Jon Leydens - Sociotechnical Communication in Engineering

This collection explores why engineering communication constitutes sociotechnical communication. Sociotechnical communication acknowledges that engineering communication occurs not in a vacuum but shapes and is shaped by multiple social forces. Through diverse research cases, the authors show how sociotechnical communication challenges common myths in engineering communication: the myth that communication can be purely technical and neutral and that data speak for themselves.

Directly or indirectly, each chapter engages these myths, considering first how styles, types, and means of sociotechnical communication played pivotal and differing roles in the evolution of wind power technology in Denmark and Germany. The role of these myths in engineering blogs is also examined, wherein the effect of engineers maintaining objective or neutral personae, accentuating technical facts over their social relevance, and eschewing controversy, is to decrease public interest in engineering issues. We see the myths emerge again via product development engineers, whose narrow technical roles constrain their identities and may contribute to constraining their design innovation capacities, in contrast to more holistic, flexible spaces that foster innovation. The myths are also apparent in attempts to facilitate engineering collaboration and knowledge transfer among engineers by bridging the gap between the Millennial-Baby Boomer generational divide. Collectively, these chapters disrupt simplistic myths about and stand to enhance growing interest in sociotechnical communication in engineering.

This book was originally published as a special issue of Engineering Studies .

Jon A. Leydens is an Associate Professor in the Division of Liberal Arts and International Studies at the Colorado School of Mines, USA, where he has been since 1997. His research and teaching interests include communication, social justice, and engineering education, and he has won several teaching and research awards.

Edited by
Jon A. Leydens

First published 2014

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ISBN 13: 978-1-138-77499-5

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The chapters in this book were originally published in Engineering Studies , volume 4, issue 1 (April 2012). When citing this material, please use the original page numbering for each article, as follows:

Editorial: Sociotechnical communication in engineering: an exploration and unveiling of common myths Jon A. Leydens Engineering Studies , volume 4, issue 1 (April 2012) pp. 110

Winds of change: communication and wind power technology development in Denmark and Germany from 1973 to ca. 1985 Kristian H. Nielsen and Matthias Heymann Engineering Studies , volume 4, issue 1 (April 2012) pp. 1132

Professional identity on the Web: Engineering blogs and public engagement April Ann Kedrowicz and Katie Rose Sullivan Engineering Studies , volume 4, issue 1 (April 2012) pp. 3354

Analyzing the intersections of institutional and discourse identities in engineering work at the local level Marie C. Paretti and Lisa D. McNair Engineering Studies , volume 4, issue 1 (April 2012) pp. 5578

Building bridges identifying generational communication characteristics to facilitate engineering collaboration and knowledge transfer across field-practicing engineers Mary Pilotte and Demetra Evangelou Engineering Studies , volume 4, issue 1 (April 2012) pp. 7999

Please direct any queries you may have about the citations to clsuk.permissions@cengage.com

Demetra Evangelou , Department of Education, Democritus University of Thrace, Komotini, Greece

Matthias Heymann , Centre for Science Studies, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark

April Ann Kedrowicz , Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA

Jon A. Leydens , Division of Liberal Arts and International Studies, Colorado School of Mines, Golden CO, USA

Lisa D. McNair , Department of Engineering Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA

Kristian H. Nielsen , Centre for Science Studies, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark

Marie C. Paretti , Department of Engineering Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA

Mary Pilotte , School of Engineering Education, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

Katie Rose Sullivan , Department of Business Administration, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

As editor of this collection, I would like to thank the anonymous reviewers of each chapter; their guidance and suggestions have made this abetter-substantiated and more thoughtful collection. Also, I would like to express gratitude for Engineering Studies editors Gary Downey and Juan C. Lucena, whose co-selection of nascent abstracts revealed a judicious identification of works that grew into robust manuscripts. Working with them throughout this process from crafting the theme issues call for papers, to abstract selection, all the way to final publication has been a positive learning experience for all. Thanks also go to Engineering Studies Managing Editor Kacey Beddoes and the production staff at Taylor & Francis for deft organization and knowledge of the publication process.

Jon A. Leydens