# Wanda Orlikowski

> South African-American computer scientist

**Wikidata**: [Q14102](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14102)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanda_Orlikowski)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/wanda-orlikowski

## Summary
Wanda Orlikowski is a South African-American computer scientist renowned for her research on the relationship between technology and organizational change. A professor at MIT Sloan School of Management, she is recognized as a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy and has significantly influenced the field of information systems through her work on sociomaterial practices.

## Biography
- **Born**: 1950  
- **Nationality**: South Africa  
- **Education**: University of the Witwatersrand; New York University (Stern School of Business)  
- **Known for**: Pioneering research on technology-in-practice and organizational transformation  
- **Employer(s)**: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT Sloan School of Management)  
- **Field(s)**: Information systems, organizational studies  

## Contributions
Wanda Orlikowski’s work bridges social theory and information systems, emphasizing how technologies shape—and are shaped by—organizational practices. She developed the concept of "technology-in-practice," which explores how users enact technologies in context. Her research has been published in journals such as *Information Systems Research* and *Organization Science*, influencing studies on digital work and organizational adaptation. She supervised doctoral students like Tanu Agrawal and integrated theories from sociologist Anthony Giddens into her analysis of technological change. Her scholarship has reframed debates about the role of technology in organizational stability and innovation, particularly in the shift to digital infrastructures.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Wanda Orlikowski’s most notable contribution to computer science?
A: She pioneered the study of "technology-in-practice," examining how organizational processes and technologies co-evolve through everyday use.

### Q: Where is Wanda Orlikowski employed?
A: She is a professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

### Q: What major recognition has Orlikowski received?
A: She was elected a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy in 2021, honoring her interdisciplinary impact on social sciences and technology studies.

## Why They Matter
Wanda Orlikowski’s research fundamentally altered how organizations approach technological adoption, emphasizing that technologies are not static tools but dynamic resources shaped by human practice. Her integration of sociomaterial perspectives has guided businesses and institutions in managing digital transformations, from workflow systems to AI integration. Without her frameworks, organizations might still view technology as a deterministic force rather than a malleable component of work. Her work has also inspired scholars to study technology as an ongoing process of negotiation, influencing fields like human-computer interaction and management science.

## Notable For
- Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy (2021)  
- Developer of the "technology-in-practice" framework  
- Professor at MIT Sloan School of Management  
- Integration of Anthony Giddens’ structuration theory into information systems research  

## Body
### Education & Career
Orlikowski studied at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa and later at New York University’s Stern School of Business. She joined MIT Sloan, where she focuses on organizational theory and information systems.

### Theoretical Contributions
Her research emphasizes the recursive relationship between technology and organizational processes, arguing that neither exists independently of human action. Key concepts include:  
- **Technology-in-practice**: How users’ daily interactions with tools reshape both the technology and organizational norms.  
- **Sociomateriality**: The idea that material and social elements are inseparable in organizational life.  

### Recognition & Influence
Orlikowski’s work has been cited over 50,000 times (as of 2023), reflecting her foundational role in shaping technology management studies. Her supervision of scholars like Tanu Agrawal and her engagement with practitioners ensure her theories translate into organizational strategy. The British Academy recognized her in 2021 for bridging social science and technology research, a rare distinction for a computer scientist.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. [Source](https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/fellows/profiles/professor-wanda-j-orlikowski-fba/)
3. Mathematics Genealogy Project
4. Faceted Application of Subject Terminology
5. CiNii Research
6. Virtual International Authority File