Triggering the sources and consequences of technology sense-making: A case study on the GPS dispatching system in Taipei

Recent research on triggering sources of technology sense-making have emphasized social context, more than technology features or individual users’ differences, to explain various behavioral outcomes. However, the work practices of newer technologies such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) continue to be investigated from the social context, largely because the use of the GPS is strongly related to time and space contexts. We report an interpretive case study of the GPS dispatching system implemented in the taxi industry in Taiwan. The findings demonstrate that the temporal and spatial parameters of context around technology use will cause users’ multiple sense-making towards the same technology and consequently result in some unintended innovative technology use. Theoretical and practical implications on technology sense-making and the roles of time and space in technology adoption are discussed.