Loading...
A socio-technical inquiry into semiotics and ethnology in South Africa, with special reference to electricity
Author(s)
Qually, Byron Alexander
Date Issued
2010
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
Demand Side Management (DSM) within a South African context requires a transdisciplinary
approach to comprehend electricity consumption. Current research suggests a technical
determinism, whereby design teams fail to acknowledged social factors and cultural
influences when conceptualising DSM artefacts. The result of which, is that artefacts fail to
be adopted by the market, and consumer behaviour and electricity consumption remains
unchanged. The thesis aims to demonstrate the hypothesis, that semiotics and ethnology
may affect sustainable residential electricity management in South Africa. The ubiquitous
literature on electricity management is administered by means of the theoretical lens, Sociotechnical
Theory. Mixed method instrument obtain fieldwork data from three of the eleven
official South African languages: Afrikaans, English and IsiXhosa.
approach to comprehend electricity consumption. Current research suggests a technical
determinism, whereby design teams fail to acknowledged social factors and cultural
influences when conceptualising DSM artefacts. The result of which, is that artefacts fail to
be adopted by the market, and consumer behaviour and electricity consumption remains
unchanged. The thesis aims to demonstrate the hypothesis, that semiotics and ethnology
may affect sustainable residential electricity management in South Africa. The ubiquitous
literature on electricity management is administered by means of the theoretical lens, Sociotechnical
Theory. Mixed method instrument obtain fieldwork data from three of the eleven
official South African languages: Afrikaans, English and IsiXhosa.
Additional information
Thesis (MTech (Industrial Design))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Loading...
Name
192014846_Qually_ba_MTech_design_2010
Size
5 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum
(MD5):f24b0821ebda86aae0d3846704bd5e02