Towards an understanding of data work in context. Emerging issues of economy, governance, and ethics
| Published date | 20 June 2016 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-12-2015-0121 |
| Pages | 182-196 |
| Date | 20 June 2016 |
| Author | Jonathan Foster |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library technology |
Towards an understanding
of data work in context
Emerging issues of economy,
governance, and ethics
Jonathan Foster
Information School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
Abstract
Purpose –It is a commonplace that innovation in the digital economy is now driven by data. Business
organizations, media companies, and government, for example all create economic and societal value
from the digital traces left by the user population. At the same time the data captured also contains
information that personally identifies consumers, citizens and patients as individuals. The purpose of
this paper is to place this new form of data work in the context of previous approaches to information
work; to identify the differences between information and data work and the resulting challenges for
data professionals.
Design/methodology/approach –Informed by a review of previous approaches to information
work, the paper argues that the shift in value from information to data as an economic asset and a
societal good entails a new form of human-oriented data work. One that is more sensitive to the
contextual conditions and consequences of the capture, processing and use of data than has been the
case hitherto. The implications of this for a shift in emphasis from the data scientist to the data
professional is addressed, as are emerging issues of governance and ethics.
Findings –The main consequence for data professionals is to ensure that processes are in place not
only to enable the creation of valued products and services from data, but also to mitigate the risks
related to theirdevelopment. The paper argues that ensuringthis involves taking a contextual viewthat
locates data processing within the user, governance, legal, and ethical conditions related to data work.
The consequences for the governance of data, and the education of dataprofessionals are addressed.
Originality/value –Thevalueofthepaperrestsinitsdevelopmentof an analytical and methodologically
driven framework, that places new forms of data work in the context of their conditions and consequences.
The framework builds on prior approaches to information work, current approaches to data work, and
addresses the governance, and educational challenges arising from organizations’emphasis on data-driven
innovation in a digital economy.
Keywords Ethics, Information management, Information governance, Information science,
Digital economy, Data work
Paper type Conceptual paper
Introduction
In order to survive and flourish, all organizations require an adequate understanding of
the environments within which they operate (Choo, 2001). This has typically involved
members scanning the organization’s external and internal environments, and
engaging in the planned and deliberate seeking of information, based on managemen t
information needs.
In an era of big data, organizations are not onlyengaging in environmental scanning
but are also leveraging the digital traces left by customers, clients, consumers, citizens,
and others as they interact with organizations via the web, tablets, and smartphones.
Instead of information being sought and pulled from the environment, data are being
pushed at organizations at a scale that was unimaginable even a few years ago. These
data include the involuntary collectionof browsing and search data, location-based data,
Library Hi Tech
Vol. 34 No. 2, 2016
pp. 182-196
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0737-8831
DOI 10.1108/LHT-12-2015-0121
Received 15 December 2015
Revised 6 February 2016
15 March 2016
1 April 2016
Accepted 6 April 2016
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htm
182
LHT
34,2
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