In Pursuit of Systems Theories for Describing and Analyzing Systems in Organizations

This research essay illustrates how the IS discipline might pursue systems theories with the goal of understanding IS in new ways, generating innovative and useful systems theories, and achieving more impact in the world. It discusses recent articles that compare different perspectives and expectations related to theories and theorizing in the IS discipline. It uses the term domain-specific systems theory (DSST) to accentuate the difference between general systems theory (GST) and specific systems theories. It provides examples illustrating how DSSTs can illuminate important concerns that variance and process perspectives do not address directly. It shows how work system theory (WST) and several of its extensions are DSSTs that provide useful lenses for understanding, analyzing, and theorizing about systems in organizations. It concludes by summarizing ways in which the IS discipline might welcome systems theories more wholeheartedly

Applying Seven Images of Science in Exploring whether Information Systems Is a Science

This paper contributes in two parts to a debate that McBride (2018) initiated. The first part focuses on clarifying the discussion topic. It defines science, information system, and the scope of the IS discipline because McBride does not define those terms clearly. The second part responds to particular aspects of McBride’s arguments. It is framed around a multi-metaphor approach that proposes and applies seven “images of science”

Principles for “Purposefully Constructed Activity Systems” -- A Step toward a Body of Knowledge for Information Systems

This paper introduces the concept of purposefully constructed activity system (PCAS) as a step toward a body of knowledge for information systems. The category of PCAS includes sociotechnical activity systems (that include human participants) and totally automated information systems, both of which are core topics for the IS discipline. This paper proposes 20 intrinsic principles and 7 observability principles that apply to any PCAS and that support contextually-focused normative principles from different sources. Intrinsic principles apply to the purpose, form, operation, and evolution of every PCAS. Observability principles apply to perceptions of any particular PCAS. Contextually-focused normative principles express guidance about desirable characteristics or qualities of the form and operation of a particular type of PCAS. A concluding section discusses potential applications of the new idea of PCAS and PCAS principles. It also explains how the idea of PCAS can be used in an ISBoK