Competing Dichotomies in IS Research and Possible Strategies for Resolution

The debate between “hard” positivist and “soft” interpretivist research approaches has been the subject of much discussion in the IS field. Typically, the debate is framed in issues central to the philosophy of science, an area where relatively few IS researchers are truly competent. This paper attempts to illuminate the issue, particularly for students and researchers not entirely familiar with the arguments. The opposing positions are caricatured in two anecdotes which illustrate the futility of research conducted at the cul de sac extremes of each approach. The main dichotomies characteristic of each research tradition are then summarized and categorized according to various levels, namely, paradigmatic, ontological, epistemologi- cal, methodological, and axiological. Finally, the paper considers a number of strategies for resolving the debate

The Politics of IS Evaluation: A Social Shaping Perspective

A considerable amount of research has already been conducted in the IT/IS evaluation arena, yet rewards remain elusive. This has been variously explained and in this paper we aim to realize two objectives: first, to examine some particular political and social aspects of evaluation processes in organizations and, second, to show the potential contribution of a social shaping approach to information systems research. A social shaping approach is attractive because it emphasizes a view of technological development as a social process as well as providing a framework for understanding the context in which technologies are displaced. Social shaping approaches encourage a concentration on the social and political processes through which terms such as failure, disaster, benefits, or successes come to be ascribed to technological systems. By highlighting the subjective element of evaluation procedures that produce such terms, we hope to contribute to the evaluation literature. A case study approach is used to illustrate the process and role of IS evaluations and emphasizes the dual exercise of evaluations for the purpose of user enrolment and to justify decisions in hindsight

An Ethnographic Study of IS Investment Appraisal

Both academics and practitioners have invested considerably in the information systems evaluation arena, yet rewards remain elusive. The aim of this paper is to provide rich insights into the process of IS evaluation by examining some particular political and social aspects of evaluation processes. An ethnographic study of a large, international financial institution is used to compare the experience of observed practice with the rhetoric of company policy, and also to contrast these observations with the process of IS evaluation as portrayed within the literature. Our study shows that despite increasing acknowledgement within the IS evaluation literature of the limitations and flaws of the positivist approach, this shift in focus towards interpretivist understanding has had little impact on organizational practice. In addition, our observations within the research site reveal that the assumed rationality of formalised evaluation processes merely obscures issues of power and politics that are enmeshed within these processes

A Study of User Involvement in Packaged Software Selection

This paper is concerned with the decision-making processes surrounding the adoption of packaged software in organizations. We begin by looking at its increasing utilization and consider some of the strengths and limi- tations of employing a standardized approach, particularly in relation to its consideration of end-user requirements. We note the highly problematic nature of installing a global standardized product in the local environment. Using a field study concerning the adoption of a customer relationship management package in a small organization, we go on to illustrate the limited amount of end-user involvement in the selection and procurement of the product. We argue that the art of salesmanship by the third party vendor and project team, which focuses on the interests of senior management, ultimately secures the selection and procurement of the software package

A Proposed Methodology for Web Development

The aim of this paper is to examine the domain of World Wide Web site development and propose a methodology to assist with this process. Methodologies have both their proselytizers and those who decry the constraints and rigidity of prescriptive frameworks. The methodology presented here is not intended to be a universal panacea for the problems of web development; rather it is hoped it will provide a useful framework for guiding the process

Mobile Applications Development on Apple and Google Platforms

The uptake of Internet-enabled multifunctional mobile devices is an emerging area within software development. This article examines the under-researched area of mobile application developers and considers some of the current challenges facing this sector within the IT workforce. We frame our study within the wider context of the evolution of the industry in order to illustrate how the emerging business model of mobile application development shapes the everyday practices of systems developers, specifically those working on iPhone and Android platforms. Drawing on qualitative research carried out in Sweden, the UK, and the U.S., we analyze developers’ experiences in order to illustrate how they respond and adapt to the turbulent environment of the IT sector

Disregarding History: Contemporary IS Contexts and Participatory Design

User participation has long been seen as a core topic of study within the IS field, yet its relevance to contemporary development environments and contexts has recently been brought into question. The aim of this article is to investigate the extent to which this rich history and experience is used to inform contemporary practices. We provide a survey that evaluates the degree to which PD (participatory design) is currently represented in the IS literature, the results of which reveal a low representation. Based on these findings, a number of propositions are offered

Outsourcing Creative Work: a Study of Mobile Application Development

As the mobile phone industry converges with the IT/software industry, the emerging internetenabled multifunctional mobile devices are bringing together many diverse stakeholders. This paper examines the under-researched area of mobile application developers. We frame our study within the wider context of the mobile application industry in order to illustrate how the business models of large IT firms shape the everyday practices of systems developers, specifically those working on iPhone and Android platforms. By broadening out the study in this way we are able to situate seemingly new and distinctive technological artefacts and practices and show how they build on a number of continuing trends within the field. Drawing on qualitative data with developers working in this emerging market, we analyse their practices in order to (a) provide detail on this under-studied area and (b) show the ways in which developers adapt to the turbulent environment of the IT sector

Automation and the future of work : a social shaping of technology approach

Recent years have seen enormous attention paid to automation and its potential implications for the future of work. This study rejects unhelpful speculation and, instead, poses the question 'what is shaping automation and its predicted effects?' In contrast to the technological determinism framing much of the current debate, this study utilises the social shaping of technology (SST) approach, a theoretically informed body of research largely overlooked by sociology of work scholars. Compared with mainstream commentary, which treats technology as separate from the social world, SST facilitates examination of how the development and use of technology are shaped by broader socioeconomic concerns and politics. The analysis presented is based on an understanding of how technology is shaped by existing technology, economics, social relations, gender and the state