2009/12/07 by Loet Leydesdorff, Leydesdorff, Loet
Business, Management and Accounting · Social Sciences · #Computers and Society (cs.CY) #FOS: Computer and information sciences #FOS: Physical sciences #Human-Computer Interaction (cs.HC) #Information Systems Theories and Implementation #Innovation and Knowledge Management #Physics and Society (physics.soc-ph) #University-Industry-Government Innovation Models
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0912.1370
openalex publication_date 2009/12/07 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Both 'actions' and 'interactions' can be considered as micro-operations that can be aggregated from a systemic perspective. Whereas actions operate historically, interactions provide the events retrospectively with meaning. Luhmann's sociology of communication systems adds to the approach of symbolic interactionism the question of what global dimensions of communication mean for local interactions. When communication is functionally differentiated--for example, in terms of media--tensions can be expected to develop between local organizations and global developments of communication structures. Interfaces enable us to translate selectively among (provisionally) stabilized representations, for example, in professional practices. 'Big science' and 'high tech' can be considered as organizational acculturations of an emerging level of sophistication in global communications. The global dimension remains a hypothesis, but entertaining this hypothesis of 'globalization' restructures the local expectations.