Theory in information systems

Nahed Stokes

pp. 369-378

in: Trevor Wood Harper, Nimal Jayaratna, Bob Wood (eds), Methodologies for developing and managing emerging technology based information systems, Berlin, Springer, 1999

Abstract

Many papers have discussed the nature of information systems (IS) as a field of study, its contents, boundaries and relationship to other disciplines. Relatively few have, however, focused on the nature of the theory per se. This paper examines IS theory as it appears in IS'97, the U.S. definition of an IS body of knowledge, and, in the U.K., in the work of Checkland and Holwell, Mingers and Stowell, and others. This paper examines also some of the current thinking about theory in the humanities and draws a parallel between current debates taking place in IS and those taking place in the humanities regarding the "Age of Theory". In particular, the paper suggests that the arguments made about feminism and other cross-disciplinary subjects could equally apply to IS.