Digital technologies for promoting the inclusion of workers with disabilities: A brief investigation
This paper investigates the role and function of digital technologies within firms, widely believed to make them much more sustainable and promote the social inclusion of people with disability (PWD) at the workplace, especially those with cognitive disability or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In t...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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EDP Sciences
2023-01-01
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Series: | ITM Web of Conferences |
Online Access: | https://www.itm-conferences.org/articles/itmconf/pdf/2023/01/itmconf_iess2023_03001.pdf |
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author | Varriale Luisa Briganti Paola Volpe Tiziana Minucci Giovanni |
author_facet | Varriale Luisa Briganti Paola Volpe Tiziana Minucci Giovanni |
author_sort | Varriale Luisa |
collection | DOAJ |
description | This paper investigates the role and function of digital technologies within firms, widely believed to make them much more sustainable and promote the social inclusion of people with disability (PWD) at the workplace, especially those with cognitive disability or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the last thirty years, and more recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic, technological change related to digital transformation, hence the adoption and diffusion of digital technologies, has impacted every field and sector in private and professional life, both positively and negatively. Undoubtedly, our ways of working and quality of life have been improved by digital technologies which are able to overcome geographical, physical, and social barriers. Yet there are negative effects in some domains and for certain categories of people, like those with disabilities or special needs. Within the well-known phenomenon of digital divide, people may be totally excluded due to their limited digital skills or lack of access to technological tools. After a brief review of the literature on the topic, adopting a multiple case study method, we investigate several firms operating in different economic sectors in one specific country, namely Italy, where there is a significant presence of PWD, mostly with ASD, who face challenges in being recruited and working within organizations. Our qualitative research, investigating the role and function of digital technologies in supporting and promoting the inclusion of PWD at workplace, provides some stimulating insights for future studies. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-10T09:05:00Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-f5388719f13f474c88c935d009eaa78e |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2271-2097 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-10T09:05:00Z |
publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
publisher | EDP Sciences |
record_format | Article |
series | ITM Web of Conferences |
spelling | doaj.art-f5388719f13f474c88c935d009eaa78e2023-02-21T08:07:15ZengEDP SciencesITM Web of Conferences2271-20972023-01-01510300110.1051/itmconf/20235103001itmconf_iess2023_03001Digital technologies for promoting the inclusion of workers with disabilities: A brief investigationVarriale Luisa0Briganti Paola1Volpe Tiziana2Minucci Giovanni3University of Naples “Parthenope”, Department of Economics, Law, Cybersecurity, and Sports SciencesUniversity of Naples “Parthenope”, Department of Sport Sciences and WellbeingCNR-ISMed - Istituto di Studi sul MediterraneoSocietà Cooperativa “il Tulipano”This paper investigates the role and function of digital technologies within firms, widely believed to make them much more sustainable and promote the social inclusion of people with disability (PWD) at the workplace, especially those with cognitive disability or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the last thirty years, and more recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic, technological change related to digital transformation, hence the adoption and diffusion of digital technologies, has impacted every field and sector in private and professional life, both positively and negatively. Undoubtedly, our ways of working and quality of life have been improved by digital technologies which are able to overcome geographical, physical, and social barriers. Yet there are negative effects in some domains and for certain categories of people, like those with disabilities or special needs. Within the well-known phenomenon of digital divide, people may be totally excluded due to their limited digital skills or lack of access to technological tools. After a brief review of the literature on the topic, adopting a multiple case study method, we investigate several firms operating in different economic sectors in one specific country, namely Italy, where there is a significant presence of PWD, mostly with ASD, who face challenges in being recruited and working within organizations. Our qualitative research, investigating the role and function of digital technologies in supporting and promoting the inclusion of PWD at workplace, provides some stimulating insights for future studies.https://www.itm-conferences.org/articles/itmconf/pdf/2023/01/itmconf_iess2023_03001.pdf |
spellingShingle | Varriale Luisa Briganti Paola Volpe Tiziana Minucci Giovanni Digital technologies for promoting the inclusion of workers with disabilities: A brief investigation ITM Web of Conferences |
title | Digital technologies for promoting the inclusion of workers with disabilities: A brief investigation |
title_full | Digital technologies for promoting the inclusion of workers with disabilities: A brief investigation |
title_fullStr | Digital technologies for promoting the inclusion of workers with disabilities: A brief investigation |
title_full_unstemmed | Digital technologies for promoting the inclusion of workers with disabilities: A brief investigation |
title_short | Digital technologies for promoting the inclusion of workers with disabilities: A brief investigation |
title_sort | digital technologies for promoting the inclusion of workers with disabilities a brief investigation |
url | https://www.itm-conferences.org/articles/itmconf/pdf/2023/01/itmconf_iess2023_03001.pdf |
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