The initial stages of this work reviewed and analysed the body of literature, from both the academic and policy worlds to understand and critique both the conceptualisation of energy and transport poverty and how they are measured. This initial work concluded that single indicators should be replaced by new composite or multiple existing metrics that examine the overlap of energy and transport poverty and that in the case of composite metrics, these should be the focus of further study alongside the incorporation of what the literature terms vulnerability lenses and other “complex” factors. Further to this, a review of potential solutions found that many are linked to decarbonisation. However, technical analysis tools and data are inadequate to consider their alleviation via these solutions. The use of existing tools requires compromise with regards to what is analysed, and currently requires a focus almost solely on cost aspects.
2022
Journal Articles
4.
Toffolini, Quentin; Jeuffroy, Marie-Hélène
On-farm experimentation practices and associated farmer-researcher relationships: a systematic literature review Journal Article
In: Agronomy for Sustainable Development, vol. 42, iss. 2022, no. 114, 2022.
@article{Toffolini2022,
title = {On-farm experimentation practices and associated farmer-researcher relationships: a systematic literature review},
author = {Quentin Toffolini and Marie-Hélène Jeuffroy},
url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13593-022-00845-w},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-022-00845-w},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-11-01},
urldate = {2022-11-01},
journal = {Agronomy for Sustainable Development},
volume = {42},
number = {114},
issue = {2022},
abstract = {The convergence among the rise of digital technologies, the attention paid to the localized issues of transitions in practices toward agroecology, and the emergence of new open innovation models are renewing and reviving the scientific community’s interest in on-farm experimentation (OFE). This form of experimentation is claimed to be enhanced by digital tools as well as being an enabler of production of credible, salient, and legitimate science insofar as it embraces a farmer-centric perspective. However, the forms of research in which some experimental activities on farms are anchored vary greatly, notably with regard to the actual forms that interventions on farms take, the legitimacy of the actors involved and their roles, or the observations and instruments applied for interpretation. We propose a systematic review of the literature and an analytical framework in order to better understand this diversity of practices behind on-farm experimentation. Our analysis segregated six major publication clusters based on themes appearing in titles and abstracts. These themes guided a more in-depth analysis of representative articles, from which we identified seven types of OFE practices that are described and discussed here with regard to the knowledge targeted, roles of the various actors, and on-farm experimental space. Our typology provides an original basis for supporting reflexivity and building alignment between the above-mentioned dimensions and the ways in which new tools can support the experimental process.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The convergence among the rise of digital technologies, the attention paid to the localized issues of transitions in practices toward agroecology, and the emergence of new open innovation models are renewing and reviving the scientific community’s interest in on-farm experimentation (OFE). This form of experimentation is claimed to be enhanced by digital tools as well as being an enabler of production of credible, salient, and legitimate science insofar as it embraces a farmer-centric perspective. However, the forms of research in which some experimental activities on farms are anchored vary greatly, notably with regard to the actual forms that interventions on farms take, the legitimacy of the actors involved and their roles, or the observations and instruments applied for interpretation. We propose a systematic review of the literature and an analytical framework in order to better understand this diversity of practices behind on-farm experimentation. Our analysis segregated six major publication clusters based on themes appearing in titles and abstracts. These themes guided a more in-depth analysis of representative articles, from which we identified seven types of OFE practices that are described and discussed here with regard to the knowledge targeted, roles of the various actors, and on-farm experimental space. Our typology provides an original basis for supporting reflexivity and building alignment between the above-mentioned dimensions and the ways in which new tools can support the experimental process.
Technical Reports
5.
Green, Brandon; Pécoud, Antoine
How does the UN talk about human mobility? A textual analysis of narratives by IOM and UNHCR on migrants and refugees Technical Report
2022, ISBN: 1929-9915.
@techreport{Green2022,
title = {How does the UN talk about human mobility? A textual analysis of narratives by IOM and UNHCR on migrants and refugees},
author = {Brandon Green and Antoine Pécoud},
editor = {Anna Triandafyllidou and Usha George},
url = {https://www.torontomu.ca/content/dam/centre-for-immigration-and-settlement/tmcis/publications/workingpapers/2022_7_Green_Brandon_Pecoud_Antoine_How_does_the_UN_talk_about_human_mobility_A_textual_analysis_of_narratives_by_IOM_and_UNHCR_on_migrants_and_refugees.pdf},
isbn = {1929-9915},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-10-01},
urldate = {2022-10-01},
issuetitle = {Working Papers Series},
issue = {7},
abstract = {In the absence of a binding and coherent international migration regime, the global governance of migration relies on normative narratives produced by UN agencies and other intergovernmental processes, in line with the discursive legitimacy traditionally associated with international organizations. Such narratives impact migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees because they support certain policy frameworks among member states. Yet, global migration governance remains fragmented, especially as far as the long-standing divide between the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is concerned. This article contributes to this discussion by applying Corpus- Assisted Critical Discourse Analysis to the narratives produced by these two organizations. The article identifies some of the dominant worldviews in the narratives of IOM and UNHCR. Results show that IOM and UNHCR have distinct worldviews, associated with different textual patterns, and that, while IOM’s textual productions seem to influence UNHCR’s discourses, the opposite is less true. This would support the view that IOM is currently the leading actor in terms of framing migration, thereby exerting a strong influence on global migration governance.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {techreport}
}
In the absence of a binding and coherent international migration regime, the global governance of migration relies on normative narratives produced by UN agencies and other intergovernmental processes, in line with the discursive legitimacy traditionally associated with international organizations. Such narratives impact migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees because they support certain policy frameworks among member states. Yet, global migration governance remains fragmented, especially as far as the long-standing divide between the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is concerned. This article contributes to this discussion by applying Corpus- Assisted Critical Discourse Analysis to the narratives produced by these two organizations. The article identifies some of the dominant worldviews in the narratives of IOM and UNHCR. Results show that IOM and UNHCR have distinct worldviews, associated with different textual patterns, and that, while IOM’s textual productions seem to influence UNHCR’s discourses, the opposite is less true. This would support the view that IOM is currently the leading actor in terms of framing migration, thereby exerting a strong influence on global migration governance.
2021
Online
6.
Bento, Nuno; Fontes, Margarida
Legitimacy and Guidance in Upscaling Energy Technology Innovations Online
SCTE-IUL 2021, visited: 28.02.2021.
@online{Bento2021,
title = {Legitimacy and Guidance in Upscaling Energy Technology Innovations},
author = {Nuno Bento and Margarida Fontes},
url = {https://repositorio.iscte-iul.pt/bitstream/10071/21960/4/WP_2021-01.pdf},
doi = {10.15847/dinamiacet-iul.wp.2021.01},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-02-28},
urldate = {2021-02-28},
organization = {SCTE-IUL},
abstract = {The paper aims to improve the understanding about the role of expectations and key innovation processes, such as legitimation and guidance, in the upscaling of low-carbon innovations. We analyze roadmaps developed for floating offshore wind energy to investigate how actors prepare for system growth. We focus on how roadmaps contribute to the formation and sharing of expectations through their influence on system acceptability (legitimacy) and attractiveness (guidance), enabling access to crucial resources. The analysis reveals that institutional and technological context affect guidance, namely a higher external openness as technology matures and governments are involved. An actors’ survey finds that overpromising reduces roadmaps impact on expectations. Analyses of media coverage and Internet searches show that roadmaps affect public perceptions indirectly, through the promotion of experiments. Implications include new directions for conceptualizing legitimacy, guidance and expectations in technological innovation systems, as well as recommendations for managing key processes in systems’ upscaling.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {online}
}
The paper aims to improve the understanding about the role of expectations and key innovation processes, such as legitimation and guidance, in the upscaling of low-carbon innovations. We analyze roadmaps developed for floating offshore wind energy to investigate how actors prepare for system growth. We focus on how roadmaps contribute to the formation and sharing of expectations through their influence on system acceptability (legitimacy) and attractiveness (guidance), enabling access to crucial resources. The analysis reveals that institutional and technological context affect guidance, namely a higher external openness as technology matures and governments are involved. An actors’ survey finds that overpromising reduces roadmaps impact on expectations. Analyses of media coverage and Internet searches show that roadmaps affect public perceptions indirectly, through the promotion of experiments. Implications include new directions for conceptualizing legitimacy, guidance and expectations in technological innovation systems, as well as recommendations for managing key processes in systems’ upscaling.
2019
Online
7.
Helmond, Anne; van der Vlist, Fernando; Weltevrede, Esther; Geiger, Taylor; van Zeeland, Ine; Stefanija, Ana Pop; Ibanez, Fernanda; Wolny, Julia
Medicate or Meditate; the App Store’s Solutions for Anxiety and Stress Online
(DMI), The Digital Methods Initiative (Ed.): 2019, visited: 12.01.2019.
@online{Helmond2019,
title = {Medicate or Meditate; the App Store’s Solutions for Anxiety and Stress},
author = {Anne Helmond and Fernando van der Vlist and Esther Weltevrede and Taylor Geiger and Ine van Zeeland and Ana Pop Stefanija and Fernanda Ibanez and Julia Wolny},
editor = {The Digital Methods Initiative (DMI)},
url = {https://digitalmethods.net/Dmi/SummerSchool2018AppStoresBiasMedicateMeditate},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-12},
urldate = {2019-01-12},
abstract = {The number of mobile health (mHealth) apps is rising in an unprecedented manner, and as the American Psychiatric Association notes: “Psychiatry and mental health are no exception, and there are thousands of apps targeting mental health conditions that are directly available for patients to download and use today.” [1] However, there is very little review or oversight for these apps, and as a consequence, users of these apps can receive incorrect or ineffective advice, while the mental health effects of using the apps are often overstated by their developers.
Smartphones are turning into an epistemological device, we turn to them for solutions. When you detect an issue, you turn to your smartphone to find out more. Nearly half of the queries in Google Play Store are broad searches by topic [2] (rather than specific searches for a particular app), showing that users generally turn to their smartphone app store for relevant solutions to broad issues.
When it comes to regular Google search, according to Noble (2018: 155): “In practice, the higher a web page is ranked, the more it is trusted. Unlike the vetting of journalists and librarians, who are entrusted to fact check and curate information for the public according to professional codes of ethics, the legitimacy of websites’ ranking and credibility is simply taken for granted.” Similar to website search results ranking, users accord a certain degree of authority to relevance rankings in app stores, meaning that the order and ranking presented by app stores confers some sort of recommendation to the apps based on the app store’s search results presentation.
In an attempt to make the app store affordances work for them, app developers engage in app store optimization (ASO), trying to end up highly in an app store's search results. With millions of apps available in the bigger app stores, like Google’s (>3 million apps) and Apple’s (>2 million apps), the possibility of a particular app being found is dropping. Common ASO tactics that developers deploy to improve discoverability among millions of other apps, are focused on finding popular keywords to include in the app’s name and subtitle, its ID, and its description.
The growing number of mental health apps, many of which undoubtedly engage in ASO, raises a number of questions: How is mental health represented in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store? Which solutions does a smartphone user find for mental health issues in these app stores? How do technologists look at the issue of mental health? Which tactics are developers deploying to rank higher? What solutions do they promise and can they deliver? This study addresses these questions by exploring the sphere of mental health apps in the two biggest app stores, focusing on store-mediated ‘relatedness’ between apps and recommendations in the app stores. We glean how the app search engine and how it is manipulated influence what users will find. Lastly, we gauge what kinds of solutions users are presented with when they search for mental health issues.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {online}
}
The number of mobile health (mHealth) apps is rising in an unprecedented manner, and as the American Psychiatric Association notes: “Psychiatry and mental health are no exception, and there are thousands of apps targeting mental health conditions that are directly available for patients to download and use today.” [1] However, there is very little review or oversight for these apps, and as a consequence, users of these apps can receive incorrect or ineffective advice, while the mental health effects of using the apps are often overstated by their developers.
Smartphones are turning into an epistemological device, we turn to them for solutions. When you detect an issue, you turn to your smartphone to find out more. Nearly half of the queries in Google Play Store are broad searches by topic [2] (rather than specific searches for a particular app), showing that users generally turn to their smartphone app store for relevant solutions to broad issues.
When it comes to regular Google search, according to Noble (2018: 155): “In practice, the higher a web page is ranked, the more it is trusted. Unlike the vetting of journalists and librarians, who are entrusted to fact check and curate information for the public according to professional codes of ethics, the legitimacy of websites’ ranking and credibility is simply taken for granted.” Similar to website search results ranking, users accord a certain degree of authority to relevance rankings in app stores, meaning that the order and ranking presented by app stores confers some sort of recommendation to the apps based on the app store’s search results presentation.
In an attempt to make the app store affordances work for them, app developers engage in app store optimization (ASO), trying to end up highly in an app store's search results. With millions of apps available in the bigger app stores, like Google’s (>3 million apps) and Apple’s (>2 million apps), the possibility of a particular app being found is dropping. Common ASO tactics that developers deploy to improve discoverability among millions of other apps, are focused on finding popular keywords to include in the app’s name and subtitle, its ID, and its description.
The growing number of mental health apps, many of which undoubtedly engage in ASO, raises a number of questions: How is mental health represented in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store? Which solutions does a smartphone user find for mental health issues in these app stores? How do technologists look at the issue of mental health? Which tactics are developers deploying to rank higher? What solutions do they promise and can they deliver? This study addresses these questions by exploring the sphere of mental health apps in the two biggest app stores, focusing on store-mediated ‘relatedness’ between apps and recommendations in the app stores. We glean how the app search engine and how it is manipulated influence what users will find. Lastly, we gauge what kinds of solutions users are presented with when they search for mental health issues.
Smartphones are turning into an epistemological device, we turn to them for solutions. When you detect an issue, you turn to your smartphone to find out more. Nearly half of the queries in Google Play Store are broad searches by topic [2] (rather than specific searches for a particular app), showing that users generally turn to their smartphone app store for relevant solutions to broad issues.
When it comes to regular Google search, according to Noble (2018: 155): “In practice, the higher a web page is ranked, the more it is trusted. Unlike the vetting of journalists and librarians, who are entrusted to fact check and curate information for the public according to professional codes of ethics, the legitimacy of websites’ ranking and credibility is simply taken for granted.” Similar to website search results ranking, users accord a certain degree of authority to relevance rankings in app stores, meaning that the order and ranking presented by app stores confers some sort of recommendation to the apps based on the app store’s search results presentation.
In an attempt to make the app store affordances work for them, app developers engage in app store optimization (ASO), trying to end up highly in an app store's search results. With millions of apps available in the bigger app stores, like Google’s (>3 million apps) and Apple’s (>2 million apps), the possibility of a particular app being found is dropping. Common ASO tactics that developers deploy to improve discoverability among millions of other apps, are focused on finding popular keywords to include in the app’s name and subtitle, its ID, and its description.
The growing number of mental health apps, many of which undoubtedly engage in ASO, raises a number of questions: How is mental health represented in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store? Which solutions does a smartphone user find for mental health issues in these app stores? How do technologists look at the issue of mental health? Which tactics are developers deploying to rank higher? What solutions do they promise and can they deliver? This study addresses these questions by exploring the sphere of mental health apps in the two biggest app stores, focusing on store-mediated ‘relatedness’ between apps and recommendations in the app stores. We glean how the app search engine and how it is manipulated influence what users will find. Lastly, we gauge what kinds of solutions users are presented with when they search for mental health issues.
2018
Online
8.
Bento, Nuno; Fontes, Margarida
Legitimation and Guidance in Energy Technology Upscaling – The Case of Floating Offshore Wind Online
2018, (see published article : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2018.09.035).
@online{Bento2018,
title = {Legitimation and Guidance in Energy Technology Upscaling – The Case of Floating Offshore Wind},
author = {Nuno Bento and Margarida Fontes},
url = {http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=37431},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-04-02},
abstract = {This research studies the role of the formation of collective visions and plans in accelerating the upscaling of emerging low-carbon innovations. We analyze the national roadmaps that have been developed for offshore wind energy in deepwaters, i.e., more than 50 meters deep where there is high potential of resources but whose technology is still immature. The analysis focus on how actors create legitimacy and guidance to prepare the growth of the system. The results points to different types of guidance depending on the technological and institutional context, particularly a higher external openness with technology maturity and government involvement. A survey of actors’ opinion complements the roadmaps analysis revealing the tendency for overinflatingexpectations. In addition, it suggestsroadmaps have a positive but limited impact on technology development. Policy implications include recommendations for managing the process of formation of visions and legitimacy of new technologies entering into upscaling.},
note = {see published article : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2018.09.035},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {online}
}
This research studies the role of the formation of collective visions and plans in accelerating the upscaling of emerging low-carbon innovations. We analyze the national roadmaps that have been developed for offshore wind energy in deepwaters, i.e., more than 50 meters deep where there is high potential of resources but whose technology is still immature. The analysis focus on how actors create legitimacy and guidance to prepare the growth of the system. The results points to different types of guidance depending on the technological and institutional context, particularly a higher external openness with technology maturity and government involvement. A survey of actors’ opinion complements the roadmaps analysis revealing the tendency for overinflatingexpectations. In addition, it suggestsroadmaps have a positive but limited impact on technology development. Policy implications include recommendations for managing the process of formation of visions and legitimacy of new technologies entering into upscaling.
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