Neil Pollock's Web Site

Neil Pollock teaches and researches in the Sociology of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) at the University of Edinburgh where he is a Reader in Information Systems within the Business School and a member of the Institute for the Study of Science, Technology and Innovation (ISSTI).

After taking a degree in Computing and a Masters in Science & Technology Policy he completed a PhD in Science and Technology Studies (STS) at the University of Lancaster. Prior to moving to Edinburgh he was a Senior Research Associate at the University of Newcastle investigating the development of ‘e-Government’. He has also conducted research on ‘virtual universities’ under the auspices of the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) Virtual Society? Programme and has written (with James Cornford) ‘Putting the University Online: Information, Technology, and Organisational Change’.

Neil has recently completed an ESRC project on the Biography and Evolution of Standardised Software Packages and was co-investigator on an ESRC E-Society project and a European 6th Framework project investigating standard setting in e-Commerce.

Current research interests include the sociology of technology, actor network theory, the social shaping and ‘generification’ of information systems, and the ‘performativity’ of simple business tools. He has recently completed a second book (with Robin Williams) called ‘Software and Organisation: The Biography of the Enterprise-Wide System Or How SAP Conquered the World’ published by Routledge.

Neil supervises a number of PhD students in the School of Business and the Research Centre for Social Sciences and is always interested in receiving applications from prospective students