Critical Realism and Actor-Network Theory/Deleuzian Thinking: A Critical Comparison in the Area of Information Systems,
Much debate has encircled studies of information systems (IS), technology and organizations with regards to ideas of process, stability and change, performance and materiality. This encapsulates different ways of viewing dualities (e.g. subjective/objecti
- PDF / 191,498 Bytes
- 15 Pages / 439.37 x 666.14 pts Page_size
- 55 Downloads / 183 Views
)
Alliance Manchester Business School, Manchester, UK {Chris.mclean,jeremy.aroles}@manchester.ac.uk
Abstract. Much debate has encircled studies of information systems (IS), tech‐ nology and organizations with regards to ideas of process, stability and change, performance and materiality. This encapsulates different ways of viewing duali‐ ties (e.g. subjective/objective, social/technical, local/global, macro/micro, struc‐ ture/agency, reality/construction, being/becoming, etc.) as well as alternative ontological and epistemological commitments underlying particular approaches and research perspectives. This paper seeks to explore two specific approaches by focusing on a comparison of critical realism (CR) and actor-network theory (ANT)/Deleuze-inspired forms of inquiry. In particular, we focus on the notion of morphogenesis in order to explore in greater detail how this concept conjures up rather different images in relation to approaches centred around CR and ANT/ Deleuze. Keywords: Information systems · Technology · Organizations · Critical realism · Actor-network theory · Deleuze · Process · Ontology
1
Introduction
Realism, positivism and structuralism have dominated the areas of information systems (IS), technology studies and organizational research as well as other disciplines in the social sciences and humanities (e.g. sociology, linguistics, psychoanalysis, etc.). Although this has taken many forms, realism traditionally tends to assume a singular reality existing “out-there” independent of our actions and preceding any attempt to know it. Subjects, objects and causal relations are also deemed to exist in an independent form that can be clearly defined and represented [1]. In addition, a structuralist perspec‐ tive focuses on how certain structural factors determine specific outcomes and patterns of behaviour with regards to individuals and groups within society [2]. While realism and structuralism remain as prevailing forces underlying many studies and texts within the fields of information systems, management and organization studies, a variety of approaches have emerged seeking to challenge this way of thinking. Albeit not an exhaustive list, this notably includes: social constructivism [3]; ethnomethodology [4]; © IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2016 Published by Springer International Publishing AG 2016. All Rights Reserved L. Introna et al. (Eds.): IS&O 2016, IFIP AICT 489, pp. 58–72, 2016. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-49733-4_4
Critical Realism and Actor-Network Theory/Deleuzian Thinking
59
critical realism [5–10]; phenomenology [11, 12]; symbolic interactionism [13]; structura‐ tion theory and sociomateriality [14–16]; actor-network theory [17–19] and Deleuzian thinking [20, 21]. In addition to sharing concerns with realist approaches to the study of information systems and organizations, they also seek to attend to the multiplicity, hetero‐ geneity and complexity of meanings, interpretations and interactions associated with the highly contingent nature of informational and organ
Data Loading...
