Under the iceberg of “one-stop”: explore multi-actor engagement in one-stop digital cultural platforms through actor-network and commons theories

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates the roles and interactions of various actors of one-stop digital culture platforms (ODCPs) by applying actor-network theory (ANT).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from focus group interviews with 19 participants and over 20 policy texts related to the digitization of cultural services in China. Utilizing ANT as the analytical framework, we employed the grounded theory to analyze the dataset.

Findings

The empirical results indicate that: (1) governments, cultural institutions, enterprises and users each play dual roles, contributing to the functionality and development of ODCPs; (2) introduces the theory of commons to reconceptualize ODCPs as commons, highlighting the need for collective management and shared responsibility in the governance of ODCPs.

Originality/value

This study identifies and elaborates on the different roles of stakeholders and addresses conceptual ambiguities within ODCP projects. By introducing the theory of commons into the governance of ODCPs, this research provides new theoretical guidance for decision-makers and practitioners involved in ODCP projects.

Citation

Rao, Z., Liu, S. and Xiao, P. (2024), "Under the iceberg of “one-stop”: explore multi-actor engagement in one-stop digital cultural platforms through actor-network and commons theories", Aslib Journal of Information Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-01-2024-0023