The Generation of Qualitative Data in Information Systems Research: The Diversity of Empirical Research Methods

This paper investigates the concept of data collection in information systems qualitative research. In this text, I replace the term “data collection” with “data generation” to emphasize that the researcher arranges situations that produce rich and meaningful data for further analysis. Data generation comprises activities such as searching for, focusing on, noting, selecting, extracting, and capturing data. This paper analyzes and compares a repertoire of empirical research methods for generating qualitative data. It describes and visualizes (through a common data-generation template) 12 research methods: interviewing, questionnaire study, document study, artifact study, observation study, participant observation, intervention study, practice-based design study, lab-based design study, focus group study, test study, and self-reporting. I compare these data-generation methods according to 1) the researcher’s role in data generation, 2) data generation’s influence on everyday life reality, 3) each data-generation method’s relationship to everyday life reality, 4) what parts/mediators of everyday life reality each data-generation method addresses, 5) the expected value of generated data and 6) possible shortcomings in generated data. As a basis for investigating data generation, I ontologically clarify (based on a practice-theoretical perspective) the empirical landscape of information systems (the kinds of phenomena and sources of data that exist). A concluding discussion contains 1) analyses concerning relationships between data-generation methods and compound research methods/strategies such as case study research, action research, and design science research and 2) the role of interpretation in data generation versus data analysis

Design Science Epistemology. A pragmatist inquiry

This paper contributes to the clarification of a design science epistemology. It presents different epistemic types related to three stages of the design science process: 1) Evaluative and explanatory background knowledge (pre-design knowledge), 2) prospective knowledge with design hypotheses (in-design knowledge) and 3) prescriptive knowledge with design principles (post-design knowledge). The epistemological inquiry adopts a pragmatist approach and is pursued through a review of design science literature and informed by an empirical design case on digital support for social welfare allowances. The clarified design science epistemology shows a diversified epistemological landscape with several epistemic types: evaluative, critical, appreciative, normative, explanatory, prospective, prescriptive, categorial and attributive knowledge. Ways to express these epistemic types have been proposed in principal clauses. Ways of grounding have been clarified for each epistemic type. Proposals are given on how to utilize the design science epistemology in relation to design science process models and publication schemas

Method Engineering as Design Science

In this paper, we motivate, devise, demonstrate, and evaluate an approach for the research-based development of information systems development methods (ISDMs). This approach, termed “method engineering as design science” (ME-DS), emerged from the identified need for scholars to develop ISDMs using proper research methods that meet the standards of both rigor and relevance. ISDMs occupy a position of central importance to information systems development and scholars have therefore invested extensive resources over the years in developing such methods. The method engineering (ME) discipline has developed different frameworks and methods to guide such development work and, for that purpose, they are well-suited. Still, there remains a need for applications and evaluations of ISDMs based on the demands for knowledge justification. Unfortunately, in many cases, scholars come up short with regard to how ISDMs are generated and empirically validated. While design science (DS) stresses knowledge justification, prominent DS approaches seem to be biased toward the development of IT artifacts, making this approach ill-suited for the development of method artifacts. We therefore propose eight principles that marry ME and DS, resulting in a process model with six activities to support research-based development of ISDMs. We demonstrate and evaluate ME-DS by assessing three existing research papers that propose ISDMs. These retrospectives show how ME-DS directs attention to certain aspects of the research process and provides support for future ISDM development

De la parité à la diversité : entre Deuxième sexe et discrimination seconde

En continuité avec les travaux portant sur la genèse et l'évaluation des lois dites sur la parité, nous questionnerons les enjeux du glissement de la parité à la diversité dans l'espace public français. Nous nous inscrirons ainsi en complémentarité avec les travaux sur l'émergence du terme de diversité, ses usages sociaux et les polémiques concernant sa mesure. Notre hypothèse est que ce glissement participe à l'institutionnalisation d'une égalité sous condition de performance de la différence. Afin de la tester, nous avons croisé l'analyse de rapports, travaux et déclarations sur la diversité avec une enquête qualitative auprès de plus de 150 actrices et acteurs concernés par l'émergence de la diversité comme problème social et politique dans l'espace public : des responsables politiques, institutionnels, religieux, associatifs, syndicalistes, du monde de l'entreprise et des universitaires.In keeping with works on the origins and evaluation of France's ‘parity’ laws, this paper examines the issues involved in the shift in emphasis from ‘parity’ to ‘diversity’ in the French public sphere. The paper builds on, and contributes to, studies of the emergence of the term ‘diversity’, its social meanings and the debates concerning its measurement. Our hypothesis is that this shift helps institutionalise an equality that has become conditional on the performance of difference. To test this hypothesis, the analysis cross-references reports, scholarly studies and declarations on diversity with a qualitative survey of more than 150 public figures who are affected by the emergence of diversity as a social and political problem in the public sphere. The interviewees include politicians, civil servants, academics, and leaders of religious groups, pressure groups, trade unions and businesses

IT artefact & practice theorizing – pragmatic perspectives: Editorial

During the last decade, there has been a growing interest for theorizing in the information systems (IS) discipline. One important impetus for this was the call for theo-rizing the IT artefact as articulated by Orlikowski & Iacono (2001). Another impetus was similar claims by Benbasat & Zmud (2003). Besides concrete theory contributions, there have been further discourses on what to theorize and how to theorize. It is not only the IT artefact that needs theorizing, following claims by Orlikowski & Iacono (2001). There are also claims for theorizing practices (e.g. Feldman & Orlikowski, 2011). There is also a growing interest for the constituents of a theory and how to theorize (e.g. Gregor, 2006). This is actually well represented in pragmatic research approaches, such as design research (e.g. Gregor & Jones, 2007; Kuechler & Vaishanvi, 2012) and action research (Davison et al, 2012). Following these interests in theorizing IT artefacts and practices we are happy to present this special issue

Collaboration and validation in practice research and design research: Editorial

In information systems (IS) there is a long tradition with research involving the influence of practice. Such research does not only create new knowledge. All researchaims for new knowledge. In traditional explanatory research scholars attempts to create new knowledge about circumstances not yet well understood. But practice influencing research creates new circumstances and as a consequence it creates knowledgeabout this new possibility. This kind of research means participating in the creation of new possibilities. Such a creation processes consists usually of different stages; first a proposal stage where some new possibilities are envisioned in relation to backdrop of problems and needs, second an attempt to realize the new possibilities and third, an investigation of use and effects of the new possibilities

Grounded Theory in Information Systems Research – from Themes in IS Discourse to Possible Developments

The grounded theory approach (GT) has been applied in qualitative research in information systems for a long time. Besides many papers that report results from such applications, there exist also many papers that discuss research-methodological issues concerning GT. This paper investigates the literature on GT-methodological issues in IS. The presentation is structured in six themes of the IS/GT discourse. These are: 1) GT variants, 2) GT and research paradigms, 3) GT and guidance, 4) usefulness of GT in IS studies, 5) the influence and use of pre-understandings in the GT research process, 6) the character of a grounded theory or other GT research outcomes. Conclusions are drawn from this review and based on these conclusions two suggestions are given for further development of a grounded theory approach in IS research. These suggestions are: 1) an enhanced action perspective with adapted conceptualizations for the IS research context to be used as support for analysis of data, 2) a clarification of a balanced interaction between inductive data analysis and use of extant theories in theory formation. These suggestions are grounded in pragmatist foundations that are apparent in original and evolved Straussian GT

Government Value Paradigms—Bureaucracy, New Public Management, and E-Government

There are different interpretations of which core values e-government build on and promote. Some scholars see e-government as a direct follower to New Public Management (NPM), and as such supporting and promoting values and principles from the business sector. Others see e-government as a promoter of bureaucratic values supporting and promoting the values of traditional weberian ideal bureaucracy. The main issue in this paper is management strategy for public administration. Three examples of such management strategies are examined and compared: traditional bureaucracy, New Public Management and e-government. When investigating these strategies it is necessary to distinguish between strategy as idea and strategy in action. Core values of the management strategies are reconstructed and used as a lens through which a case study of e-government is analyzed. The implemented e-government-solution comprise values from both NPM and bureaucracy. Neither bureaucracy nor NPM alone supply the core values for e-government as a practical management strategy. The paper concludes with a dialectical structure where Bureaucracy is the thesis, NPM the anti-thesis and e-government the practical synthesis

Conceptual determination when developing a multi-grounded theory: Example—Defining ISD method

Abstract: Conceptualization is crucial when developing theories, especially when adopting a Grounded Theory approach. Based on the Multi-Grounded Theory approach, which is an extension and modification of Grounded Theory, a procedure for holistic conceptual determination is presented, which consists of the following steps: Determination of content, ontological position, context, functions, origin and emergence, and language use. An example of defining information systems development method is used as illustration. Pre-empirical vs. post-empirical conceptual determination is discussed thoroughly