In this paper, I theoretically examine the concept of quantified credibility in sociology. I argue that quantified credibility has components of status, reputation, and trust, which are arbitrations ...of rankings of individuals, public and private institutions to determine their trustworthiness, legitimacy, and access to resources. To illustrate the above, this paper provides an in-depth analysis of China’s Social Credit System (SOCS), as it is developing into one of the largest and comprehensive data systems in the world.
Technological advancements in the digital economy have affected work cultures and labour displacements. Technological adoption is a highly social process, which involves resistance and failure to ...adapt by individuals in the midst of it. Therefore, there is a need to understand the everyday experiences of individuals who are impacted by technological changes in their work practices. Through ethnographic accounts of five field sites, this article aims to examine the effects of technology on work cultures in food centres in Singapore. Food centres were observed to be heavily dependent on complex human interactions, which often hindered technological implementations that were meant to simplify work processes. Nonetheless, the challenges can be mitigated through consultations with relevant social groups to improve technological incorporation.
Shaping the Futures of Work explores the impact of technological innovations on employment for millennials and professionals globally. In a flux society, what counts as a technological skill is ...always changing. Through a sociological study of Singaporean millennials, Raghunath suggests thriving through flux requires collaboration and proactive governance.
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using a social science mixed-methods approach to stimulate creativity and improve the attainment of creative outcomes in teaching design. In a ...focused study framed through a design collaborative experiment within a classroom context, sketches produced by a sample of 351 students were analyzed and the impact of stimuli was categorized by visual, physical, quantitative and contextual information on creative processes and outcomes in product design. Sixteen combinations of these stimuli were integrated as parameters of design briefs (DBs) given to the participating students. This research was augmented with a survey to understand participants’ perceptions and reactions and was rated by expert judges. The results demonstrate that certain combinations of quantitative and qualitative stimuli have a positive impact on creative processes and outcomes. These findings will inform new techniques for engaging and inspiring students in design studies.
This paper proposes a novel understanding of social mobility in China by exploring the literature on social credit systems. I propose that social credit systems, which include credit rating systems ...and factors of social governance, can affect occupational attainment, as they may influence or function in tandem with guanxi networks. Through social credit systems, there could possibly be a new order of stratification powered by norms of social conformity. These systems can curtail social mobility efforts by designating some individuals as high risk. In addition, these systems can regulate social behaviors, as actions that are considered “right” are rewarded, while “wrong” actions result in penalties.
Cryptocurrencies present a disruption to financial institutions, investments, and markets. Should governments therefore allow cryptocurrencies or ban them? How will they affect the flow of money? ...What form of economic justice should the cryptocurrency market adopt? Who should be involved in the determining of the economic justice? I claim that Michael Polanyi’s theories about employment, money, trade, and his overarching sociotechnical vision of society and the economy can help us understand the current labour market challenges and solutions in view of the digital economy.
PurposeSocioeconomic status (SES) has been known to be associated with many aspects of social life such as health. We argue that social stratification remains relevant in understanding differentials ...in health during a pandemic, as countries globally have encouraged or enforced social distancing and remote work measures.Design/methodology/approachBy examining data sources and news reports on the COVID-19 pandemic, we aim to highlight the relationship between SES and morbidity, through the ability to adopt social distancing measures and work remotely. Utilizing publicly available data from the Maryland Transport Institute and the US Census, we performed linear regressions on median income, social distancing index and percentage of individuals working from home.FindingsIndividuals with higher SES are more likely to have jobs that provide opportunities for remote work to be performed, which allows for social distancing. Comparatively, individuals with lower SES are more likely to be involved in jobs that cannot be performed remotely. The linear regression models suggest a positive moderate and significant correlation between median income and social distancing index (R2 = 0.4981, p-value < 0.001), and a positive weak and significant correlation between median income and remote work (R2 = 0.2460, p-value < 0.001).Research limitations/implicationsGovernments need to account for SES in policymaking to reduce inequalities in health.Originality/valueThe paper aims to improve the understanding of social stratification and morbidity through examining data on the COVID-19 pandemic.
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