I examine Albert Borgmann’s concept of device paradigm as a way to underscore the significance of human values in one’s engagement with digital work in an organizational setting. Device paradigm explains the pervasive patterns of everyday engagement with information technologies as devices that facilitate prosperity without burden and efforts and, in so doing, can downplay the human values in practices. Although prior research has highlighted the significance of focal things and practices, much remains to be learned about the role of human values in contemporary everyday engagement with digital technologies. Drawing on a critical ethnography of everyday practices at an information technology firm (approximately 300 employees), I apply the critical social theory of Borgmann to analyze how digital work is firmly anchored in human values, and how device paradigm can be used as a critical lens to examine the contemporary everyday engagement with information technology. The study reveals that digital devices can have focal aspects and everyday places can be seen as focal places. Focal things are firmly grounded in focal places, which facilitate the emergence of focal practices. Ethnographers are encouraged to explore values in the field (held by people) as well as values of the field (attached to the places).

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人类价值观和数字工作：设备范式的民族志研究

我研究了 Albert Borgmann 的设备范式概念，以此来强调人类价值观在组织环境中参与数字工作的重要性。设备范式解释了日常使用信息技术作为设备的普遍模式，这些设备可以在没有负担和努力的情况下促进繁荣，并且这样做可以淡化实践中的人类价值观。尽管先前的研究强调了焦点事物和实践的重要性，但关于人类价值观在当代日常数字技术参与中的作用还有很多需要了解。根据对一家信息技术公司（约 300 名员工）日常实践的批判性民族志，我应用 Borgmann 的批判性社会理论来分析数字工作如何牢固地植根于人类价值观，以及如何将设备范式用作审查当代与信息技术的日常接触的关键镜头。研究表明，数字设备可以具有焦点方面，日常场所可以被视为焦点。焦点事物牢固地扎根于焦点位置，这促进了焦点实践的出现。鼓励民族志学家探索该领域的价值（由人们持有）以及该领域的价值（附属于地方）。