Kybernetes

Smart technologies as social innovation and complex social issues of the Z

generation
Vasja Roblek, Maja Mesko, Vlado Dimovski, Judita Peterlin,
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Vasja Roblek, Maja Mesko, Vlado Dimovski, Judita Peterlin, (2018) "Smart technologies as social
innovation and complex social issues of the Z generation", Kybernetes, https://doi.org/10.1108/
K-09-2017-0356
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Smart
Smart technologies as social technologies as
innovation and complex social social
innovation
issues of the Z generation
Vasja Roblek
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Faculty of Organisation Studies in Novo Mesto, Novo Mesto, Slovenia

Maja Mesko
Faculty of Management, University of Primorska, Slovenia, and
Vlado Dimovski and Judita Peterlin
Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

Abstract
Purpose – This paper aims to present how contemporary students are self-organizing using smart
technologies (ST) and the future social implications of ST. The research model is based on the concepts of the
soft system methodology, social systems thinking, innovative smart systems, and cybernetic and knowledge
management.
Design/methodology/approach – The study contains elements of exploratory and descriptive case
studies. Narrative analysis and interpretation of the collected data have been carried out.
Findings – Students mostly use ST to save time when studying and in their free time. Students are
surprised by how ST developed and are cautious when imagining how the technology will change and affect
their lives. They are concerned regarding several ethical dilemmas of using it, such as privacy and spending
time with their loved ones and friends. Students perceive their self-organization in the future as very
dependent on the availability of ST in institutional settings (e.g. education and business process) as well as
their personal lives. Students discuss their present perceptions about what the future will be and note that
social system will be more dynamic in terms of socialization, and loss of personal contact with their friends
and family is seen as the main threat.
Research limitations/implications – The research is qualitative, and the questionnaire was carried
out among business students at the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Practical implications – The paper offers an understanding of the usage of ST among business students.
This study provides a road map of a few possible ways for usage of ST among students. The topic is also
relevant for human resource managers, technology developers and marketing strategists for their better
understanding of the behaviour of young people using ST in professional or private environments.
Social implications – The findings can be useful for professors in identifying different learning methods
that are useful for their students.
Originality/value – The authors offer conceptualizations of ST within the social innovation framework
and provide a contemporary understanding young people’s ST usage.
Keywords Behaviour, Qualitative research, Knowledge management, Collective intelligence,
Innovative smart systems, Z generation
Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction
Evolving technology has caused young generations to be increasingly exposed to constant Kybernetes
social and technological changes in the environment, which consequently requires new © Emerald Publishing Limited
0368-492X
skills and investment in attaining, sharing and creating knowledge, which requires access to DOI 10.1108/K-09-2017-0356
 K information systems and, consequently, networking (Lu et al., 2016; Sharma et al., 2016).
Generation Z (also called iGen) is the first generation that has never experienced life before
the internet; members of this generation are defined as digital natives in the literature
(Akçayır et al., 2016; Bennett et al., 2008; Wang et al., 2014). Turner’s (2015) opinion was that
Generation Z is the first to have lived in a time that technology is so accessible to a young
people. The affordability of technology (e.g. smart phones, tablets, Internet of Things and
smart TV) to wider segments of the population has enabled Generation Z (and especially
Generation Alpha [born after 2013]) to become constantly engaged in communication in an
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online world (Issa and Isaias, 2016; Rickes, 2016; Turner, 2015). The significance of the
smart phone in their lives is shown in a 2017 survey of more than 5,000 American teens,
which found that three out of four owned an iPhone (Twenge, 2017). In the previous decade,
the smartphone (Apple’s iPhone was launched in 2007, when the oldest members of
Generation Z were adolescents) has radically influenced the nature of this generation’s lives
(from social interactions and work habits to their mental health) (Berger, 2017; Carbonell
et al., 2018; Koulopoulos and Keldsen, 2016; Lee et al., 2017; Rosen, 2010).
Business students perceive smart technologies (ST) to be a tool for knowledge
acquisition and sharing in their private, academic and future professional lives. ST enables
new solutions for social problems by identifying and delivering new services that improve
the quality of life of individuals, identify and implement new labour market integration
processes, new competencies, new jobs and new forms of participation, that contribute to
improving the position of individuals in the education and work setting, which is in line with
the conceptualization of social innovation by Murray et al. (2010).
The purpose of this paper is to present the perceptions of business students about their
ST usage. Previous research (Lambrechts and Sinha, 2016) established that ST depends on
socio-demographic factors; therefore, we focused our research on business students
(members of Generation Z) and their in-depth perceptions of ST now and for the future.
The study, carried out among business students at the Faculty of Economics, University
of Ljubljana, Slovenia, provides the views of 144 young people on the use of ST and their
opinions about the impact of emerging ST on new forms of communication, acquisition and
dissemination of information now and in the next 20 years.
Qualitative analysis generated answers based on content analysis to the following
questions:
Q1. How do students use ST to consume, create and share content now and how do they
envision using them in the future (e.g. in the next 20 years)?
Q2. How will ST influence respondents’ private and professional communication and,
consequently, the quality of their lives in the next 20 years?
Q3. Among the proposed factors (personal and contextual factors, opinions of emerging
(smart) technologies and self-regulation behaviours), which most influence
students’ use of emerging ST to consume, create and share content accordance of
their ST habits in their private and professional lives?
The study was designed according to the general method of case studies (Easterby-Smith
et al., 2005). A study on the impact of ST in the future life processes contained elements of
exploratory and descriptive case studies. According to Dimovski et al. (2008) and Yin (2005),
a combination of both grounded theory and case study are appropriate for the design study
model, which enables using the researched results in practice. Narrative analysis and
interpretation of the collected data has been carried out (Roblek, 2009).
 The structure of the paper is as follows: in the first part, we provide the theoretical Smart
background of the ST; in the second part, we state the methodology used; and in the third technologies as
part, we elaborate on the empirical results and further implications.
social
2. Theoretical background
innovation
2.1 The growth of smart technologies
In the first decades of the twenty-first century, society was confronted with the increasing
influence of the internet and ST on basic human functioning; these technologies have caused
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organizational and social changes. Full automation, artificial intelligence systems and
digitalization have become pervasive in manufacturing, services and in people’s private
lives. Smart connected technologies that include sensors and cameras are a part of new
vehicles, homes, kitchen appliances, etc. (Sommer, 2015).
These rapid developments in recent years have raised the question of the impact of
changes on human life. To find solutions for consequences of ST, it is necessary to analyse
the impact of these technologies on future human interactions. Attention must be paid to the
systemic complexity of the possible problems to which people are exposed.
What the phenomenon of ST actually represents is that emerging technologies will
influence private and professional communication, and consequently, the quality of human
life and the development of collective networks based on strategic intelligence in which
parts of the economy and the human environment it is expanding is probably most evident
from the expressions with which it is associated (Castells, 2010; Nitti et al., 2015; Starlard-
Davenport et al., 2016; Odella, 2016). ST have become an indispensable part of Generation
Z’s lifestyle. They are growing up with technologies, and online social networking services
have become one of their most important communication channels. One theory is that with
Generation Z, we cannot talk about the technological addiction because the technology is
inseparable part of their lives (Turner, 2015).

2.2 Importance of smart technologies for social relations among young people
Members of the social system (in this, students as users of ST) vary considerably according
to the speed of accepting innovation. Research (Carro et al., 2014; Hunt et al., 2015;
Rauschnabel et al., 2015) has shown that young people are significant ST adopters. Young
consumers in TICKS (Taiwan, India, China, South Korea) countries are adapting to
technological changes, such as e-commerce and online shopping, much faster than in the
USA, and their adaptation of the technology is changing the nature of the emerging markets
(Johnson, 2016). Young people are major participants in the development and use of open
innovations, which influences the transformation of the customer-oriented perspective into
the community-oriented ones “which include social capital of the community” (Petrau and
Daskalopoulou, 2013). This is a vital competitive challenge for smart cities, which are
gaining importance due to increasing urbanization. Young people live with ST, and they are
also the bearers of new technological developments that are bringing innovative solutions.
The goal of these new hardware and software solutions is making progress for online social
relations. Their behaviour in the complex environment is designed in the model of the smart
model-based governance by social systems thinking (Figure 1). The development and
implementation of the ST is and will be influenced by social and economic changes and
opening new social and ethical problems in the near future because ST are now:
 invading sensitive human areas and allowing others to access sensitive, private
information in real time; and
 robots will replace humans in more demanding work processes (Mesko et al., 2017).
 K Strategies Human governance Key drivers
• Transformation • Socio demographic
of the customer factors
oriented • Adoptation of the ST
perspective in to
community • Digital literacy
oriented • Change of the
• ST innovations
attitudes and
• Regulatory perception • Urbanization
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legislation
(emerging countries)
• Social changes
• Trust
• Knowledge processes
• Ethical norms for • Global expension of
runs in cyber social
ST implementation the ST with cultural
system
limitation

Figure 1. Co-creation of the value

Smart model-based of quality of human life
governance by social
systems thinking
Source: Authors work

The model aims to present strategies and key factors that are important for the main
conditions for human governance of the ST implementation and their influence on the co-
creation of value for the quality of human life.
Research (Jones and Shao, 2011; Kirschner and De Bruyckere, 2017) shows that many
members of the generation born after 1980 (Generations Y: 1977-1994 and Z: 1995-2012) use
technology only for passive use of information, similar to older generations (X:1966-1976
and Boomers I: 1946-1954 and Boomers II: 1955-1965).
Generation Y was characterized as a Google web-literate generation (Williams and
Rowlands, 2007) by which the presence of information and communication technology did not
result in improved skills for accessing information, searching for information, or evaluation
(Rowlands et al., 2008). They did not recognize all the software capabilities, and they did not
have enough knowledge about how to use applications for problem-solving (Bullen et al., 2008).
Students who belong to Generation Z use different technologies for communication, learning
and being constantly connected on social applications. They are using technology for personal
empowerment and entertainment, but not all of them have satisfactory digital literacy, which
would enable them to create new knowledge and not only to consume it (Kennedy and Fox,
2013). From this perspective, it is essential for all providers of services and products to be
aware that a generation of digital native’s/network youth has entered academia and the labour
market. Technology allows them to be members of different networks simultaneously, and this
makes them distinct from the previous generation. They prefer using the internet, and
smartphones have become an essential part of their lives. However, smartphones as devices
alone do not suffice. Members of Generation Z are finding their place in society by using social
media applications with which they can express themselves (e.g. Instagram, Facebook,
Snapchat, YouTube, WhatsApp, ooVoo and Jott; Ozkan and Solmaz, 2015).
This generation is private, education-oriented (especially for lifelong learning),
professionally fully integrated into the internet environment, and has a great deal of
knowledge about new technologies (Pérez-Escoda, 2016). Internet technology also has
 negative impacts on Generations Z and Y, such as the prevention of physical contact and Smart
physical activities; reductions of certain cognitive skills; and increased levels of depression, technologies as
isolation and laziness (Issa and Isaias, 2016).
social
2.3 Emerging “smart” technologies and the complexity of systems
innovation
This paper focuses on the complexity of the emerging “smart” technology paradigm, which
has become common in recent years. The authors wish to develop theoretical foundations
about the phenomena of studying the behaviour of the representatives of Generation Z and
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their view of the future significance of ST, primarily on the basis of social systems thinking,
which is useful in understanding the social process of governance (Jackson, 2003).
The growth of ST in the time of Industry 4.0 (from 2011 onward) has caused
communication activity to move from the natural environment to cyberspace;
communication between machines themselves has increased greatly (Cooper and James,
2009; Ning and Liu, 2015).
In this context, both owners of the cyber space infrastructures and users of these systems
must be aware of the potential for misuse of information; consequently, it will be necessary
not only to provide strict ethical rules for people who access this data (e.g. sensitive personal
information) but also to provide high levels of physical and electronic protection.
In recent years, ST have been taking an essential role in interactions between social
structures and their digitalization processes (Roblek et al., 2013). Content follows multi-
perspective research, where it has been taking five different viewpoints related with
information processing capabilities: analysing, consuming, creating, sharing and storing
content in private and professional lives. Accordingly, the goal of the present research paper is
to present the nature of the problem stemming from the rise of service systems thinking
(Maglio and Spohrer, 2013) with an emphasis on the meaning of ST and their influence on the
co-creation of value for the quality of human life that is influenced by the three systems that are
presented in Table I (Ing, 2013; Spohrer and Maglio, 2010).
Technology has become an indispensable factor in all three systems. Knowledge of its
impact, meaning and problems are intertwined through all systems, and certain specific
knowledge from each system can aid in understanding the complex problem of the other
system, thus enabling a complex course of organizational and social changes that occur in
all systems due to the increasing implementation of ST.
If the third industrial revolution was based on the building of social relations through
networking (e.g. platforms like Facebook), in the fourth industrial revolution social relations

Type of the cyber system Description

Systems that move, store, harvest Transport, water and waste management; food and global supply
and process chains; energy and energy grids and Information and
communication technology infrastructure
Systems for enabling emergency It is going for a soldier equipment system, detection and
response, infrastructure, people surveillance systems. Weapons systems, intelligent vehicles and
health, defence, wealth and smart traffic control, intelligent structures and pavements, financial
system including banks, retail, tourism and hospitality, medical Table I.
care, educational system (from primary to the universities)
Governing systems Include on micro-level cities and regions and on a macro-level
Applications of the
states and nations ST social systems
that influence on
Source: Authors adaptation according to Ing (2013); Maglio and Spohrer (2013) human life
 K will be formed through the building of collective intelligence, which will be discussed in the
next subchapter.

2.4 Collective intelligence

Knowledge and information have become key factors for success in the twenty-first century
(Dominici et al., 2016; Peppard and Ward, 2016). Network economics considers integration as
a strategic instrument that affects the production of knowledge and the increasingly
important role of information with the implementation of the collective knowledge that is
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created, accumulated and refined in collective learning (Maier, 2007; Kaschig et al., 2016;
Héraud, 2016). As such, collective knowledge is essential to the modern knowledge society
and is constituted from the culture (Mantzavinos, 2001), institutions (Biddle, 1990) and
technology (Boisot, 1998). A learning network provides students and white-collar people
with physical or cyber platforms. Learning networks have (with the accessibility of the high-
speed internet, the development of information technology and the implementation of
artificial intelligence) moved to the virtual/cyber world; and users now use mobile or social
learning platforms, learning management systems and training/education apps that enable
them to gain, enhance and share their knowledge and skills on the go (Huang et al., 2013;
Ning et al., 2016). This is about the processes of enhancing collective intelligence (Brown and
Duguid, 2017; Ning et al., 2016).
Collective intelligence can be defined as a systematically prepared multi-level relation and
collaboration strategy, which, among other things, determines the potential of individuals
(e.g. their families, friends and business connections), companies and organizations in an
individual network or outside it (Joore and Brezet, 2015; Van Der Vegt et al., 2015).
Collective intelligence is based on a process cycle in which procedures and rules for
establishing, sharing, processing, analysing and saving intellectual capital emerge (Lee,
2016). The main goal is to generate knowledge and enable the intelligent, analytical tools
that will provide exactly that kind of knowledge that will be needed according to the
analysed situation at a given moment (Gentry, 2016). The collective intelligence building
requires multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge, collaborative business models
and approaches, digitization of business operations and other conditions that allow the
growth of collective intelligence (Newman et al., 2016).

3. Methodology
Qualitative research does not aim to find conclusions that can be generalized based on a
representative sample. The aim is to gain an insight about a studied phenomenon and grasp
the variety within the studied structure. Researchers do not study the frequency of
occurrence or the relationship between variables (Vogrinc, 2008). The representative sample
of students was chosen to gain in-depth understanding of future management professionals
entering the workforce, called “Generation Z” as the first generation that has never
experienced life without the internet. Tight (2012) stated that when researching students’
experience within contemporary higher education research, the “attention turns towards the
students’ perception. This should be an area of great interest to those working in or
concerned with higher education.”

3.1 Purposeful selection

The sample needed to be relevant for our research questions (Engel and Schutte, 2005). Non-
numerical review and interpretation is suitable for processing large amounts of
unstructured primary data to research underlying meaning and patterns of relationships
 (Babbie, 2007). The authors developed the research design together and triangulated the Smart
questionnaire design and analysis. technologies as
social
3.2 Data collection
Data were collected at the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana at the Foundations
innovation
of Management and Organization course, where around 200 students considered ST as one
of their homework reflections. A total of 144 students handed in their reflections on ST. The
assignment instructions were as follows: Vision of the world: What do you imagine under
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the term ST (ST)? What would you select under the framework of ST? Which ST tools do
you use? Which ST tools do you think you will use in the future? How will ST influence our
communication with the environment in the future (your private communication and your
connection with the environment in terms of gaining information, control of children,
communication with doctors, life-long learning, your business communication with partners
and colleagues)? Business students answered the questions in 1-2 pages.

3.3 Data analysis

Narrative analysis (Keats, 2009; Sfard and Prusak, 2005) is a vital part of understanding the
construction of the narrative. The authors derived thematic analysis (Roblek, 2009) using
thematic networks that facilitate the disclosure of the individual steps in the analytical
process, while also aiding in the organization of analysis and the presentation of the results.
The most important feature of the analysis was to create a category, on the basis of which
the acquired data were structured. It is essential that individual category allows
classification of the gained data, given the importance of the meaning of the codes. The
definition of this was done on the basis of the units of analysis that were obtained from
primary data (Easterby-Smith et al., 2005). The thematic network helped us as an analytical
tool in the study and interpretation of the theme and content of our research. Coding was a
key process in the analysis of the thematic network, which was used for the generalization of
the qualitative data (Creswell, 2003). We have used the technique of a thematic network in
three phases (Roblek, 2009): narrowing down the narrative; exploitation of the narrative; and
interpretation of the themes. The data analysis process was divided into three sections: data
reduction or breakdown of the narratives, discovering meaning, and integration of research
findings. The characteristic that appears in all three categories is the interpretation. It was
difficult to distinguish between different levels of abstraction in the thematic network
(Stirling, 2001). To make the analysis clearer, we also incorporated proof citations (Langley,
2012). We provide the results of our study in a graphical model (Figures 2 and 3).

Saving time

Private

Stay in contact with family

and friends
Smart technologies usage
perception
Figure 2.
Efficiency of the study and
Thematic network –
Professional ST usage
work processes
perception (1)
 K
Caution in consume usage

Create and share contents

Private
(+)
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Smart technologies usage

perception

Figure 3. Professional Ethical dilemmas (–)

Thematic network –
ST usage
perception (2)
Source: Authors work

3.3.1 Evaluation of the smart technologies concept in the present knowledge management
processes. Based on the research of Henderson et al. (2016), the authors have identified practice
themes in the sample of students and provided proof citations for how students use or intend to
use ST in their studies and knowledge management. The students focused on the functionality
of the ST, as all the applications enable the more efficient usage of their resources (Table II).
3.3.2 Evaluation of the influence of the smart technologies in the private and professional
lives of the business students in the future. In terms of the benefits of ST usage, ST warns us
and is our reminder and helper in performing our work and personal activities:
ST evolves through time, and every day something new arrives on the market, more innovative and
enables people an easier life, even though we become lazier, some addicted, asocial; however, we must
admit to ourselves that ST makes work easier for us, businessmen, teenagers, and the elderly (MT).
ST has influenced a:
Great deal the way we communicate [. . .] it influences the way we express our emotions, our
relationships with our family members, friends, teachers, [. . .] the way we talk and write has
changed (ŠL).
Based on the work of Johannessen et al. (2017), we have researched the narratives for ethical
issues that students perceive in the future ST usage for our society as a system. Students
perceive “life in front of the screen” (ŠV) as one of the disadvantages of ST usage, as it takes
time away from physical presence with their family and friends. Students distinguish the
usage of ST in business and personal life and perceive more advantages in terms of business
usage (KN): “I think that growing up with ST is not suitable for children as they are addicted
to games early on”.
In the business world, ST is especially useful. Employees can exchange information very
fast and easily.” Students are also critical regarding authentic communication in the
business setting (KZ):
Communication the business world is easier, however virtual communication has bad
consequences on the relationships among business partners and co-workers, as they cannot
establish authentic relationships that would give a person a sense of loyalty.
In the future, the students state that (KU): “I expect to use computer systems more. I see
great advancement in appliances for virtual realities where a human being can “do magic” in
the privacy of his/her home”.
 Practice Digital devices Description (proof citations)
Smart
technologies as
Organizing and computer, mobile Users benefit from ST in autonomous reception, social
managing the logistics of adaptation and forwarding of gained information
studying from the outside world and internet (SB) innovation
Flexibility of place and computer, mobile Usage of ST in the lecture rooms enables better
location participation of students and enables online
lectures (MJ)
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Researching information computer, mobile Students will no longer need to gain their
education in institutions but will gain their
knowledge through apps (ON)
Time saving mobile ST enables us fast communication with the people
through social networks and we always carry in
our hands mobile phone (LS)
Supporting basic tasks mobile Phone serves me as a communication appliance,
for surfing the net, I use it as a waking device. I
also use applications for arranging photos, digital
cards for different stores, Gmail and applications
for arranging documents (ŽN)
Reviewing and revising mobile Internet offers us vast pool of information to
which we can access through many devices that
make solving our problems easier. In every
moment, we can expand our horizons through
solving tests, exercises and online courses (SS)
Communicating and mobile People communicate more openly when they are
collaborating hidden behind a virtual identity (MS)
Seeing information in computer, mobile Internet is an excellent source of acquiring and
different ways exchanging information in online learning (ŠV) Table II.
Cost saving computer, mobile Important result of ST is also saving, not only Usage of ST in
resources (water, clean air and soil) but also time, knowledge

that we can better use (CL) management process

Another ethical dilemma relates to efficiency and was termed the “stupidification” effect of
ST on humans (SE):
One other bad thing about ST is that it makes people stupid. Instead of writing down words, we
write them into our smartphone and it warns us about an upcoming event that we have. Also,
for counting, we use a computer and not our own brains. Also, house cleaning we do with the
help of ST, such as robots, with just one click we can clean the whole apartment while we rest
on the sofa.
The benefits of collective intelligence as a systematically prepared multi-level collaboration
strategy that determines the potential of individuals (e.g. their families, friends and business
connections) in an individual network or outside it (Joore and Brezet, 2015; Van Der Vegt
et al., 2015) have been identified as the following:
 According to Generation Z, ST enables quick feedback that improves their
collaboration with others “ST enables you to quickly see the person and you receive
quickly feedback”.
 It offers independence: “electronic appliances enable users to independently access,
work on and give information from the outside world”.
 Enables consecutiveness: “With the mobile phone, we are connected with all the
people we know”.
 K  Strengthens the efficiency of the workforce: “Technical appliances will substitute human
work and, due to that, the workforce will lower which means less work for humans”.
 Enables expansion of education: “Internet is an excellent source of gaining and
exchanging information as you can educate yourself online”.

3.3.3 Students and their application of the knowledge management processes through different
smart technologies. Students identified many different ST appliances that they know or use,
such as, smartphones, smart tablets, smart watches, smart houses, smart sensors, smart
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robots, smart cars, smart home appliances, smart toothbrush, smart cameras, smart sensors
and smart glasses. Even though sharing knowledge will be easier, this presents the ethical
dilemma of how knowledge and what kind of knowledge is shared (KK): “I think in a couple
of years we will not have such private lives as we do today”.
Among the personal and contextual factors, opinions of emerging ST, and self-regulation
behaviours, contextual, educational factors most influence students’ use of emerging ST to
consume, create and share contents in their private and professional lives as their homework
assignments require them to search information on the internet, online scientific databases,
communicate with professors, submit assignments and track their studies through online
study systems.
Do people nowadays know how to exist without ST? According to the sample of
students, the answer is “no”. Personal factors affect the usage of ST, such as preferences
about tracking technological advances (DE), and desires for multi-functionality (DN).
Contextual factors are mostly connected with the internet being accessible practically
everywhere in the developed world (HK): “Technical appliances will replace human labour
and reduce workforce and workplaces”. Students’ opinions of emerging ST are various, and
they are aware of the advantages as well as disadvantages of using ST (PN):
It is not a problem that ST exists, but a problem lies in the way people become when they use it. In
the past we socialized with our friends; wherever you went you saw children in the parks and this
is no longer so.
In terms of self-regulation, students mention the influence of age, generational aspect (BT):
I think that in the future ST will not so much influence the communication with the doctor or
business partners. In companies and hospitals, people who have not grown up with ST work.
They know ST, but not the way the majority of youth do.

4. Discussion
The analysis of the potential impacts and complex issues is based on the theoretical concept
of the soft systems methodology. The research is focused on the activity (specifically that of
Generation Z) in cyber smart systems and offers a view into the social system that includes
behaviour and complex social issues. The evaluation shows the potentials of ST and their
impact on the social environment in the present and future. It is about a never-ending
process in which human attitudes and perceptions must be continually explored, tested and
changed, according to Checkland (1999).
Students mostly use ST to save time while studying and in their free time. ST is part of
their lives, and there is evidence that it is so intertwined with their studies, work and spare
time that students can no longer conceive of their lives without it. This carries important
implications for the ethical considerations of ST usage.
Students are surprised by how ST developed and are cautious about imagining how the
technology will change and affect their lives. They are concerned about several ethical
 dilemmas of using it, such as privacy and spending time with their loved ones and friends. Smart
In the future, the students imagine an even larger impact of ST on their lives. As they technologies as
perceive that ST has “no end” in its development, they envision that regulation will need to
be put in place to monitor it.
social
In line with previous research (Sommer, 2015), business students mainly perceive ST- innovation
connected technologies to be those that include sensors and cameras and are already a part
of new vehicles, homes and kitchen appliances. Our research, similarly to that of
Rauschnabel et al. (2015), has shown that young people are key ST adopters. Findings show
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that business students have difficulty in evaluating the acquired information on the internet,
which is in line with Jones and Shao (2011). Students used ST for keeping contact with
friends and family, entertainment and knowledge acquisition and would need more support
for creating new knowledge and not merely consuming it, which is in line with the research
of Kennedy and Fox (2013). Business students also use social media applications for
maintaining contacts, building networks and expressing themselves, which is in line with
the research of Ozkan and Solmaz (2015). Our findings state and confirm previous research
that business students’ communication is moving from the natural environment to
cyberspace and communication between machines themselves (Cooper and James, 2009;
Ning and Liu, 2015). Business students perceive the functionality and usefulness of ST;
therefore, ST develops society in technical, organizational and socio-political forms, as
McLeod and Doolin (2012) stated.
The proposed factors include personal and contextual factors, opinions regarding
emerging (smart) technologies and self-regulation behaviours. Future decision-making of
the students will be guided by convenience principles and saving resources and time.
Students perceive their self-organization in the future as very dependent on the availability
of ST in institutional settings, such as educational and business processes, as well as their
personal lives. Students perceive the future social system dynamics in terms of socialization
and losing personal contact with their friends and family as the main threat. They perceive
it to be difficult to predict new developments in ST, as they think progress will continue.
They perceive future violations of privacy and health issues to be the main ethical issues
connected with the usage of ST.
Our research study poses a new conceptualization of ST as social innovation, which
provides a new research path. We developed theoretical foundations of studying the
behaviour of the representatives of Generation Z and their view of the future significance of
ST, primarily based on social systems thinking and identifying ST as a social innovation.
We have demonstrated that ST enables collective intelligence building and gaining
multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary knowledge, digitization of study and future business
operations. We highlight the ethical dilemmas connected with ST; as sharing knowledge
will be easier with time, it is also important to research how knowledge is being shared and
what kind of knowledge is being acquired. We state in our findings that the quality of
knowledge gained with the help of ST is not necessarily better and needs the facilitator to
organize, lead and evaluate the benefits of such knowledge.
ST is a social innovation if the new idea has the potential to improve the quality or
quantity of life (Pol and Ville, 2009). On 25 September 2015, 193 members of the United
Nations General Assembly formally adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,
along with a set of 17 Global Goals, underscoring the fact that businesses are agents of
change. However, businesses are led by people; therefore, our research helps managers to
recognize what (dis)advantages business students perceive in ST so that managers can
improve the current ST environment. ST enables achieving the Global Goals of quality
education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, the development of industry,
 K innovation and infrastructure; and reduces inequalities. Global Goal Number 9 emphasizes
building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and
fostering innovation by clearly stating the aim of significantly increasing access to
information and communications technology and striving to provide universal and
affordable access to the internet in the least developed countries by 2020 (United Nations,
2015).
Our research provides the answers to our research questions regarding how fast
development in the past few years has impacted our human lives, specifically the lives of
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business students who are future workers. We provide suggestions for finding solutions for
consequences, such as ethical dilemmas in using ST. Higher institution educators need to
raise awareness regarding responsible usage of ST in the classrooms. By following the
Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME), we offer knowledge about
the impact of ST on individuals and society as a whole. Since its early initiatives in 2007,
PRME, which is supported by the United Nations, has discussed and sought ways to
educate the new generation of business leaders who will be equipped and capable of
handling the complex demands of organizations and societies in the twenty-first century.
We focus particular attention on the systemic complexity of the possible problems to which
business students are exposed.

5. Conclusions
In this paper, a road map of a few possible ways of using ST among students is offered. The
findings can be useful for professors, specifically because it is necessary, from a didactic
perspective, to identify different learning methods useful for their students. Some studies
have been conducted on the perception of ST, but none on business students’ perceptions
about using ST. For this reason, in our study, we have focused on the business students’ use
of contemporary ST and their opinion about the impact of emerging (smart) technologies to
new forms of communication, acquisition and dissemination of information now and in the
next 20 years. The contribution of our study is the widened understanding of the usage of
ST among business students. They are cautious when imagining how the technology will
change and affect their lives. They fear several ethical dilemmas about using it, such as
privacy and the effects on spending time with their loved ones and friends. Students
perceive their self-organization in the future as very dependent on the availability of ST in
institutional settings.
In comparison with the previous research, we provide in-depth research of ST in the
framework of social innovation that refers to new ideas that resolve existing social, cultural,
economic and environmental challenges for the benefit of people and the planet. A true
social innovation is systems-changing: it permanently alters the perceptions, behaviours
and structures that previously gave rise to these challenges (Centre for social innovation,
2017).
Practical implications of the research are in understanding the perception and usage of
ST of Generation Z, with which contemporary managers are unfamiliar. Managers face
unpredictable challenges in their day-to-day activities that are even deepened by ST. Usage
of ST offers an impact on managers as well, helping them to develop effective management
practices in their professional teams. This can contribute to innovative problem-solving.
Moreover, managers must make an effort to create an efficient learning environment in
which their employees will feel socially supported and, therefore, also satisfied.
Despite its contributions, this study is not without limitations. They are mainly related to
the self-reported nature of the data gathering. The study variables were all self-reported
within a single course at one faculty. The findings of our research are based on the students’
 qualitative answers to the questionnaire. For the purpose of our study, we focused on only Smart
the previously mentioned sample. Further research should be focused on deeper and wider technologies as
investigation of this topic and could include case studies of students’ perception about using
ST across the globe and their views on the development and usability of them with both
social
qualitative and quantitative data. Our study could also be extended to researching lecturers’ innovation
perception of ST and their usage, as they also are exposed to constant technological
changes.
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About the authors

Vasja Roblek, MSc, is a PhD Student at the Faculty of Organization studies in Novo Mesto, Slovenia,
and Assistant for Research Methodology and Health Management at Physiotherapeutica, Slovenia.
He also works as a project consultant for Reflecta GmbH, Austria. His current research areas are
smart city, knowledge management, health management and sustainability. Vasja Roblek is the
corresponding author can be contacted at: vasja.roblek@gmail.com
Maja Meško, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Management at the University of Primorska,
Faculty of Management. Since 2013, she has been registered by the European Association for
Aviation Psychology as a certificated human resource specialist. Her work, which includes around
200 bibliographical items, has been published in professional and academic journals.
Vlado Dimovski, PhD, is a Full Professor of Management and Organizational Theory at the University
of Ljubljana, Faculty of Economics, in Slovenia. He received his BA in Economics at the University of
Ljubljana, BA in Philosophy at the University of Ljubljana, MA in Economics at the University
of Ljubljana and PhD in Management and Finance at Cleveland State University. His primary areas of
expertise are organizational learning, management, organizational behaviour and leadership. He conducts
research on knowledge management and organizational learning process and regularly provides
consulting about organizational learning for business entities.
Judita Peterlin, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Management and Organizational Theory
working as a Research and Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana.
She graduated from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Economics University of Ljubljana.
In the study year 2016/2017, she has been a Teaching Assistant at the following courses: Foundations
of Management and Organization, Management – English Track, Knowledge Management and
Advanced Management. Her main research interests are as follows: social innovation, leadership
development and sustainability.

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