OG13 RC #24 Jon Clark‘s study of the effect of the modernization of a telephone

GiannaWEN

咋一读还有点难，本来不打算翻译，查到的翻译晦涩拗口，也没有找到更满意的，只好自己动手。翻一次不容易，分享给大家。欢迎更正，指导！

翻译：
JC研究了电话交换台的现代化对交换台维护工作和工人的影响。该研究的杰出贡献在于回答了科技决定论和社会构成论在科技历史性和社会性的争论。

C认为，科技的特点对工作技能和结构体制有着决定性的影响。甚至说，科技是社会和管理结构的主要决定因素。C所认为的这种可能性被最近的社会学风潮所歪曲。具体说来，（C的理论）被B分析成，机械化方式反映社会选择。B认为，科技体系的形态是从属于管理层的需求，用来控制工人的劳动流程。科技的改变被解释为，在机械化设计和配置中的利益体之间为获取各自利益谈判的结果。这一观点反映了社会构成论这一新主流（思潮）。

构成论者通过曲解科技决定论，获得了认可：科技决定论者应该是认为，比如，机械化把适当形式的规则强加于社会。或者，构建者认为，换句话说，科技存在于社会以外，直接影响技能和结构体制。[constructivists 认为tech deterministst的观点A/B, A=B]

C通过理论和经验上的论述，反驳构建论者的极端性。理论上，他定义“科技”是社会和科技变量的关系（tech=relationship）。试图把科技贬低成冰冷坚硬的金属，一定会失败，因为（for conj.）机械化只是散碎品，除非在功能上被组织起来，并被合适的运行和维护系统支撑(像SC那样简单的谈机械化，是不对的。因为科技使科技变量和社会发生了关系，所以机械化被organized funtioanlly and supported，像碎片的机械化才被得以组织起来利用)。经验上，C展示了，在电话转换台从密集维护的机电转化到半电力转化系统的改变，是如何改变工作任务，技能，培训机会，行政和工人结构体制的。C认为一些改变是因为管理层和工会协商下科技引用的特殊方式；而其他的则是因为科技自身的能力和特性。因此，C借以回答：社会选择该何时决断，科技的固有特性何时更重要？

原文 P412

Jon Clark's study of the effect of the modernization of a telephone exchange on exchange maintenance work and workers is a solid contribution to a debate that encompasses two lively issues in the history and sociology of technology: technological determinism and social constructivism.

　　Clark makes the point that the characteristics of a technology have a decisive influence on job skills and work organization. Put more strongly, technology can be a primary determinant of social and managerial organization. Clark believes this possibility has been obscured by the recent sociological fashion, exemplified by Braverman's analysis, that emphasizes the way machinery reflects social choices. For Braverman, the shape of a technological system is subordinate to the manager's desire to wrest control of the labor process from the workers. Technological change is construed as the outcome of negotiations among interested parties who seek to incorporate their own interests into the design and configuration of the machinery. This position represents the new mainstream called social constructivism.

　　The constructivists gain acceptance by misrepresenting technological determinism: technological determinists are supposed to believe, for example, that machinery imposes appropriate forms of order on society. The alternative to constructivism, in other words, is to view technology as existing outside society, capable of directly influencing skills and work organization.

　　Clark refutes the extremes of the constructivists by both theoretical and empirical arguments. Theoretically he defines "technology" in terms of relationships between social and technical variables. Attempts to reduce the meaning of technology to cold, hard metal are bound to fail, for machinery is just scrap unless it is organized functionally and supported by appropriate systems of operation and maintenance. At the empirical level Clark shows how a change at the telephone exchange from maintenance-intensive electromechanical switches to semi-electronic switching systems altered work tasks, skills, training opportunities, administration, and organization of workers. Some changes Clark attributes to the particular way management and labor unions negotiated the introduction of the technology, whereas others are seen as arising from the capabilities and nature of the technology itself. Thus Clark helps answer the question: "When is social choice decisive and when are the concrete characteristics of technology more important?"

GiannaWEN

120. The primary purpose of the passage is to 主旨题

　　A. advocate a more positive attitude toward technological change 对科技改变持积极态度

　　B. discuss the implications for employees of the modernization of a telephone exchange 讨论了电话交换台现代化对员工的影响

　　C. consider a successful challenge to the constructivist view of technological change 成功驳斥了社会构建论者对科技改变的观点

　　D. challenge the position of advocates of technological determinism 质疑科技决定论者的观点

　　E. suggest that the social causes of technological change should be studied in real situations 认为科技改变的社会因素应该在现实情况下研究

这篇文章是基于Clark的研究，进行了2种观点的对比，tech determinism和social constructivism.作者在第一段即指出JC的study是有solid contribution，即正面赞扬的。换句话说，是支持C即tech determinism，反对后文的Braverman，即social constructivism的观点的。
A 这不是讨论对科技改变是否该持有何种态度，point不是态度，是支持何种观点
B 不是讨论影响，否则，文章应该是，比如，对员工生活，金钱，习惯，意识形态等的影响
C CORRECT
D opposite
E 不是讲研究不切实际，不是讲社会因素未被研究

　　121. Which of the following statements about the modernization of the telephone exchange is supported by information in the passage? 细节题（MBT）

　　A. The new technology reduced the role of managers in labor negotiations. 新科技降低了管理层在劳工谈判的地位。 NEW

　　B. The modernization was implemented without the consent of the employees directly affected by it. 现代化的执行没有经过直接影响它的员工们的同意。NEW

　　C. The modernization had an impact that went significantly beyond maintenance routines. 现代化的影响远远不限于日常维护。>>全文第一句，即说effect on exchange maintenance and workers 所以至少还有workers; L44-46列举了改变了works taks, skills, training opportunities, administration, and orgnization of workers.

　　D. Some of the maintenance workers felt victimized by the new technology. 一些维护工人感到被新科技害到。NEW

　　E. The modernization gave credence to the view of advocates of social constructivism. 现代化信任社会构建论者的观点。NEW & opposite

　　122. Which of the following most accurately describes Clark's opinion of Braverman's position? 细节题（MBT）

　　A. He respects its wide-ranging popularity. 他尊重它的广泛受欢迎度。NEW

　　B. He disapproves of its misplaced emphasis on the influence of managers. 他不赞成它对管理层影响的误解（imsplaced emphasis重点被错误放置=obscured>>L13）>>L12-19：L12-16指出，C和B观点相反，或者说B把C曲解了。L16-19指出，B认为科技是从属于管理层需求的。C与之相反，即C不认为管理层的影响会造成科技改变.

　　C. He admires the consideration it gives to the attitudes of the workers affected. 他钦佩它考虑了被影响工人的态度。NEW

　　D. He is concerned about its potential to impede the implementation of new technologies. 他关心它的影响会阻碍新科技的实施。NEW

　　E. He is sympathetic to its concern about the impact of modern technology on workers. 他很赞同它考虑了新科技对工人的影响。NEW

　　123. The information in the passage suggests that which of the following statements from hypothetical sociological studies of change in industry most clearly exemplifies the social constructivists' version of technological determinism? 细节题, 社会构建论者对科技决定论的观点>>第三段

　　A. It is the available technology that determines workers' skills, rather than workers' skills influencing the application of technology. 科技决定工人技能，而不是工人技能影响科技应用。>>L29-32 The alternative to constructivism, in other words, is to view techonology as existing outside society, capable of directly influencing skills and work organization. 或者认为，构建论者认为科技有直接改变技能和组织结构的能力。

　　B. All progress in industrial technology grows out of a continuing negotiation between technological possibility and human need. 工业科技的所有进展都源于科技可能性和人类需求的持续协商。ATTENTION：ALL. 定位negotiation>>L20. 首先这不是SC认为TD的观点，这是SC自己的观点。其次，L20是讲，科技改变，是机械化设计和配置利益方们的谈判结果。虽可引申为human need,但不是option里的tech possibility。possibility>> L13，科技作为社会和管理结构的主要决定因素的可能性。

　　C. Some organizational change is caused by people; some is caused by computer chips. 某些结构体制改变是因为人，有些是因为电脑芯片。 NEW&IRRE

　　D. Most major technological advances in industry have been generated through research and development. 大部分工业界的科技进步是通过R&D。NEW

　　E. Some industrial technology eliminates jobs, but educated workers can create whole new skills areas by the adaptation of the technology. 一些工业科技减少了职位，但训练工人为适应科技能发挥新技能 NEW

　　124. The information in the passage suggests that Clark believes that which of the following would be true if social constructivism had not gained widespread acceptance? 推断题 定位“gain acceptance” >>L25 The constructivists gain acceptance by misrepresenting technological determinism 构建论者获得接受，通过曲解科技决定论. 如果不被接受，就不用曲解科技决定论，即是大家更好地理解科技如何决定history and sociology(全文首句)。全文未谈history，只讲了sociology。即B。

　　A. Businesses would be more likely to modernize without considering the social consequences of their actions.

　　B. There would be greater understanding of the role played by technology in producing social change.

　　C. Businesses would be less likely to understand the attitudes of employees affected by modernization.

　　D. Modernization would have occurred at a slower rate.

　　E. Technology would have played a greater part in determining the role of business in society.

　　125. According to the passage, constructivists employed which of the following to promote their argument? 细节题。定位constructivists>>L25 The constructivists gain acceptance by misrepresenting technological determinism 构建论者获得接受，通过曲解科技决定论. "by"= employ

　　A. Empirical studies of business situations involving technological change

　　B. Citation of managers supportive of their position

　　C. Construction of hypothetical situations that support their view

　　D. Contrasts of their view with a misstatement of an opposing view

　　E. Descriptions of the breadth of impact of technological change

　　126. The author of the passage uses the expression "are supposed to" in line 27 primarily in order to 词义SC，“应该，理应”，表明后面的观点，是SC想当然TD所持有的观点，但实际并不是TD本身的观点，这也吻合前面L26出现的misrepresenting

　　A. suggest that a contention made by constructivists regarding determinists is inaccurate

　　B. define the generally accepted position of determinists regarding the implementation of technology

　　C. engage in speculation about the motivation of determinists

　　D. lend support to a comment critical of the position of determinists

　　E. contrast the historical position of determinists with their position regarding the exchange modernization

　　127. Which of the following statements about Clark's study of the telephone exchange can be inferred from information in the passage? 细节题（MBT）

　　A. Clark's reason for undertaking the study was to undermine Braverman's analysis of the function of technology. C研究目的是反驳B对科技功能的分析.NEW

　　B. Clark's study suggests that the implementation of technology should be discussed in the context of conflict between labor and management. C研究表明科技执行应在劳工和管理冲突时讨论. NEW

　　C. Clark examined the impact of changes in the technology of switching at the exchange in terms of overall operations and organization. CORRECT operation>>L40; organization>>L46

　　D. Clark concluded that the implementation of new switching technology was equally beneficial to management and labor. C下结论：新的转换科技对管理和劳工平等有利. NEW

　　E. Clark's analysis of the change in switching systems applies only narrowly to the situation at the particular exchange that he studied. 全文第一句即指出，JC在tele exchange的研究，对科技历史和社会性的争论有贡献。并没有说某一领域或特定环境的科技。所以并没有narrow down to a particular situation.

sasaki720

感谢楼主翻译

最爱梨子

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elaineyoung

网上找到的，分享一下Jon Clark’s study of the effect of the modernization of a telephone exchange on exchange maintenance work and workers is a solid contribution to a debate that encompasses two lively issues in the history and sociology of technology: technological determinism and social constructivism.
J C 关于交换维护工作和工人间电信交换现代化影响的研究，为围绕历史和社会的技术论两个实在问题的辩论提供了坚实的贡献，这两个问题分别为：技术决定论和社会构建论。

Clark makes the point that the characteristics of a technology have a decisive influence on job skills and work organization. Put more strongly, technology can be a primary determinant of social and managerial organization. Clark believes this possibility has been obscured by the recent sociological fashion, exemplified by Braverman’s analysis, that emphasizes the way machinery reflects social choices. For Braverman, the shape of a technological system is subordinate to the manager’s desire to wrest control of the labor process from the workers. Technological change is construed as the outcome of negotiations among interested parties who seek to incorporate their own interests into the design and configuration of the machinery. This position represents the new mainstream called social constructivism.
C提及的重点是，技术特性是影响工作技能和工作制度的决定性因素。更有力的解释是，技术可以是社会和经管制度的首要决定因素。C认为这种可能性已经被近期的社会学风潮所掩盖，例如 B 的分析，他过分强调了机械反映社会选择的方式。对于 B，技术系统的形态是从属于管理者渴求，即从工人手中夺取劳动工序的控制权。技术的改变作为那些试图将自己的利益融合到机械的设计和组合当中利益相关方谈判的结果。这个观点是新主流的代表，被称为社会构建主义。

The constructivists gain acceptance by misrepresenting technological determinism: technological determinists are supposed to believe, for example, that machinery imposes appropriate forms of order on society. The alternative to constructivism, in other words, is to view technology as existing outside society, capable of directly influencing skills and work organization.
构建主义者通过扭曲技术决定论获得应可，他们说技术决定论相信，例如，机械把适当的制度形式强制实施于社会。换句话说，替代社会构建论的是把技术论看作存在于社会之外，可以直接影响技能和工作制度的。

Clark refutes the extremes of the constructivists by both theoretical and empirical arguments. Theoretically he defines “technology” in terms of relationships between social and technical variables. Attempts to reduce the meaning of technology to cold, hard metal are bound to fail, for machinery is just scrap unless it is organized functionally and supported by appropriate systems of operation and maintenance. At the empirical level Clark shows how a change at the telephone exchange from maintenance-intensive electromechanical switches to semielectronic switching systems altered work tasks, skills, training opportunities, administration, and organization of workers. Some changes Clark attributes to the particular way management and labor unions negotiated the introduction of the technology, whereas others are seen as arising from the capabilities and nature of the technology itself. Thus Clark helps answer the question: “When is social choice decisive and when are the concrete characteristics of technology more important?”
C 同时在理论和实践两个方面驳斥极端的构建主义者。理论上，他把技术定义为社会和技术变量的关系。试图把技术的含义简化为冰冷的硬金属注定要失败的，因为机械只是零散的碎片，除非被功能性地组织起来和得到恰当的系统去运作与维护。在实践层面，C 展示了电信交换怎么从维护密集型机电转换到半电子转换系统来改变工作任务、技能、培训机会、管理和工人制度。C 把一些改变归因于管理和劳动组织谈判引进技术这种特殊方式，而其他人认为改变是由技术本身的功能和性质产生的。因此，C 可以帮助回答这个问题，什么时候是社会选择决定，什么时候是技术的具体特性起重要作用。

可心IvyFeng

关于123题我有一个问题，题目问的是social constructivist 对 technological determinent的理解。The constructivists gain acceptance by misrepresenting technological determinism: technological determinists are supposed to believe, for example, that machinery imposes appropriate forms of order on society 机械把适当的制度形式强制实施于社会. The alternative to constructivism, in other words, is to view technology as existing outside society, capable of directly influencing skills and work organization.  社会构建论认为技术直接影响技能和工作制度的。                                       

请问这两个观点表述都是social constructivism的吗？如果是的话，the alternative to 怎么理解？The alternative to constructivism 意思为什么不是技术决定论人的观点呢？？？

lesliezhu

这篇是有点绕，谢谢楼主。

adsdsd

我找到最好的一篇翻译了
膜拜楼主

大发要进步

感谢分享！               

Eileen小浣熊

超级感谢！！！本来对结构迷迷糊糊！一下子抓到重点了！！