[Week 1 > Introduction] This is the Week 1 Podcast for the course, Organizational and Social Dimensions of Information Systems. This week is about the institutional theory and the socio-technical approach to technological systems. Traditionally, information systems (IS) innovation and its effects on organizations have been understood from a deterministic perspective. This approach assumes that technology dictates the social relations that develop within the organization. However, recent research on IS and organizational change has shown that the issue of change and IS implementation is much more complex (Avgerou, 2002). Social norms, socio-technical networks, organizational interaction, and organizational history and culture play significant roles in the shaping of an IS or information and communication technology (ICT) system. Sociologists and IS scholars have turned their attention to understanding the social factors in IS innovation and organizational change in order to help managers and practitioners better cope with diverse institutional environments. These institutional environments are situated in a global business network influenced not only by technological imperatives but also by national and cultural histories. This week, you will be introduced to the main theoretical perspectives from sociological IS research, beginning with institutional theory and the socio-technical approach to IS design. Institutional theory is a recent theoretical approach that understands organizational characteristics as institutions, noting that, historically, organizational characteristics (such as management practices and technological change) become self-justifying. The socio-technical approach is a design paradigm that requires users and stakeholders to be included in the technical design process. By the end of this week, you will be able to: Explain institutional theory using it in a practical setting Describe the socio-technical theory Describe the social construction of technology theory Describe the actor-network theory Explain the critiques and applications of institutional theory toward organizations Describe the socio-technical theory s perspective on IS in organizations Describe the application of actor-network theory to IS innovation in organizations -1-
[Week 1 > Weekly Overview] Let s look at this week s overview. Some researchers argue that, far from being merely the outcome of rational knowledge, management know-how is the result of specific social processes. In addition, information and communication technology (ICT) is considered a network of industries, professions, and assumptions about the value of information, computers, and telecommunications. Institutional theory (or institutionalist theory) is one of the most widely accepted theoretical approaches to understanding this view of organizations. According to Avgerou, the central concept of an institution in the context of institutional theory refers to authoritative, established, rule-like procedures in society, with a self-sustaining character (2002, p. 24). Institutional theory suggests that management as a profession is not only constituted by its function in organizations but also embedded in a broader social history of reorganization of the labor-capital relationship in modern societies. Institutional theory, as it applies to organizations, argues that the organization s formal structures and processes endure because they are associated with assumptions about their need and functionality. These assumptions are situated within specific socially constructed relations between institutional actors. As such their associated structures are not necessary in a strict sense but rather the outcome of a constellation of forces, which include technological necessity as well as other socially constructed priorities. Read Chapter 1, titled The Institutional Nature of ICT and Organizational Change, in your course text, Information Systems and Global Diversity, and view the video Institutional Theory for an elaboration on the institutional theory and its components. The socio-technical approach to technological system design presumes that users and stakeholders should be included in the technical design process. This approach has strongly influenced other theoretical approaches in the past that attempted to understand the effects of technology on society in general and on businesses specifically. Examples of these influencing approaches include technological determinism, social construction of technology (SCOT) theory, and actor-network theory. -2-
Technological determinism is the simplest of these theories and states that technology determines the social structure. The SCOT approach emphasizes the social processes that take place during the design of a particular technological system. Actor-network theory shares with SCOT the view that social processes shape technology and rejects technological determinism, noting that structures of a social setting cannot be deduced through an account of the material properties of technology. However, actor-network theory makes no distinction between social and technical actors. According to Avgerou, actors interrelate to each other and define each other by circulating intermediaries (2002, p. 61). These intermediaries can be people, documents, or technology. The process through which actors interact with each other to build networks or change them is called translation (Avgerou, 2002, p. 61). According to actor-network theory, the outcomes of IS innovation arise from opposing interests of actors in networks and their intermediaries and not by the properties of the technology. Translation is a political process and involves social interactions among institutional actors. Therefore, the socio-technical approach based on actor-network theory holds that technological change is a social negotiation between networks of people and technology, each inscribed with meaning and not necessarily embedded in the technical possibilities of an ICT. Read Chapter 2, titled The Socio-technical Nature of Information Systems Innovation, in your course text, Information Systems and Global Diversity, and view the video Socio- Technical Theory to examine the relationship of IS innovation and the organizational context, explicating the position that technological innovation is intimately tied to organizational change. The readings trace relevant theoretical debates in the sociotechnical stream of IS research and the study of technology and society, focusing primarily on actor-network theory. [Week 1 > Resources] Let s take a look at the resources you ll be using this week. During Week 1, you will use a variety of resources including selections from the course textbook and audio versions of key readings. The Weekly Schedule (a navigation link under Week 1) outlines the resources you will need to participate in the Discussions and complete the Application Assignment. -3-
This week, you will read Chapters 1 and 2 of Information Systems and Global Diversity. These chapters will help you get started on the sociological theories that explain the social implications of IS on organizational change. The textbook s explanations of the theories focus on traditional views of IS and ICTs as institutions and new ways of understanding organizational change. This week, you will also view two videos one on the components of institutional theory and another on the elements of socio-technical theory. Recall from the Course Home Resources page how the media files are delivered in three formats. Be sure to subscribe to the weekly podcasts in itunes by clicking on the itunes icon in the Resources area. Outlook, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and other applications save lists of RSS Feeds to which you can subscribe. You can determine how you want to receive your RSS Feeds. Click on the buttons in the Resources area to get the weekly media files through itunes, the RSS feed, and the online classroom. Let s outline the individual resources that you will need for this week. [Week 1 > Video 1] The weekly podcast video provides an introduction to the week's resources and assignments. [Week 1 > Reading 1] Chapter 1 presents information on the social dimensions of ICT innovation and organizational change by drawing from the theory of institutions. The author suggests that organizational diversity is the inevitable consequence of the historical processes of the formation and transformation of social institutions. The chapter also focuses on institutional theory and its applications to ICTs and IS. Please read the entire chapter to prepare for this week s assignments. -4-
[Week 1 > Reading 2] Chapter 2 presents information on the socio-technical approach and actor-network theory. The author first outlines the intellectual and political character of the socio-technical approach and then presents the key ideas underpinning the current perceptions of the relationship between ICT and society. This chapter will help you understand how the socio-technical approach is currently being applied to explain the dynamics of organizational change and IS innovation. Please read the entire chapter to prepare for this week s assignments. [Week 1 > Video 2] This video illustrates the various components of institutional theory. [Week 1> Video 3] This video shows the various elements of socio-technical theory. [Week 1 > Discussion 1] This week you will participate in two Discussions. The first Discussion is based on IS innovation and organizational change. Here is the prompt. Describe how you see the role of management in institutional theory. Consider organizational management behaviors that you are familiar with. In what ways do versions of institutional theory predict and fail to predict these behaviors? Follow the directions in the online classroom to participate in this Discussion. You will need access to an Internet-enabled computer to complete this assignment. -5-
[Week 1 > Discussion 2] This week you will also participate in a Discussion based on Institutional and Socio-Technical theories. Here is the prompt. Think of a time when you were involved in the introduction of an information system. How do the institutional and socio-technical theories reflect your experiences? Cite sources from your textbook and the Web to justify your answer. [Week 1 > Application] This week you will complete an Application Assignment. The topic of this assignment is the Socio-Technical Theory and related theories. This Application will help you map the theories you learned this week to your own work experiences. You will evaluate the application of socio-technical theory, social construction of technology theory, and actor-network theory to your work experience. Perform the following tasks: 1. Summarize the basic principles of the socio-technical approach and its components and addendums such as actor-network theory. 2. Describe how these theories help you understand the social nature of the implementation of technology in the workplace. 3. Cite real-world experiences to draw direct connections to the theories. Make a note of the social circumstances that relate to the concepts presented by the theories. You will write your response in an APA-style report. The body of the report, excluding references, should not exceed 5 pages in length. Follow the directions in the online classroom to complete the Application Assignment. Submit your assignment to the Dropbox in the online classroom by Day 7. -6-
You will need access to an Internet-enabled computer to complete this assignment. -7-