CASE fools and organizational action

Journal/Book: Inform Syst J. 1996; 6: Osney Mead, Oxford, Oxon, England OX2 0EL. Blackwell Science Ltd. 173-194.

Abstract: CASE research to date has been dominated by positivistic enquiry; particularly tool building, surveys and normative writings. In contrast, there is a growing community of IS researchers developing models of IS practice that highlight the complex relationship between context and process that has to be mastered in order to develop viable information systems. This paper bridges the gap between the two bodies of knowledge by presenting a phenomenological study of CASE tool usage in a large UK manufacturing company over a four year period which shows that organizational context, fool features and usage are inextricably linked. The lessons arising from the work are presented and grounded in interpretive IS theory. The results of the work are clearly in accord with this theory, thus, showing the importance of interpretive CASE research, as a complement to positivist thinking, in bringing to light the human and organizational issues which strongly influence systems development practice.

Note: Article SF King, Univ Leeds, Sch Business & Econ Studies, Leeds, W Yorkshire, England

Keyword(s): CASE; organizational context; action research; grounded theory; phenomenology; information system development; TECHNOLOGY

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