Exploring the intellectual structures of information systems development: A social action theoretic analysis

Abstract

In this paper we explore the intellectual structures upon which the field of information systems development (ISD) is cultivated. The conceptual base of our work comes from the social action theories of Habermas and Etzioni. We propose a framework which reconceptualizes the field in terms of domains, orientations, object systems, and development strategies. Our analysis not only justifies the reflection of the field as a so-called “fragmented adhocracy”, but also shows why this is so: because IS researchers' mind sets fundamentally differ in terms of how problems are formulated and consequently solved. The intellectual structures of our framework suggest nine conceptual frames which mold these mind sets. Each frame acts as a lens and embraces a different development strategy which distinguishes itself in its dominant orientation of control, sense-making and argumentation, respectively. The framework organizes the field into interrelated sets of intellectual communities, and in so doing, acts as a vehicle for conceptualizing core research issues and identifying future research directions. The paper suggests an intellectual base for penetrating the ambiguities which envelope underresearched islands of ISD.