Methodological Practice and Policy for Organisationally and Socially Relevant is Research: An Inclusive–Exclusive Perspective

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 288-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert M Davison ◽  
Maris G Martinsons

In this research paper, we argue that the tendency of Information Systems (IS) researchers to work with a rather parsimonious set of research methods, notably those that follow the positivist tradition, demonstrates a significant degree of methodological exclusiveness. We contend that such an exclusive practice is both counterproductive to good IS research and unethical. Further, it severely and unreasonably limits the extent to which IS research and researchers can contribute to both pressing organisational problems and the scholarly literature. We synthesise our position in a set of four arguments that guide our discussion of the nature and consequences of methodological exclusiveness, as well as possible solutions. We end the paper with an exposition of steps that could be taken to address the current situation.

Author(s):  
Mikko T. Siponen

Recently, several Information Systems Security (ISS) development approaches that support modeling have been presented. This chapter analyzes and compares the recent approaches for the development of secure ISs. The comparison and analysis will be carried out from the viewpoints of a conceptual meta-model for IS; research methods used; the organizational roles of IS security; the objectives of the research; selected philosophical foundations (underlying epistemology, philosophy of science) and applicability. This contribution of the chapter can be divided into descriptive (assumptions that researchers should be aware of) and prescriptive implications (the direction of future research).


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 313-322
Author(s):  
Aaron M French ◽  
Jung P Shim

Diversity issues in management information systems (MIS) research have received abundant attention over the last 20 years. This paper extends the debate on the limited diversity in the research methods of MIS researchers to include the global research community. The argument of methodological exclusiveness on a global scale is argued to be the result of educational influence on faculty in each region. Leading universities throughout three major regions of the world were evaluated to show the educational influence of faculty causing the expansion of methodological exclusion on a global scale. The paper concludes with recommendations for addressing the issues discussed to further facilitate collaboration among researchers internationally.


Author(s):  
Ayman Alarabiat ◽  
Isabel Ramos

After almost 30 years of being used in the information system (IS) discipline, only a few studies have focused on how IS scholars apply the method's guidelines to design Delphi studies. Thus, this paper focuses on the use of the Delphi method in IS research. To do so, articles published between 2004 and 2017 in the Senior IS Scholars' collection of journals of the Association of Information Systems (AIS), describing Delphi studies, were analised. Based on analysis of sixteen (16) retrieved IS studies, we concluded that IS researchers have applied the method’s most important phases and the procedural recommendations to promote rigor were considered in the majority of the analised studies. Nonetheless, IS researchers still need to include detailed information about (1) the steps taken to ensure the validity of the achieved results, (2) better describe the process of selecting and recruiting the experts, and (3) experiment with innovative techniques to keep participants involved in the Delphi process.


Author(s):  
Bartholomew Aleke ◽  
Udechukwu Ojiako ◽  
David Wainwright

In this paper, the authors examine the process of diffusion of innovation ICT within agrarian business enterprises operating in developing countries. There is substantial research in the area of Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DoI) and its application to Information Systems (IS) research within organisations. However, in recognition of the conceptual limitations of DoI, researchers have called for the incorporation of aspects of Social Network Theory (SNT) into DoI frameworks. The findings of this research suggest that an understanding of the conceptual basis of innovation is a major driver of successful innovation adoption.


Author(s):  
Si Chen ◽  
Nor Mardziah Osman ◽  
Guo Chao Alex Peng

Due to the prevalent use of Information Systems (IS) in modern organisations, evaluation research in this field is becoming more and more important. In light of this, a set of rigorous methodologies were developed and used by IS researchers and practitioners to evaluate the increasingly complex IS implementation used. Moreover, different types of IS and different focusing perspectives of the evaluation require the selection and use of different evaluation approaches and methodologies. This chapter aims to identify, explore, investigate, and discuss the various key methodologies that can be used in IS evaluation from different perspectives, namely in nature (e.g. summative vs. formative evaluation) and in strategy (e.g. goal-based, goal-free, and criteria-based evaluation). Six case studies are also presented and discussed in this chapter to illustrate how the different IS evaluation methodologies can be applied in practices. The chapter concludes that evaluation methodologies should be selected depending on the nature of the IS and the specific goals and objectives of the evaluation. Nonetheless, it is also proposed that formative criteria-based evaluation and summative criteria-based evaluation are currently among the more widely used in IS research. The authors suggest that the combined used of one or more of these approaches can be applied at different stages of the IS life cycle in order to generate more rigorous and reliable evaluation outcomes. Moreover, results and outcomes of IS evaluation research will not just be useful in practically guiding actions to improve the current system, but can also be used to generate new knowledge and theory to be adopted by future IS research.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document