Using business intelligence to prevent and solve crime in Wallander land

Actor network theory (ANT) and sociomateriality are two influential information systems(IS) entanglement perspectives. El Sawy identified three faces of IS views: connection,immersion, and fusion. To elaborate the three views, we adopt relational emergence theory, based on the philosophy of critical realism, to better describe and explain the shifts in IS from connection to immersion and finally towards fusion. A police organisation is used as a case study. Its business intelligence (BI) system and users and their interaction in solving daily tasks are observed in a holistic perspective based on emergence. The study took place during two different time periods in 2009 and 2011. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used, including a survey and interviews. Two main user groups were identified in the police organisation: viewers and analysts. The results of this study showed that BI viewers are in the connection view and are slowly emerging into immersion. On the other hand, the BI analysts are positioned in immersion and, based on emergent properties, we argue that there is potential for a slow emergence towards fusion once more capabilities are integrated in the BI system used by the analysts