Reframing Success in Embodied Work

Competing Perspectives on Occupational Exoskeleton Adoption

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46364/ejwi.v10i2.1575

Abstract

Technology adoption is often framed in binary terms of acceptance or resistance, oversimplifying the complex dynamics of workplace integration. This study introduces the Normalisation-Situated Practice Matrix (NSPM), an analytical heuristic that maps the degree of organisational embedding (normalisation) against the degree of experiential user engagement (situated practice), providing a new way to understand how different stakeholders negotiate the deployment of new technologies. Focusing on occupational exoskeletons in a warehouse setting and drawing on observational fieldwork and 34 semi-structured interviews with frontline employees, managers, and technical and academic experts, this study explores the competing goals, approaches, and lived experiences of these diverse groups.

Our thematic analysis identifies three key dynamics: (1) a disconnect between managerial decisions and employee work realities, pointing to the challenges of top-down implementation; (2) the active role of employees in adapting technology through informal, practice-based strategies that operate alongside official guidelines; and (3) the existence of competing narratives around exoskeleton use that reflect broader organisational tensions, where decision-making authority is concentrated at the executive level while frontline workers bear the embodied consequences. Rather than defining success solely through implementation efficiency or binary adoption metrics, our study demonstrates that technology adoption is a dynamic and contested process shaped by power relations, situated practices, and multiple stakeholder perspectives. The NSPM structures examination of these complexities and reframes success in human-centric terms, offering a diagnostic tool applicable across diverse technology integration contexts.

Author Biographies

Veronika Bak, MSc

Veronika Bak, MSc, is a PhD Candidate at the Department of Media and Communication at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Her research, conducted within the Horizon Europe SEISMEC project, focuses on human-centred approaches to inclusive workplace transformation and skills development. She is also a fellow at Reshaping Work, contributing to multistakeholder dialogue on the future of work.

Jason Pridmore, Full Professor

Jason Pridmore, PhD, is a Full Professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam, where he co-directs the Community for Learning Innovation and co-leads the university’s AI strategy. His research focuses on digital science communication, privacy, surveillance, and the societal impacts of emerging technologies. He coordinates several European research projects, including SEISMEC and COALESCE, and advises on national and EU- funded initiatives related to technology, security, and data ethics.

Andy Sanchez, Senior Researcher

Andy Sanchez, PhD, is a Senior Researcher in Human-Centric Digitalisation at Erasmus University Rotterdam. His work focuses on the societal impact of technology, with expertise in human rights, digital literacy, and science policy. Previously, he co-developed an award-winning exhibition on digitisation and democracy and currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Science Policy & Governance.

Chantal Ho

Chantal Ho, MSc, is a PhD Candidate at the Department of Media and Communication at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Her research, conducted within the Horizon Europe SEISMEC project, focuses on human-centred approaches to trust and acceptance in the implementation of advanced technologies.

Published
2026-06-28
Issue
Vol. 10 No. 2 (2026): General Issue
Section
Articles

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