A socio-cognitive perspective on implementation and use of smart technology in the Norwegian home guard

Abstract

The Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) has developed a communications concept for the Norwegian home guard (HV). This concept, called ”SMART” due to the emphasis on smart technologies, has been realized as a technology prototype on the Android platform. The concept includes blue force tracking, observation reports, and chat, and has been tested as an enhancement to the primary communications, which is voice radio. The prototype has been used in several field trials with HV. This paper presents a qualitative study where the main purpose is to detect potential individual perceived barriers to using the SMART concept, and discuss these from a socio-cognitive perspective. Three semi-structured interviews were carried out with HV personnel. The data material was inductively analyzed and the results presented as ”causal network”. The results show four main interactions that explain potential perceived barriers to adopting the SMART concept in HV. These barriers are discussed from a solution-oriented perspective, and approaches to how the barriers may be overcome are presented. We argue that barriers imposed by technological factors can be mediated by employing appropriate social and organizational measures.