Researcher

gustav dot sjoblom at chalmers dot se

 +46 (0)31 772 12 32 

Gustav Sjöblom is a postdoctoral researcher at the Division of Technology and Society. His main research focus is the modern history of transport and information technologies. He obtained his PhD at the University of Cambridge in 2007 with a thesis entitled "The political economy of railway and road transport in Britain and Germany, 1918-1932" . In 2007-8 he was documenting the history of information technology in Sweden in the project "Från matematikmaskin till IT", coordinated by the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), the National Museum of Science and Technology, and the Swedish Computer Association. He has also participated in two projects on market development in societal security at Security Arena, Lindholmen Science Park, funded by the Swedish Emergency Management Agency.

From 2009 to 2011 Gustav is focusing on the modern history of information technology and business, with three main research areas:

• IT-based, knowledge-intensive service industries: the historical development of Swedish management consulting, IT consulting, outsourcing, and internet advertising. Using the framework of knowledge work proposed by Mats Alvesson and of product life-cycle analysis, I analyze the dynamics of entrepreneurship and management in these industries in relation to technical and social change.

• IT use and changing practices and discourses of management in big business: in an in-depth study of the use of various forms of computer technology at the electrical engineering firm Asea between 1950 and 1976, I analyze from an actor-perspective the interrelation between changes in information technology use and discourses and practices of management, with separate studies of the use of technical computation, administrative data processing, numerical control and automation, production and inventory control, and logistics, as well as the development of proudcts and services containing computer tecnology, notably process control systems and robotics.

• The diffusion of IT innovations: focusing on software (knowledge and networks) rather than hardware (artefacts) I analyze the diffusion of different IT innovations in Swedish private businesses, e.g. digital computers for technical computation; d:o for administrative data processing; numerical control and industrial automation; management control; websites and internet marketing. I am especially interested in interpersonal and interorganizational networks, discourses of technology, and intermediaries of knowledge diffusion such as industry organizations and research institutes.

In addition Gustav continues to pursue topics within the history of transport and planning. He is involved in reference and expert groups to Mistra Urban Futures and the Centrala Älvstaden urban development project run by the city of Gothenburg.

For continues updates, please see his blog, Flöden (alas in Swedish). 

Current research projects

• Project leader of 'The Swedish wonder in digital advertising - young network culture, entrepreneurial network and innovation system'. Two-year joint project at the Division of Technology and Society, Chalmers and the Department of Economic History, University of Gothenburg, funded by the KK-stiftelsen programme "Young network cultures",  www.digitalaundret.se
• Member of 'Precursors of the IT nation: computer use and control in Swedish society, 1955-1985', two-year project based at the Division of History of Science and Technology at KTH, funded by the Handelsbanken research foundations,  http://researchprojects.kth.se/index.php/kb_1/io_10176/io.html
• Member of 'Pilot study: mobile broadband services for emergency service users', one-year project in 2009 at the Division of Technology and Society, Chalmers, and Security Arena, Lindholmen Science Park, funded by Vinnova.

Current teaching

• Responsible for ITS070 (New media - technology, mobility and social change) together with Ann-Sofie Axelsson. 
• Occasional lecturer and examiner in  TEK225 (Technology and Society), ITS022 (Technology for a global, sustainable society), TEK 070 (Industrial development and social change), MMF 172 (Engineering methodology).
• Supervision of BA and MA dissertations in the Industrial Management engineering programme.

 Recent publications

• Gustav Sjöblom, ‘Military-industrial-complex or technological system: The diffusion of numerically controlled machine tools in Sweden’, in Serge Benoit & Alain Michel, Pierre Beziér and Machine Tools, forthcoming.
• Gustav Sjöblom, ‘The totally integrated Management Information System in 1960s Sweden’, in John Impagliazzo, Per Lundin & Arne Sölvberg (eds.), History of Nordic Computing 3: Third IFIP WG 9.7 Conference, HiNC 3, Stockholm, Sweden, October 18–20, 2010, Revised Selected Papers (Boston, forthcoming 2011).
• Isabelle Dussauge, Johan Gribbe, Arne Kaijser, Per Lundin, Julia Peralta, Gustav Sjöblom & Björn Thodenius, ’Precursors of the IT nation: computers and control in Sweden, 1955–1985’ in John Impagliazzo, Per Lundin & Arne Sölvberg (eds.), History of Nordic Computing 3: Third IFIP WG 9.7 Conference, HiNC 3, Stockholm, Sweden, October 18–20, 2010, Revised Selected Papers (Boston, forthcoming 2011).
• Gustav Sjöblom, Ann-Sofie Axelsson & Oskar Broberg, 'Internet, IT-boomen och reklambranschen under andra hälften av nittiotalet. Transkript av ett vittnesseminarium på ABF-huset i Stockholm den 17 februari 2010.’ (Göteborg, forthcoming 2011).
• Gustav Sjöblom, review of Thomas Zeller, Driving Germany: The Landscape of the German Autobahn, 1930–1970  (Washington D.C., 2007), Technology & Culture 1, Winter 2011.