A paradigmatic analysis contrasting information systems development approaches and methodologies

• 成果类型: Review
• 署名作者: Iivari, J; Hirschheim, R; Klein, HK
• 署名单位: University of Oulu; University of Houston System; University of Houston; State University of New York (SUNY) System; Binghamton University, SUNY
• 刊物名称: INFORMATION SYSTEMS RESEARCH
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1047-7047
• DOI: 10.1287/isre.9.2.164
• 发表日期: 1998
• 页码: 164-193
• 关键词: social-action; DESIGN; TECHNOLOGY; COMMUNICATION; ORGANIZATIONS; PERSPECTIVE; project; mis

摘要

This paper analyses the fundamental philosophical assumptions of five contrasting information systems development (ISD) approaches: the interactionist approach, the speech act-based approach, the soft systems methodology approach, the trade unionist approach, and the professional work practice approach. These five approaches are selected for analysis because they illustrate alternative philosophical assumptions from the dominant orthodoxy identified in the research literature. The paper also proposes a distinction between approach and methodology. The analysis of the five approaches is organized around four basic questions: What is the assumed nature of an information system (ontology)? What is human knowledge and how can it be obtained (epistemology)? What are the preferred research methods for continuing the improvement of each approach (research methodology)? and what are the implied values of information system research (ethics)? Each of these questions is explored from the internal perspective of the particular ISD approach. The paper addresses these questions through a conceptual structure which is based on a paradigmatic framework for analyzing ISD approaches.