A STUDY OF THE TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT APPROACH AND THE APPLICATION OF SEMIOTIC THEORY IN THE NOVEL TIVI BY SHAHNON AHMAD

Abstract

It is a common practice for novels to serve as a medium through which authors express satire, criticism, and opinions in a refined manner. The issue of management approaches in novels is often discussed; however, specifically, the management approach concerning technology in literature has received limited scholarly attention. One of the reasons for this is the general perception of the word technology as a field related to science and mathematics, rather than to literature. Technology, however, should be considered a vital necessity for the continuity of human life, and therefore, literary works such as novels naturally reflect human experiences. A novel contains narratives that revolve around humanistic themes, interwoven with issues and conflicts within the text, as well as the introduction of characters and characterization that help to stimulate and enrich the discussion. This study adopts a qualitative method to analyze the selected novel Tivi by Shahnon Ahmad. The novel is examined in terms of how the approach to technology management is portrayed, particularly in relation to the challenges of sociocultural change among the Malay community. However, the narrative’s introduction, which revolves around the theme of technology, is analyzed through the application of semiotic theory. Roland Barthes’s semiotic theory is employed to examine symbols, signs, and meanings in the novel in order to identify the technological narratives that are often associated with progress and modernity. The management approach discussed encompasses five key principles—planning, organizing, leading, staffing, and controlling. This study sets out two main objectives, to identify the technological narrative in the novel Tivi and to analyze it through the application of semiotic theory and the use of management approaches.