Technology & Organizational Behavior

Rather than thinking of new technologies in terms of replacing people, we should think about how these technologies reorganize the roles, relationships, and power structures through which work is accomplished

Dr. Nan Wilkenfeld

Academic Profile

Bio & Expertise

My research examines how emerging technologies alter communication patterns, redistribute decision-making authority, and transform perceptions of agency within organizations. Drawing on theories of power, agency, and human–machine communication, I investigate how workers adapt to technologically mediated environments and how organizations design systems that either support or constrain human expertise. A consistent finding across my studies is that the challenges organizations face rarely stem from the technology itself. Rather, problems arise from implementation practices that treat human behavior as a variable to be optimized rather than a stakeholder perspective to be integrated into system design. When these dynamics are overlooked, the consequences are tangible: reduced autonomy, erosion of trust, and operational friction that undermines the efficiency gains organizations expect. I study these processes across diverse contexts—from warehouse workers collaborating with exoskeletons, to legal professionals using AI research systems, to employees navigating chatbot-mediated organizational services. While the technologies differ, the underlying dynamic remains consistent: humans bring judgment, meaning-making, and social context to interactions with machines. Organizations that recognize and design for these human dimensions are far more likely to realize the potential benefits of technological innovation.

Selected Publications

Google Scholar Profile
Theoretical

Negotiating agency and control: Theorizing human-machine communication from a structurational perspective

Gibbs, J.L., Fang, C., Kirkwood, G., Wilkenfeld, J.N. (2021). Human-Machine Communication.

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Empirical

Sensemaking, adaptation, and agency in human-exoskeleton synchrony

Wilkenfeld, N., Kim, S., Upsani, Kirkwood, G., Dunbar, N.E., Srinivasen, D. (2023). Technology in Society.

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Curriculum

Related Courses

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UCSB / SBCC

Introduction to Communication

SBCC

Public Speaking

UCSB

Human-Machine Communication

UCSB

Power, Agency & AI Systems

Engagement & Contact

j.nan@wilkenfeld.net