Contextual Explanation: Alternative Approaches and Persistent Challenges
| Autor: | Chrisanthi Avgerou |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Contextualization
Information Systems and Management 05 social sciences 02 engineering and technology Context theory Research findings Computer Science Applications Management Information Systems Epistemology Theories of technology Framing (social sciences) 020204 information systems Comparative research 0502 economics and business Information systems research 0202 electrical engineering electronic engineering information engineering Sociology 050203 business & management Information Systems |
| Zdroj: | MIS Quarterly. 43:977-1006 |
| ISSN: | 2162-9730 0276-7783 |
| DOI: | 10.25300/misq/2019/13990 |
| Popis: | This paper identifies challenges facing the development of contextual theory in Information Systems research. The IS literature is examined to identify the variation of approaches through which IS research accounts for contextual influences in the formation of IS phenomena. The literature review reveals issues that require methodological and theoretical attention. These concern the generalization of context-specific research findings; the partiality of theory due to trade-offs of scale and detail; the development of sociomaterial perspectives of contextual influences on IS phenomena; and the challenge posed to contextual explanation from ontologies that give primacy to processes of continuous change over existing entities. From the exploration of these issues, comparative research is suggested as a promising approach to generalization; an argument is made for research framing with explicit consideration of scale of the context domain under inquiry to allow for the comparison and complementarity of research findings; alternative theoretical perspectives of context related with theories of technology and theories of action are identified; and directions toward the development of a sociomaterial perspective of context are suggested. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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