IS research paradigms: method versus substance

Excerpt from Is Research Paradigms: Method Versus Substance
We examined 155 behavioral IS research articles published from 1983-1988 and found that while this research is not rooted in a single overarching substantive paradigm it does exhibit a single methodological paradigm, that of positivist methodology. We argue in this paper that this metatheoretic perspective, stemming as it does from the natural science tradition, is not always appropriate for investigating the relationship between information technology and human activity. In particular we urge the recognition of social process as inherent in any inquiry into the development and use of information systems within organizations.
In the light of such an emphasis on social process, the determination of meaning in social life becomes important, as do the dimensions of time and context. We argue that positivist research methods are not well-equipped to deal with situated meaning formation over time, and propose an additional research approach to augment the current investigations of behavioral IS researchers. We outline the features of such an additional paradigm, interpretivism, and indicate a number of research methodologies that subscribe to its tenets.
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