The close relationship between the concepts of information systems and information technology creates issues for researchers. Usefully distinguishing between the concepts is problematic. We ...investigate the use of the systems concept in practice, finding a pragmatic distinction between an information system (IS) and an information technology system (IT system). In a practice view, an IS incorporates an emphasis on both a technical and a social subsystem, while an IT system predominantly emphasizes the technical elements. This distinction becomes useful in practice because contemporary IS practitioners are often involved in acquiring and integrating IT systems into an organizational IS. This involvement leads to a viewpoint on the organizational IS (including the social subsystem) as a nexus of multiple IT systems. This nexus creates issues in practice for not only integrating IT systems into the organizational IS, but also integrating multiple IT systems with each other in the context of the organizational IS. These issues lead to research opportunities such as the need for new methodologies for IT system acquisitions and new theories that accommodate the social integration of IT systems and IS.
Full text
Available for:
NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Based on a four‐year longitudinal case study of a French multinational corporation (MNC) this research explains how a global enterprise system, initially designed to provide greater control by ...headquarters across its MNC sites, led to the emergence of unexpected practices – known as workarounds – in its Chinese subsidiaries. Drawing on concepts from activity theory our findings provide greater theoretical understanding of workarounds in three ways. First, users are involved in collectively constructing and implementing workaround practices rather than simply being passive users or reduced to the dichotomous framing of ‘accepting’ or ‘rejecting’ an information system. Workarounds are not simple individual user improvizations but are collectively developed and become unofficial local rules. Second, workarounds are part of learning which goes beyond the view of workarounds as deviant and non‐compliant behavior. Third, learning activities are not restricted to users and their practices. Rather, as we demonstrate learning and evolution take place between the users, managers, processes and the system; that is, workarounds are not only a critical part of ‘getting work done’ but also an integral part of the institutionalization of an enterprise system.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
This paper suggests that there is too much emphasis on the requirement for theory use and theory building in qualitative research published in our leading journals. We discuss six concerns that we ...have that relate to this high status of theory in such papers. We argue for what we refer to as ‘theory light’ papers where theory plays no significant part in the paper and the contribution lies elsewhere, for example, new arguments, facts, patterns or relationships. Some examples of theory light papers (and research) are provided from other disciplines and one exemplar information systems paper is studied in depth. We see these papers as equally worthy as those which demonstrate the applicability and predictive qualities of theory use as well as the potential of theory building. We propose a list of 10 questions that authors and reviewers might ask themselves when writing or reviewing such theory light papers. The more demanding role of the reader is also discussed along with the requirement for editorial teams to adapt. We suggest that the requirement for a contribution to theory would be replaced with the requirement that any journal paper has a high potential for stimulating research that will impact on information systems theory and/or practice.
Full text
Available for:
NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This paper discusses how research with practitioners can help reconcile the top‐down requirements of headquarters with the bottom‐up local needs in the context of global information systems. Based on ...a 12‐month canonical action research project that took place at the Chinese branches of a French multinational corporation, our research revealed and addressed workarounds that the Chinese users of a company‐wide global enterprise resource planning system had put in place that were not expected nor desired by company headquarters. From the local users' point of view, they were necessary to deal with Chinese legislation and cultural practices, but from the French headquarters' point of view, they meant that many of the potential gains of global standards were lost. Activity theory was used as a focal theory to analyse each of these workarounds and business process management as an instrumental theory to design solutions to the workarounds. We describe in detail how we used canonical action research to successfully deal with exemplars of each of the three types of workaround identified (data adjustments, process adjustments and parallel‐system adjustments). Unusually, the research relates to post‐implementation change rather than to that looking at change occurring before and during implementation. We argue that canonical action research and the particular combination of activity theory and business process management are appropriate for dealing with workarounds and this has not been demonstrated previously. Further, our research – deemed successful by managers, users and researchers alike – took place in China where previous literature suggests only limited success with such global systems.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
In this paper, we argue that reflexivity should be as essential a component of interpretive studies as the much vaunted rigour and relevance. We propose a classification of three forms of reflexivity ...for interpretive studies: self-reflexivity, domain reflexivity and collaborative reflexivity. We use a case study of a project from a French public organization supporting organic farming to illustrate reflexivity in action, highlighting its positive contribution. We suggest quality criteria to enhance reflexive studies and show how these can be incorporated into the well-known Klein and Myers’ principles for interpretive field studies in information systems.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
This article follows on from a case study discussed in Avison and Malaurent (2007) which described a largely unsuccessful implementation of a French multinational corporation’s enterprise resource ...planning (ERP) project in its Chinese subsidiaries. Many features imposed by the ERP template did not fit in the Chinese context. This present article describes what happened next. Rather than resist the system totally by not using it, the Chinese users worked around the misfits by inventing their own solutions known as workarounds. These enabled the ERP system as a whole to be workable in China but caused problems at company headquarters as some transparency was lost and the information provided was seen as potentially misleading. A project team was set up to examine each of these workarounds and decide whether they should be formalized or prevented. The result was a system accepted by users and management alike. Reflections on the case include a discussion on management attitude change, the positive and negative aspects of workarounds, the importance of good communications and the role of the researcher.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
This paper illuminates the role of activity theory in addressing theoretical and practical challenges raised by the growing role of digital technology in human activity. We explore and review the ...role of activity theory in the study of crucial digital technologies such as social media, smartphones, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and algorithmic decision-making, considering the unique ways that activity theory accommodates such technologies and can generate novel insights. We identify several apparent limitations of activity theory with an eye toward promoting its development and ability to incorporate modern perspectives and conditions. An important contribution of this paper is to stimulate future research that brings together activity theorists to study, in greater depth, the impacts of digital technology, and to help generate ideas on how it should shape future human activity. The themes covered are pressing questions not only for activity theorists, but for the ways we live, work, and play. We suggest activity theory can play a larger role in discourse on digital technologies, and their impact and evolution over time.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, NUK, PILJ, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
10.
Is Theory King?: A Rejoinder Avison, David; Malaurent, Julien
Journal of information technology,
12/2014, Volume:
29, Issue:
4
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
In this rejoinder we discuss six commentaries to our earlier debates and perspectives paper ‘Is theory king?: questioning the theory fetish in information systems’. We argue again for theory light ...rather than theory free papers, we discuss the potential scope of theories in information systems, we reflect on our terminology and exemplar paper, and we discuss the relevance of our arguments on quantitative research before looking at potential further opportunities to debate this important issue for information systems.
Full text
Available for:
NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
