Flexit 2015 Final Report
Project nr: RMP15-0954:1 | RMP15-0954:2
Name: Cheryl Marie Cordeiro
Affiliation: University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Email: cheryl.cordeiro@handels.gu.se

Webpage to RJ Flexit 2015 project: http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?page_id=35535
Webpage to project final report: http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?page_id=36066
Webpage to project publication list: http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?page_id=36095

Project Title

Using a combined model of language based, SLF, and UTAUT, in identifying factors affecting acceptance of new technology in the industry: A study of ABB User Experience


Project Abstract

Technology trends indicate that the future of artificial intelligence (AI)1 and robotics is decidedly more human oriented. Synthetic biological automation and AI modelled on human simulation defines a new type of user experience and technology acceptance for tomorrow.

As AI takes over many human tasks, this study proposed to take on a new perspective of a fuller appreciation of the place of natural human language in the use of new technologies. Language remains one of the most fundamental, universal and flexible of existing codifications.

As language is an inherent faculty of humans and it is an entity used in the design and programming of AI, the purpose of this study is deepen the theoretical foundations of current models of technology acceptance. This is done through several stages of study that begins with an investigation of applied conceptual compatibilities and thereafter conceptualizing a combined systemic functional linguistics (SFL) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model to be applied in academic theory and industry practice towards an integrated perspective of user experience project management for example.


This study proposed to utilize ABB's multinational and global leader in power and automation technologies as well as its business environment for their study of user experiences. The goal is to present a methodology, a theoretical model building as well as innovative and actionable results applicable to organizations.


Although technology acceptance models do consider humanistic behaviour, attitudes and beliefs, no model to date has effectively placed the innate human factor of language in use as object of study and method of analysis into technology acceptance and user experience. Most studies have also been quantitative in nature, with technology acceptance models defined by known variables. These variables have the result of limiting the understanding of the dynamicity of user experience with regards to the increasing synthetic biological technologies of tomorrow.

The findings have been published in a series of peer reviewed conference papers, peer reviewed journal articles and edited series book chapters pertaining to variations of SFL and UTAUT applications to different industry sectors. A common thread in the resulting publications are:

- An investigation into innovative approaches and methodologies that combine meta-linguistics and user acceptance of technology models
- An uncovering of new aspects of user experience and/or a new elements of user socio-cognitive aspects of using new technologies
- A contribution to theory-building across disciplines in particular, linguistics, technology management and human computer interaction
- A creation of an applicable method of an integrated perspective of user experience, use and acceptance of technology in industry context as well as academic theory building for future research in the field.


1. The purpose of the project and development during the project period

Project description (original version)

Research focus – applied linguistics and technology acceptance theory and models

Technology trends indicate that the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics is decidedly more human oriented. Synthetic biological automation and AI modelled on human simulation defines a new type of user experience and technology acceptance for tomorrow.


As AI becomes increasingly integrated, this study proposes to take on a new perspective of a fuller appreciation of the place of natural human language in the use of new technologies. Language remains one of the most fundamental, universal and flexible of existing codifications. We use language to identify the objects and events around us, and to tell stories of our group and ourselves. We describe experiences, express feelings, and draw others into our own personal realities through language. We use language to ask for information, to explain, to argue, to question, to teach and create functions of AI. Although it is rarely visible to us, language helps us “carry around in our heads a conceptual map of the world, a guidebook to rightness and wrongness, ugliness and beauty, value and worthlessness.” [1]

Language contains metalinguistic properties that make it one of the most versatile symbol systems, used to describe and discuss its own dimensions, as well as those of all other systems. Everyday language is an intrinsic disposition of human beings, permeating all facets of life and intellectual inquiry. Because the human capacity for language acquisition is innate, activated in childhood, the language habit soon becomes relegated to the realm of the sub-conscious and automatic. Yet few scholars and practitioners have seriously considered the costs associated with our total reliance on language as means of our functioning in the material world. In general, we do not pay enough attention to the fact that we rely almost exclusively on everyday language to create a sense of self, and orientation towards the objects and experiences around us in life [2].

When it comes to technology acceptance in world leader of AI technologies, ABB company, a research project focusing on an increased awareness of how natural language is used when describing and formulating user experience could prove fundamentally useful in deepening the insight and understanding of current (and future) technology acceptance, both in theory and in practice. It can also provide further improvement regarding communication between professionals in joint R&D projects in a multinational enterprise.

Since the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was originally proposed [3], the importance of technology acceptance as an antecedent to the use of technology has attracted much interest from researchers and practitioners [4]. Acceptance of technology is today considered as one of the most important issues in organizations [5]. But even before TAM, various models have been developed from the mid-1970s onwards in order to describe and account for technology acceptance and application.


Purpose of research – formulating a hybrid SFL-UTAUT model

The purpose of this study is to deepen the theoretical foundations of current models of technology acceptance, in particular by creating a combined model of elements from systemic functional linguistics (SFL) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) in order to uncover new aspects of user perspectives and behaviour.

The approach proposed for this study is novel in two ways. First, the human factor of language in use has as so far not been effectively placed as an object of study and method of analysis into technology acceptance theories and models.

In this industry-university collaboration project, this study proposes to leverage on ABB’s multinational, global leadership in power and automation technologies and its corporate environment in its advanced user experience research, in order to formulate a combined model of user acceptance grounded in a theory of natural language seen from a functional perspective. The goal is to produce results that would be both beneficial to academia and corporate practitioners in terms of theory and empirical finding.

Second, this study has a qualitative orientation towards data collection and analysis. Although technology acceptance models consider humanistic values, most current studies have been built upon quantitative data, even if they address the core concepts of social influence, individual attitude, beliefs and behaviour [6-11]. The existence of quantifiable variables in turn limits the understanding of the dynamicity of human oriented, human computer interaction (HCI) experiences and its acceptance of use. This study offers new aspects of insights into technology acceptance and user experience.

Brief literature review of the evolution of technology acceptance models

In the 1970s, Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) was put forth by Fishbein and Ajzen, that explained a person’s behavioural tendencies with the aim of predicting changes and interpreting particular personal behaviour. TRA was formulated based on the assumption that behaviour is shaped by intentions that in turn depend on personal attitudes and subjective norms. A decade later, Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), which was an extension of TRA was proposed [12]. The difference being that TPB worked on the assumption that all behaviours are more controlled [13]. In the same decade, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to explain the causal relationships between internal psychological variables such as beliefs, attitudes and behavioural intention and actual information technology (IT) system use was developed [14]. The widely studied and considered valid TAM model was based on the two factors of Perceived Usefulness (U) and Perceived Ease of Use (E). These factors were considered more effectively applicable in predicting individual acceptance behaviour across various ITs and their users [15-17]. A TAM2 model was proposed as a theoretical extension of the TAM [18] that included the perspectives of subjective norms and job relevance when accepting the use of new technologies.

In a most recent effort at consolidating the variables of eight available models of acceptance of technology, a unified theory of acceptance and use of technology called UTAUT was proposed [14]. It includes the four main variables of Performance Expectancy (PE), Effort Expectancy (EE), Social Influence (SI) and Facilitating Conditions (FC) integrated with the theories of earlier models.

The UTAUT Model has summarized the factors which have been recognized effective on behavioural intentions and users’ actual use in previous models in four determinant factors:

i. Performance Expectancy (PE) – this is the degree that a person believes that using a system will help them greatly achieve more success in their work performance. As such, PE affects positively on the behavioural intentions.
ii. Effort Expectancy (EE) – this is the degree that a person believes that using technology will lead to less individual effort.
iii. Social Influence (SI) – this is the degree to which the users are affected by the attitudes of others in accepting new technology.
iv. Facilitating Conditions (FC) – this is the degree where a person believes that there is a necessary technical and organizational infrastructure to support the use of a technology or system.


These four determinant factors are in turn, influenced by adjustment variables of gender, age, experience and voluntariness of use of technology and consequently, different levels of changes are created for behavioural tendencies [19]. The UTAUT Model generally focuses on the causal (cause and effect) relationship between individual attitudes towards using a technology, personal tendencies towards using a technology, actual use of a technology and identifying performance expectancy of a technology. In this model, FCs are taken as the main determinant factor in the use of a technology or system [20].

Language in use, bridging technology and humans

Language is involved with almost every aspect of human interaction. It is the medium in which thoughts are organized and communication proceeds [21,22]. Language is how human thoughts are expressed, best understood in terms of representational structures in the mind and computational procedures that operate on those structures. We create meaning from new technologies that allows for its future acceptance through formulations in language. It is related to us in three distinct complementary ways in its stratified, multifunctional organisation – (i) the processes of language take place in physiological (including neural) and physical space-time, (ii) language is a theory about the material world and (iii) it is itself a metaphor for the material world [23].

But even as it is acknowledged, that language lies at the heart of human activities, few studies outside the field of applied linguistics, specifically that of discourse analysis, have used language as an instrumental tool in understanding the workings of organizations [24-28].

Current language in organization studies tend to view language as an object / phenomenon. This includes that an overwhelming percentage (more than 90%) of language in IB (international business) is being published in English language journals [29] and that initial language in IB research began in with scholars in Scandinavia [30-32]. Language has been studied as a barrier (object) in firm internalization [33,34]. As an object / phenomenon, language contains properties that enable it to be transferred from one context to another or its use can be moulded by corporate language policies and guidelines [35,36]. Language has desirable properties of being a ‘cultural resource’ [37,38], and a person’s career capital [39]. Like an object, language can be labelled “a corporate language”, it can be acquired as a second language, or co-exist alongside other languages [40-43]. It can also be categorised, belonging to an internal ‘hierarchy of languages’, an entity shifting between in-house corporate groups to being the official corporate language across nations [31]. Language is also seen as an individual or team level property, the diversity of which can be quantified and measured [44].

Less common in the field of IB at the moment is the study of language in its functional aspect, specifically, studies reflecting the metafunctions of language that help uncover the ideological outlook of its user [27].

Systemic functional linguistics as modelling tool to user experience and technology acceptance

Traditionally, language has been thought of as a medium for expressing thoughts or reality. SFL reconceptualises language as a semiotic tool connected in the construction, organization and translation of human experiences. It illustrates how linguistic choices systematically contribute to the moulding of social contexts and events. Viewed in this manner language is more than a plane of expression, it actively creates reality. It is simultaneously “a part of reality, a shaper of reality, and a metaphor of reality” [45].

SLF offers a meticulous and systematic way to analyse language in use. The term ‘functional’ applied to language is derived from the systemic functional theory / linguistics (SFL), a coherent theory and framework of language development and use based on the work of Michael Halliday [46,47], whose work was influenced by the Prague School of the 1920s. The underlying assumption to a ‘functional’ view of language is that the form of language responds to its functions. It recognizes that we use language as a system to construct meanings in different contexts for different purposes. In this study, systemic functional theory is used as instrumental linguistics, which is the study of language for understanding something else [48].


Language in IB studies that focus on the functional aspects of language include aspects of social cohesion and as a lingua franca [49-51], language as facilitative in trade [52-55], language as facilitative in knowledge sharing [56-58], language as function of cognition, context (culture) and situation [59-63], and language as ideology [64-66].

Set within the broader context of technology acceptance, this study proposes to use systemic functional linguistics (SFL) and the study of language metafunctions in order to gain a deeper understanding of the human side of technology use and technology acceptance, in management and organization. The main research questions (RQs) addressed in this study are:

RQ1: What are the metafunctions of language as defined by SFL when applied to the context of technology acceptance and user experience?


RQ2: How can the SFL metafunctions of language be used to bolster and combine with UTAUT in order to come to a deeper theoretical and practical understanding of new technology use and acceptance?

Theoretical framework of analysis

As SFL encompasses the metalinguistics of a language construct, this study looked at elements of functional grammar that could be applied to the context of study. In particular, the three types of functional grammar metafunctions in language in use that comes through with discourse, jointly with variables from the UTAUT model:

(i) The ideational metafunction uses language to represent experience, and how experiences are connected with each other.
(ii) The interpersonal uses language to encode interaction. It shows how valid we find our propositions, encoding ideas about obligation and inclination in expression of attitudes.
(iii) The textual metafunction uses language to organise the ideational and interpersonal meanings into a coherent text.

These three types of meaning are not separate but rather, occur simultaneously represented in the text by six processes.

A brief literature review of systemic functional linguistics in the context of discourse analysis studies

Discourse analysis refers to all studies within the field of applied linguistics that focus on the units of language beyond the sentence level. It highlights language as text (written and spoken), situated in a context. It is used in order to comprehend the production, dissemination and interpretation of texts in the process of communication.

Developed first within the field of linguistics, anthropology and philosophy, interest in discourse analysis as a tool in the study of organization and management has increased markedly in the last two decades. As such, scholars from a wide variety of disciplines from anthropology to artificial intelligence, have expressed interest in studies framed in a discursive perspective [67-72].

There are many tools for discourse analysis, the appropriacy of choice of tool will depend on the researcher perspective and the phenomenon of study. For example, critical discourse analysis (CDA) can be used to investigate organisational power and social hegemonic structures [73-78], speech acts in argumentation and politeness [79-83], conversation analysis for group dynamics and identify formation [84-90], register and genre analysis for negotiation [91-94], and systemic functional linguistics (SFL) in mapping the landscape of human experience and thoughts as expressed in language use [95-98,100].

2. Project implementation

Administration, corporate enterprise and academic institution

The RJ Flexit program is an example of a core research program towards driving Swedish industry-university collaborations in research, dissemination of research findings of each project, and international outreach of knowledge dissemination and networking.

The project was conducted in the stipulated time frame of two years on location with ABB and one year at the Centre for International Business Studies (CIBS) at the School of Business, Economics and Law, at the University of Gothenburg in the time frame of 2015 to 2018. ABB AB is a 130 year old European founded multinational business enterprise (MBE) with operations in over 100 countries, employing more than 135,000 individuals. The working language of the group is the English language, with a mixture of Swedish during fika sessions.

As Principal Investigator of this RJ Flexit project, I was attached for two years as Research Scientist to the User Experience (UX) and Industrial Design group at ABB Corporate Research (SECRC) in Västerås, Sweden. The UX group comprised at the time, 13 individuals. SECRC in itself on location in Västerås had approximately 400 engineers and scientists of which more than 50% had doctoral degrees in various science disciplines. The role of SECRC is cross-functional, serving all business divisions of ABB AB. The UX group had as main function to study user experience to current and emerging ABB products and services across various corporate business units. My own role as an applied linguist was to bring new methodological perspectives to data analysis as complementary knowledge to the predominantly computer science related methodologies used. SFL as a language theory and framework that could uncover how meanings are created and interpreted in context was a method that appealed to the UX team.

On average, SECRC research projects run between 6-12 months, with possibility of extension of project research time after technology readiness reviews. Some projects could have a shorter timeline ca. 3 months if it is deemed as current product improvement. The time frame of corporate research projects are in that sense, different to academic research projects that have longer time frames, spanning 12-36 months, arguably towards different goals and purposes.

Publications and knowledge dissemination of research findings were done throughout all years of the project. The last year of the project, coming back into the university environment, was however, best for consolidating data collected in the corporate environment, and having deeper reflections about theoretical constructs, future research design towards improved research methods as well exploring new avenues of industry-university collaborations.

Data collection

The UX group used several methods of collecting data for different studies, including, conducting field studies/shadowing, focus group discussions, interviews, surveys and questionnaires. Focus group observations, and long interviews were designed in conversational style, with questions pegged on widening levels of interest that range from those regarding the individual at the core regarding new technologies, to what they think about the use of these new technologies in their broader environment and contexts. The main questions of relevance to the purpose of this study revolve around the individual, their social circles and larger corporate organizational circles with regards to user experience and technology acceptance. The interviews were transcribed according to the Göteborg Transcription Standard (GTS) version 6.4 [99].

Due to the diverse disciplinary backgrounds of the UX group individuals that spanned human-computer interaction, engineering and humanities, the method of study was eclectic, using a quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods of analysis of data.


3. The project's three main achievements and contributions to the international research front, and some reflections about this.


This industry-university collaboration project could be said to be unique because the two cooperating institutions are inherently international in both research and institutional workings. Using a funnel-approach (abstract concept to applied work practices in specific contexts; international to national networking relations) to condensing the three most important results and contribution to the international research front:

i. An applied methodological plurality in research and work practices in an international corporate working context
ii. In dialogic relation to (i), a simultaneous advancement of practical knowledge and applied work practices across several academic disciplines, as well as business industry sectors
iii. An establishment of a collaborative research platform between the Business School at the University of Gothenburg and ABB AB, where the more traditional corporate contacts for the Business School at the University of Gothenburg would be SKF and Volvo as global enterprises.


In address to point (i), in working towards methodological plurality and integral perspectives of scientific knowledge (Davis and Callihan 2013, Floyd 2008), a main goal of this Flexit 2015 project was to investigate the possibility of combining SFL as a theory of language (Halliday & Matthiessen 2014) with findings of models of technology use and acceptance such as UTAUT (unified theory of acceptance and use of technology) in the field of technology management (Venketesh et al. 2003). The conceptualisation of a combined model of analysis was used for different work contexts, from mining to fleet vessel management, to human interaction with collaborative robot studies.

Early data collection and initial data analyses from this project in its early stages indicated promisingly that SFL as theory and framework of analysis can complement the contextual field of knowledge of UTAUT. One of the more interesting finds is that the method of SFL has in its academic history, been computerised into a lexicogrammar programme where researchers can upload large quantities of corpus data and conduct specific analyses on the data.

In address of point (ii) in today’s increasing data analytics, the SFL framework and the use of some computational linguistics tools showed potential applications for studies of user experiences and customer feedback analysis for corporate product-services2. Various business units in ABB already have in place, remote data analysis that can predict failure of a component, which increases their customer service efficiency. An SFL corpus database could prove to have similar predictive uses to the extent that, over time, the collected data can and will reflect customer segmentation in terms of evolution of needs, and customer profile of preferences that the company can leverage upon to improve / innovate upon their product-services.

In address to point (iii), the city of Gothenburg is founding home to multinational enterprises SKF and Volvo AB. To that extent, the traditional research and network partners for the Business School at the University of Gothenburg, has been to have master student exchanges and corporate study visits, both local and international, to the global corporate sites of SKF and Volvo AB. This Flexit 2015 project has given opportunity and reason to create a platform of knowledge exchange between the Business School at the University of Gothenburg and ABB AB.

In Feb. 2016, two SECRC UX team members held a seminar at the CIBS. In Aug. 2016, the CIBS community of researchers made a study visit to the Västerås robot factory where they were introduced to both the latest factory robots and collaborative robot, YuMi.

4. New research issues generated through the project.

The initial project was written at a conceptual level with intention to be applied in the study of robotics and automation processes beyond factory floors. In particular, it targeted collaborative robots as a concept of study. As with the anatomy of research projects, new lines of inquiry have been generated with this project along two distinct domains: (i) research methods studies and (ii) cross industrial context applications of the method.

With regards to (i) research methods studies, this project is mainly a study on the use, application and integration of methodological frameworks across disciplines. New lines of inquiry come both from a researcher application perspective, and from a pedagogical perspective of how pluralistic methodology can be incorporated into higher education syllabuses. And to what extent (purpose and usefulness) can this method be applied in other research contexts.


With regards to (ii) cross industrial context applications of the method, the function of ABB corporate research spans across all ABB business units. The expertise of the UX team is employed as a means to gain insight into how individuals respond to new products of the business units. They assess ease of use and susceptibility to greater future use of new products and services. This cross-functional approach opens up new opportunities of research platforms not only within ABB but for outside cooperation with university research and entrepreneurial organizations that are technology oriented. The cross-functional perspective opens domains of research for cross comparison cases to be done, beyond the initial proposal for collaborative robots and the robotics business unit.

To the extent of cross case comparison possibilities for a combined SFL and UTAUT model application, data has been collected from other fields of study that are also at the forefront of technological development and innovation including, improvement of workspace environment through developing new software architecture to support supply chain management in the enterprise. Data has also been collected in relation to remote diagnostic services in the marine as well as mining business sectors.

The main research question would be broadly similar to the ones proposed in this study, however, applied to the context of different industries, and different working environments, i.e. what practical insights can a combined model of SLF and UTAUT give in understanding technology acceptance and use in the sector of remote services in shipping, mining and the oil and gas industries? Would there be a general correlation of findings across the industries?

Due to the international outlook of the workings of the enterprise, a useful model of understanding the development and use/sales of emerging technology products are firm internationalisation theory models such as the Uppsala model. Firm internationalisation theories were not written into the original project proposal, however the empirical context of the study indicated a parallel conceptual development with this Flexit 2015 research project could be to combine the elements of the Uppsala model and SFL, applied to the various business contexts of study. Some results of this avenue of exploration have resulted in publications around the Uppsala model and SFL.

The following paragraphs describe from each stakeholder perspective, complementary avenues of research that could arise from the explorations and/or foundations of this project:

ABB Group

As ABB moves advanced product-services in an era of digitalisation, the question of the role of corporate R&D in multinational enterprises studied from the perspective of international business could be of potential interest for the ABB Group. The corporation is focused on delivering corporate goals to stakeholders upon which emerging technologies might need new business models in order to capture market share or break into new markets. To that end, there exists a continuous debate on the role and function of corporate research at ABB AB itself on the question of having a separate corporate research function or to integrate research scientists into the business units where research findings can bridge real world applicability of enterprise developed product-services. The topic of R&D and manufacturing colocation factors is a topic of research interest for the CIBS community (Ivarsson, Alvstam and Vahlne 2017)3 and as such, could contribute to a spin-off research project.

CIBS, University of Gothenburg

The observed corporate restructuring of ABB can be taken as a complementary study case in the general workings of the globalization processes of the firm. The observed processes of organization change (affecting human resource planning, talent management, leadership etc.), servitization of products, product and service innovation etc. have opened up new avenues for new topics of research that complement the current CIBS research portfolio. Research at CIBS focuses on emerging markets, the globalization of multinational enterprises, development of R&D capacity in multinational enterprises, and processes of firm disintegration, amongst other strands of research at the intersection of economic geography and international business.


Principal Investigator

Vertical farming

Whilst studying collaborative robots in the robotics business unit at ABB AB, I combined those observations of a future of collaborative robots with its possible application in vertical farming for urban spaces. I had the opportunity to visit a vertical farm called Sky Greens (www.skygreens.com) in Singapore in November 2016 where I met Mr. Jack Ng, who is inventor and founder of Sky Greens. The company began as a research collaborative agreement with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) in 2010. The company has made a proposal to the Singapore government for SG100 Agripolis, aiming to build an eco-food security system for the country with just 20 hectres of land. Vertical farming is a fairly new in academic literature, with literature beginning around 2007 in the gastronomy literature (Platt 2007) to 2016 where the concept is now being looked at as an integrated urban city lifestyle on sustainable living (Touliatos et al. 2016). In Sweden, the Linköping Model, World Food Building by Plantagon is perhaps the forerunner to vertical farming in Sweden. All this is very new and an investigation into technology acceptance (social science), the deployment of robots in vertical farms (robotics) the reconfiguration of urban spaces and living (economic geography) and clean energy systems (engineering) could be areas of interest for future research at the intersection of humanities and science.


Automated and intelligent buildings

Participating in the Responsible Business Forum (RBF) on Sustainable Development 2016 in Singapore in Nov. 2016, I also had the opportunity to make study visit to Marina Bay Sands (Sands) Singapore. Sands is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore that opened in 2010. As part of corporate strategy, the hotel has Sands ECO360 (Marina Bay Sands 2012) in working towards their zero waste sustainability goals. Green technology and intelligent building technologies feature as key design components to their properties. A spin-off research could be how this affects tourism and conscious consumer decisions, still to do with new technology use and acceptance of new technology.


Health Care

Towards the end of the affiliate immersion at ABB Corporate Research, I was based at the Collaborative Robot Test Centre (CRTC) at Robotdalen in Västerås. CRTC at Robotdalen is situated in a shared office space with other Swedish innovation start-ups. Part of the portfolio of Robotdalen is healthcare robotics. The cross-industry work environment opened up new insights into current and potential robotic applications in the health care industry. Health care robotics is a fairly new field where similar studies on the acceptance and use of new technology within elder care and health care have been conducted internally by Robotdalen for their customers. Internal discussions have led to a strong understanding that a lot of psychology and human-centered focus is needed within the health care industry. Based on customer feedback, we’ve found that users of healthcare robots are either fearful of new technology, or do not completely trust robots in elder care, believing that robots might do more harm than good. There is also the issue of invasion of privacy and fear of robot mistreatment of humans. In terms of synchronicity of study and methodology, it could be worth exploring new research avenues for a combined theory and method of analysis for technology management, language and psychology within this field, especially in certain geographic regions / nations that are experiencing an aging population.



5. The project's international dimensions, such as contacts, materials and so on.

Institutional international orientations

Both ABB AB Corporate Research Sweden, headquartered in Västerås, and the academic host institution, the Centre for International Business Studies (CIBS), School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and are inherently international in research orientation/perspective, reflected in their network of working relations.

In terms of project work at SECRC UX, data collection had been both within and outside of Sweden for various projects. The collaborative robots project has brought me to an industry trade fair and conference in Tokyo, Japan (iREX in Dec. 2015). The remote services project has brought me to Baden, Switzerland (Sept. 2015) to collect interviews from engineers who work in the mining industry on data analytics and remote services. With regards to sustainable energy consumption, this project has brought me to a sustainable development conference in Singapore pertaining to ideas on vertical farming and smart buildings. The 5th Responsible Business Forum (RBF) on Sustainable Development took place at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre in Singapore from 22– 24 November 2016.

The project’s research publications reflect empirical cases that are often international in perspective with regards to subject of applied research, business unit locations and the nationalities of participants who were interviewed for the studies.


6. How the project group has spread the results to other researchers and groups outside the scientific community, as well as about and how the interaction has taken place.


Publishing / knowledge dissemination

The dissemination of findings from this project had been through various channels, from peer reviewed academic journals (open access and institutional access), edited book chapter series, and peer reviewed international academic conferences that span across the disciplines of linguistics, engineering (technology and innovation management) and international business.

Internal reports written for ABB on project basis are accessible via the corporate intranet on platforms. ABB also has an internal library that is accessible to all 135,000 employees across 100 countries in which the company operates.


7. How the project has contributed to increased collaboration between university and non-academic organization.

The operational strategy of the Flexit program is to have an academic faculty member immerse themself into a non-academic corporate environment. As such, the Flexit program and the networking activities and daily knowledge exchange that result from the immersion of academic faculty into corporate environments will have a socio-cultural dimension that could be said to have important on-going influences on the university-industry working environment, not all influences of which will be measurable in quantitative terms.

Apart from corporate internal seminars held at SECRC with a constant exchange of ideas towards publishable results, this project had shared a shared seminar and field study trip arranged between SECRC and the University. The activity/event is reflected in the table below.

On 3 Feb. 2016, UX Researchers, Dr. Maria Ralph and Petra Björndal visit CIBS at University of Gothenburg, Sweden for a joint seminar held at the University. This seminar had general positive feedback from both sides, with regards to a deeper understanding of the role of corporate R&D in multinational enterprises.

July 2016, planning sessions were held for a CIBS field study trip to ABB robotics factory in Västerås. This initiative was realized on 17 Aug. 2018 when a delegation of about fifteen CIBS faculty members were met with ABB Corporate Research representatives in Västerås. We toured both the robotics factory as well as visited Robotdalen at Expectrum, Västerås.


8. Publication list, as well as link to their own web pages, with open access articles marked OA.

Flexit 2015 publication list

Journal Articles (peer reviewed)

OA
2018
Cordeiro, C. M.
Which User of technology? Perspectivising the UTAUT model by application of the SFL language Pronoun System towards a systems perspective of technology acceptance and use, ASTESJ Advances in Science, Technology and Engineering Systems Journal, 3(2): 309-318.
doi: 10.25046/aj030234


2018
Cordeiro, C. M.
Manifestation of Intent in product-service systems: A study of a type of sensing in collaborative robots. European Review of Service Economics and Management (ERSEM), 1(5):97-132.
ISBN: 978-2-406-08063-3
ISSN: 2497-0107
doi: 10.15122/isbn.978-2-406-08064-0


Conference Articles (peer reviewed)

2018
Cordeiro, C. M.
Which user of technology? Using linguistics to broaden the research framework of acceptance of new technologies in remote services in multinational enterprises. Paper presented at the 28th annual RESER conference, Services in the Age of Contested Globalization, at University of Gothenburg in Gothenburg, Sweden, 20-22 Sep. 2018.


2018
Cordeiro, C. M.
Which user of technology? Using linguistics to broaden the research framework of acceptance of new technologies in remote services in multinational enterprises. Paper presented at the 9th International Research Meeting in Business and Management (IRMBAM 2018), at the IPAG Business School in Nice, 5-7 July 2018.
IPAG2018:
https://ipag-irm.sciencesconf.org/ Retrieved 24 Aug. 2018
Online conference program access at https://ipag-irm.sciencesconf.org/resource/page/id/21. Retrieved 24 Aug. 2018


OA
2017
Cordeiro, C. M.
Manifestation of Intent in product-service systems: A study of Type of Sensing in collaborative robots. Paper presented at 27th annual RESER conference, The crucial role of services in business and cities competitiveness, 7-9 Sep. 2017, Mondragon University, Bilbao, Spain. RESER 2017 Proceedings, p. 445-464.
ISBN: 978-84-697-5412-2
Internet resource at RESER 2017 Proceedings, http://bit.ly/2ykfqsS. Retrieved 1 Nov. 2017.
Presentation slides at http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?page_id=34636

OA
2017
Cordeiro, C. M.
Using the Deictic Function of Pronouns to Map Perspective and Knowledge in Research Design: A Study of Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Participatory Design in a Multinational Enterprise Context. Paper presented at the 2017 EURAM Conference, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) 21-24 Jun. 2017.
Internet resource at EURAM
http://euramonline.org/annual-conference-2017-2.html Retrieved 24 Aug. 2018.
Presentation slides at http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?page_id=36045

OA
2016
Cordeiro, C. M.
Internationalisation theory perspective of product-service innovation: the Götheborg IV model. Paper presented at the 8th IEEE International Conference on Management of Innovation and Technology (ICMIT2016), 19-22 Sep. 2017, Bangkok, Thailand.

Internet resource at ICMIT2016.org
http://icmit2016.org/public.asp?page=techProgram.html
Technical program in PDF at
http://icmit2016.org/doc/icmit_tech_prog2016.pdf Retrieved 26 Aug. 2018.
Presentation slides at http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?page_id=33705

OA
2016
Cordeiro, C. M.
Internationalisation theory perspective of product-service innovation: the Götheborg IV model. Paper presented at the 26th annual RESER Conference, Sep. 8th-10th, 2016, Naples, Italy. In T. Russo-Spena & C. Mele (eds), The 26th Annual RESER 2016 Conference Proceedings, What’s Ahead in Services Research, pp. 544-557.
Internet resource at RESER2016.com
http://www.reser2016.com/home.html
Conference proceedings in PDF at http://nebula.wsimg.com/70e02a410579259c2e23e53616bca1fa?AccessKeyId=3F9619340B04FB0BB6FF&disposition=0&alloworigin=1 Retrieved 26 Aug. 2018
Presentation slides at http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?page_id=33573

OA
2016
Cordeiro, C. M.
Language in its meta-capacity: a translation of perspectives and uncovering the knowledge zones represented in the Uppsala Model of internationalization / globalisation processes. Paper presented at the Groupe d’Études Management & Langage (GEM&L) 10th GEM&L International Conference on Management & Language. Crossing language boundaries in organisations / Le défi des frontières linguistiques dans les organisations , 16-18 Mar. 2016, ESCP EUROPE, 79, avenue de la République Paris 75011, France.

Internet resource at geml.eu
https://geml.eu/en/resources/proceedings-of-the-geml-conferences/ Retrieved 26 Aug. 2018
Conference proceedings in PDF at http://geml.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/GEML-Program-2016-V16.pdf
Presentation slides at http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?page_id=33188
Book Chapters (edited series) & Industry Articles

2019
Cordeiro, C. M.
On the basis of the Uppsala model: Evolution of European research models and frameworks. In, Gabriele Suder, Monica Riviere and Johan Lindeque (eds), The Routledge Companion to European Business. London: Routledge, pp. 55-68.
ISBN: 978- 1- 138- 22658- 6 (hbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 315- 39730- 6 (ebk)
Internet resource at
https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Companion-to-European-Business/Suder-Riviere-Lindeque/p/book/9781138226586 Retrieved 26 Aug. 2018.

2018
Cordeiro, C. M.
Positioning theoretical perspective in academic writing: Teaching culture theory in International Business studies in the context of Industry 4.0. In R. Brunet-Thornton, & F. Martinez (eds), Analyzing the Impacts of Industry 4.0 in Modern Business Environments, pp. 283-303. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
Internet resource at
doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-3468-6.ch014

2017
Cordeiro, C. M.
Work Engagement in the Era of Industry 4.0: Mapping Perspectives and Knowledge in E-Strategy Implementation. In B. Christiansen & Ü. Yüksel (eds), Technological Integration as a Catalyst for Industrial Development and Economic Growth. Hershey, PA: Business Science Reference, pp 189-206.
Internet resource at
doi: 10.4018/978-1-5225-2319-2

2017
Cordeiro, C. M.
Relativity in Perspective in Culture Theories: The Götheborg IV Model. In B. Christiansen & H.C. Chandan (eds), Handbook of Research on Organizational Culture and Diversity in the Modern Workforce. Hershey, PA: Business Science Reference, pp 217-238.
Internet resource at
doi: 10.4018/978-1-5225-2250-8

2016
Cordeiro, C. M.
The Götheborg IV (G4) Model and the Function of Language in the Globalization Process of the Firm: The Case of Swedish MNEs. In M. Khan (ed.), Multinational Enterprise Management Strategies in Developing Countries, pp. 215-236. Hershey, PA: Business Science Reference.
Internet resource at
doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-0276-0.ch011

2016
Cordeiro, C. M.
Cordeiro, C. M. Hidden talents: Home-grown pride finds in ABB a stepping stone to further success. In: Singapore Inside, ABB, A. Ramkumar (ed). Internal corporate publication, Singapore ABB Pte Ltd.
ABB internal corporate web resource


Personal webpage publications

OA
2018
Cordeiro, C. M.
The 9th International Research Meeting in Business and Management, IRMBAM-2018, Nice, France.
Internet resource at Cheryl Marie Cordeiro
http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?p=35917 Retrieved 23 Aug. 2018.

OA
2017
Cordeiro, C. M.
The 27th annual RESER (European Association for REsearch on SERvices) Conference 2017, Bilbao, Spain.
Internet resource at Cheryl Marie Cordeiro
http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?p=34679 Retrieved 23 Aug. 2018.

OA
2017
Cordeiro, C. M.
21-24 Jun. EURAM 2017 Conference, Glasgow, Scotland.
Internet resource at Cheryl Marie Cordeiro
http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?p=34469 Retrieved 23 Aug. 2018.

OA
2016
Cordeiro, C. M.
The 26th annual RESER (European Association for REsearch on SERvices) Conference 2016, Naples, Italy.
Internet resource at Cheryl Marie Cordeiro
http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?p=33606 Retrieved 23 Aug. 2018.

OA
2016
Cordeiro, C. M.
The 8th IEEE International Conference on Management of Innovation and Technology (ICMIT2016), Bangkok, Thailand.
Internet resource at Cheryl Marie Cordeiro
http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?p=33669 Retrieved 23 Aug. 2018.

OA
2016
Cordeiro, C. M.
Responsible Business Forum (RBF) on Sustainable Development 2016, Singapore: The global complexity challenge and the role of economic institutions.
Internet resource at Cheryl Marie Cordeiro
http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?p=33756 Retrieved 23 Aug. 2018.

OA
2015
Cordeiro, C. M.
The 21st International Robot Exhibition (iREX 2015) NEDO Robot Forum, Tokyo.
Internet resource at Cheryl Marie Cordeiro
http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?p=32925 Retrieved 23 Aug. 2018.

OA
2015
Cordeiro, C. M.
The 21st International Robot Exhibition (iREX 2015) Robot Summit, Tokyo.
Internet resource at Cheryl Marie Cordeiro
http://www.cherylmariecordeiro.com/?p=32850 Retrieved 23 Aug. 2018.

1 The concept of artificial intelligence (AI) and synthetic biological automation used in the original project proposal made the assumption that the corporate enterprise had business units that developed such technologies. This was inaccurate. While the corporate enterprise did have robotics and collaborative robotics as business units, AI and synthetic biological automation were fields closer to bio-medical engineering. The corporate enterprise were traditional manufacturers, that developed emerging mechanical/electrical engineering product-services. The lack of business units in AI and synthetic biological automation did not in any way distract or disenabled the continuance of the study, as SFL and UTAUT could still be investigated in application to the enterprise’s emerging product-services.
2 The term product-service is used here because there is a distinct servitisation of manufacturing products, from products to services defined increasingly on a continuum due to accelerating digitisation and new information communication technologies (Dachs et al. 2014, Dimache & Roche 2013).

References:

Dachs, B., Biege, S., Borowiecki, M., Lay, G., Jäger, A., & Schartinger, D. (2014). Servitisation of European manufacturing: Evidence from a large scale database. The Service Industries Journal, 34(1): 5-23.

Dimache, A. & Roche, T. (2013). A decision methodology to support servitisation of manufacturing. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 33(11/12): 1435-1457.

3 Ivarsson, I., Alvstam, C., & Vahlne, J. (2017). Global technology development by colocating R&D and manufacturing: The case of Swedish manufacturing MNEs. Industrial and Corporate Change, 26(1):149-168.


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RJ Flexit 2015 project nr: RMP15-0954:1 | RMP15-0954:2