Digital automation based on technologies that learn, reason, and act is changing work life. This will inevitably and specifically have implications for knowledge workers and their interplay with "digital technologies." In this paper, we report from a review of IS literature on the implications of digital technology for knowledge work and knowledge workers' competence. We take the knowledge worker's perspective and provide an overview of research and knowledge in the field. The paper is motivated by the need to analyse and relevantly understand the implications of digital automation on work and professions. The contribution is twofold. First, the paper provides an overview of previous research and knowledge on digital automation and knowledge work. Second, it contributes to the conceptualisation/understanding of the challenges and opportunities that digital automation brings to human competence and knowledge work.

The implications of digital automation for knowledge work have sparked intense discussions in society and amongst scholars. This paper provides an overview of information systems (IS) literature on digital automation, knowledge work and work environment implications. We explore digital automation’s implications through a systematic literature review, identifying 179 papers of which 18 were selected as core research studies relevant by inclusion criteria. We provide an overview of IS literature relating to digital automation of knowledge work and the implications for work environment. We show how digital automation is represented and outline positive and negative implications for knowledge workers and organizations. The literature review concludes by pointing out research opportunities that are particularly relevant in progressing IS research on digital automation.

Digital transformation in education is expected to progress teaching and learning. To meet this expectation, new types of classrooms called flexible learning environments are designed where digital resources such as learning management systems (LMS) are integrated. This raises the question of how LMS are experienced by teachers in flexible learning environments and how their teaching practice and competence development is supported by the LMS. In this study, ten teachers working in flexible working environments have been interviewed about their experiences with LMS. The study resulted in four themes of experiences (1) Lack of adoption, (2) Control within the system, (3) Collaboration and competence development, (4) Direct feedback and interactions. The insights of the study contributes with implications for choosing and integrating LMS in flexible learning environments. © 2023, ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering.

Abstract Purpose – This paper aims to highlight problems and opportunities for introducing digital automation in public administration (PA) and to propose implications for public value creation of robotic process automation (RPA) through the perspective of good bureaucracy as a guiding framework.

Design/methodology/approach – This conceptual paper addresses the purpose by applying three normative ideal types: Weber’s ideal type for a bureaucracy, new public management and public value management. This paper synthesizes an analytical framework in conducting case studies of the implementation of RPA systems in municipal administration.

Findings – This paper contributes to new insights into public value creation and digital automation. The following four implications are proposed: the deployment of RPA in municipal administration should emphasize that organizing administrative tasks is essentially a political issue; include considerations based on a wellgrounded analysis in which policy areas that are suitable for RPA; to pay attention to issues on legal certainty, personal integrity, transparency and opportunities to influence automated decisions; and that the introduction of RPA indicates a need to develop resources concerning learning and knowledge in the municipal administration.

Originality/value – This paper is innovative, as it relates normative, descriptive and prescriptive issues on the developing of digital automation in PA. The conceptual approach is unusual in studies of digitalization in public activities. © 2022, Jörgen Johansson, Michel Thomsen and Maria Åkesson.

Automation of internal administrative processes tied to the delivery of public services is outlined as a continuation of the development toward a more digital, efficient, and effective local government. However, this development is often based on unrealistic expectations of the transformative power of digital technologies. It is therefore important to further understand automation as a driver of digital transformation of local government organizations. Automation, in this chapter, is understood as a change from a function previously carried out by a human to being performed by a machine agent (e.g., robotic process automation). We explore and compare how initiatives to implement robotic process automation (RPA) are organized in two Swedish municipalities. Our analysis is based on semi-structured interviews with employees working in the two municipalities. The analysis shows interesting patterns across the cases concerning dissonances and disconnects between stakeholders on different levels in the organizations, making this kind of development difficult. Our results contribute with (a) empirical illustrations that show how general policies on process automation promoted by policymakers are influencing the organization of IT and work in local government practice; (b) challenges that affect the implementation of RPA in local government; and (c) point to a set of observations that require further research. © 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

The digitalization of products stimulates service innovation and new business opportunities for industrial manufacturing firms. These opportunities are driven by generativity, which denotes digital technology's capacity in enabling organizations to innovate. While generativity on the one hand provides opportunities for digital service innovation, on the other hand, it challenges the traditional business logic of industrial manufacturing firms. The traditional stable product-centric businesses where resources of a product platform are controlled by industrial manufacturing firms become destabilized and driven towards a flexible service innovation. The aim of this research is to explore the implications of generativity for service innovation in digitalized product platforms. We show the paradoxical relationship between generativity and control by following a bus manufacturer's endeavor in service innovation with digitalized public transport buses. We contribute with empirical illustrations of the implications for service innovation with three different degrees of control in digitalized product platforms. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd.

This paper presents the design of an international master’s curriculum in Digital Service Innovation. Digitalization and the rapid development in information technology (IT) are fundamentally reshaping society. This development brings with it an increasing need for mastery of digital service innovation. The international master's program Digital Service Innovation addresses this need by studying digitalization, digital resources for value creation, and educating students in how to design innovative digital services. Digital Service Innovation is a two-year master’s program focused on sustainable value creation. Year one focuses on the concept of innovation and design driven problems solving. Year two focuses on conceptualization, design of digital services. The final degree project gives students the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in a design study, interacting with companies and public authorities. This is expected to improve the students' ability to understand how digital service innovation is connected to business requirements, and identify new digital services or applications. All to prepare students for working professionally in the field of digital service innovation.