Sociotechnical Constituencies as Processes of Alignment: The Rise of a Large-Scale European Information Technology Initiative

Abstract

The theme of this paper is the generation of technological capabilities at a European level. It analyses the recent emergence of a large-scale European information technology initiative and seeks to extract some general lessons from the experience. The target of the initiative is the generation of an autonomous European microprocessor capability. Many players from different nationalities and organizations participated in the definition of its programme. The study asks what is ultimately involved in the process in which an initially completely mis-aligned set of players was able to generate the programmatic alignment of a capability-building initiative? The approach adopted is the sociotechnical constituencies approach, which highlights the existence of a process of alignment which gradually and programmatically integrates the stances of different organizations, and shapes technology. The empirical content consists of an analysis of the positions of, and interactions between, key players when the initiative went public in Brussels. It reveals a process of European integration through technology and vice-versa. Finally, the paper identifies aspects of general validity along with the main tactics and techniques deployed in the process leading to the successful emergence of OMI.