1、24.10.2007,INF5220 Group 7,1,Interpretive Case Studies in IS Research: Nature and Method,INF5220 PresentationGroup 7 Brian Elvester Audun Vaaler,24.10.2007,INF5220 Group 7,2,Outline,Introduction Publication data Overview and purpose Structure of the publication Philisophical and theoretical issues P
2、hilosophical basis of interpretive research Use of theory in interpretive studies Methodological issues Conduct of empirical work Generalisation from interpretive research Concluding remarks,24.10.2007,INF5220 Group 7,3,Introduction: Publication data,Author: Geoff Walsham Title: Interpretive Case St
3、udies in IS Research: Nature and Method Published: Chapter 6 in book Book: Quality Research in Information Systems Editors: Michael D. Myers, David Avison Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd Publication Date: 10-05-2002 URL: http:/www.sagepub.co.uk/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book205159,24.10.2007,INF5220
4、 Group 7,4,Introduction: Overview and purpose,Increased focus of social issues related to computer-based information systems (IS) Development of the ”interpretive” empirical school in IS research Focus particularily on human interpretations concerning computer-based IS In-depth case study Interpreti
5、ve case studies in the IS field Philisophical and theoretical issues Methodological issues of conducting and reporting Controversy between interpretive and positivist approaches, or their combination Case studies help answer ”how” and ”why” questions More explicit about research goals and methods Ma
6、ny interpretive studies have been performed, but few concerning the approach itself.,24.10.2007,INF5220 Group 7,5,Introduction: Structure of the publication,Introduction Philosophical basis of interpretive research Tradition of interpretive case studies explained, and contrasted with positivist appr
7、oach Use of theory in interpretive studies Conduct of empirical work Role of the researcher Evidence from research Reporting methods Generalisation from interpretive research Conclusion on interpretive case studies in IS research,24.10.2007,INF5220 Group 7,6,Philisophical and theoretical issues: Phi
8、losophical basis,Ethnographic tradition in anthropology is good starting point. Data are researchers interpretation of subjects actions (Geertz, 1973) First-order and second-order concepts (Van Maanen, 1979) First-order data: Interviewees constructions Second-order concepts: Researchers construction
9、s Ethnographic approach does not guarantee valuable data, regardless of time spent collecting Second-order concepts rely on good theory and insightful analysis mere data collection is not enough. ”Thick description” (Geertz, 1973) Example 1: Jews, Berbers, French in Morocco 1912 Cultural differences
10、 and differing frameworks lead French to wrongly imprison Jew for theft. Example 2: Isolation of system designer (Boland and Day, 1989) Initial helper turned out to isolate the system designer for his own political interests Complex and intertwined conceptual frameworks must be understood. Complex c
11、omputer-based information systems involving managers, users and designers Goal to make interpretations available in the ”consultable record” Not to generate truths or social laws (as opposed to positivist approach),24.10.2007,INF5220 Group 7,7,Philisophical and theoretical issues: Interpretive and p
12、ositivist research (1/2),Positivist research Assume that reality is objectively given and can be described by measurable properties which are independent of the observer (researcher) and his or her instruments. Positivist studies generally attempt to test theory. Interpretive research Assume that ac
13、cess to reality is only through social constructions such as langue, consciousness and shared meaning. Understand phenomena through meanings that people assign to them. Interpretive research methods in IS are aimed at understanding the context of the information system. Difference between interpreti
14、ve and positivist approches Epistemological (nature of knowledge) stance Ontological (nature of reality) stance,24.10.2007,INF5220 Group 7,8,Philisophical and theoretical issues: Interpretive and positivist research (2/2),Epistemology (Archer, 1988),Ontology (Archer, 1988),Positivist,Interpretive,Po
15、sitivist,Interpretive,24.10.2007,INF5220 Group 7,9,Philisophical and theoretical issues: Use of theory in interpretive studies,Three distinct uses of theory (Eisenhardt, 1989) 1. Initial guide to design and data collection Create initial theoretical framework to consolidate and inform about early em
16、pirical work Example: Contextualism (Pettigrew, 1987;1990) regarding organizational change and business strategy Danger: Restricted by what the theory suggests, or being trapped by overly extensive initial literature review. 2. Part of an iterative process of data collection and analysis Openness an
17、d willingness to modify initial assumptions Example: Scaffolding in putting up a building 3. Final product of research Conceptual framework, propositions or mid-range theory Example: Theory on how organizational consequences of IT are viewed as products of both material and social dimensions (Orliko
18、wsky and Robey, 1991) The combination of the three approaches can be compared to “grounded theory“ (Glaser and Strauss, 1967) Focuses on discovery of theory directly from field data (2, 3) Opinions about use of initial theory (1) (Walsham) (Layder, 1993),24.10.2007,INF5220 Group 7,10,Methodological
19、issues: Conduct of empirical work (1/2),Role of the researcher Accessing other peoples interpretations Filtering through own conceptual apparatus Need to have a view on their own role Outside observer vs. involved observer Subjective The double hermeneutic (Giddens, 1984) Outside observer Researcher
20、s do not have a personal stake Advantage: Personnel will be relatively frank (if trust is established) Disadvantage: Not present on many occuations Not get able to a direct sense of the field May be debarred (due to confidentiality and/or sensitivity) Involved observer (participant observer or actio
21、n researcher) Researcher being a member of the group/organization Advantage: Inside view Disadvantage: Viewed as having a direct personal stake, so people may be more guarded Problem of reporting the part that one has played,24.10.2007,INF5220 Group 7,11,Methodological issues: Conduct of empirical w
22、ork (2/2),Evidence from interviews Interviews are the primary source for interpretive case studies Best access the interpretations Interviewing style Vary between individuals Balance between excessive passivity and over-direction Important to show interest (and competence) and get rich descriptions
23、Requires good social skills and personal sensitivity Recording medium Audio-recording Provides full description but some people may be cautious Time-consuming to transcribe Extensive notes or combination of both Reporting methods Reporting interpretations of other peoples interpretions - not facts I
24、mportant to establish credibility describe your data collection Research sites chosen and why Number of people, their professional/hierarchical positions Other data sources Time period,24.10.2007,INF5220 Group 7,12,Methodological issues: Generalisation from interpretive research,How do you generaliz
25、e from a single case study? Case studies are generalizable to theoretical propositions Three phases in the scientific process in natural sciences (Bhaskar, 1979) Phenomena are identified Explanations for the phenomena are constructed and empirically tested Generative mechanisms at work are described
26、 Human and social sciences can be tackled using a similar methodology Generative mechanisms identified in the social sciences should be viewed as ”tendencies” Valuable in explanations of past data but are not wholly predictive for future situations Four types of generalization from interpretive case
27、 studies Development of concepts Example: “Informate“ concept (Zuboff, 1988) activities, events and objects are translated and made “visible“ by IT Generation of theory Example: Theory of organizational consequences of IT (Orlikowski and Robey, 1991) (Jones and Nandhakumar, 1993) Drawing of specific
28、 implications Example: Relationship between design and development and business strategy (Walsham and Waema, 1994) Contributing of rich insight Example: Limits of machine intelligences; differences between plans and practical actions; need for more thoughtful machine design (Suchman, 1987),24.10.200
29、7,INF5220 Group 7,13,Concluding remarks,Assumptions, arguments Interpretive case studies can make a valuable contribution to Information System (IS) theory and practice Volume and range of such studies are limited (2002) Need for more interpretive stances in the future in the IS field Human interpre
30、tations concerning computer-based IS are important to the practice of IS and thus to investigations carried out by IS researchers Contributions Provide discussion and guidance related to Philosophical and theoretical nature Methods of conducting and reporting for the future development of interpretive studies in IS research,
