The Information Systems discipline is concerned with the identification, planning, development, implementation and management of information systems in organisations. Thus, it is in organisations that the events, happenings and stories of information systems are played out. Given this, the perspective that Information Systems researchers have of organisational reality is most important. This viewpoint affects and impacts upon researchers’ practice, from the identification and choice of the research question, right through the analysis of data to the writing up of the research. This paper explores a particular theoretical perspective on organisational reality. Social constructionism augmented by pragmatism, is described and explored in the paper, and the implications for research Information Systems are considered. It is argued in the paper that this theoretical orientation is particularly helpful in planning, conceptualising and executing relevant and practical research in the Information Systems discipline.

Item Type:	Refereed Conference Paper
Keywords:	social constructionism, pragmatism, research philosophy
Research Division:	Information and Computing Sciences
Research Group:	Information Systems
Research Field:	Information Systems not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Economic Framework
Objective Group:	Management and Productivity
Objective Field:	Management and Productivity not elsewhere classified
Author:	Marshall, PH (Professor Peter Marshall)
Author:	Kelder, JC (Dr Jo-Anne Kelder)
Author:	Perry, A (Mr Andrew Perry)
ID Code:	38991
Year Published:	2005
Deposited By:	Information Systems
Deposited On:	2005-08-01
Last Modified:	2013-09-09
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