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A SET OF PRINCIPLES FOR CONDUCTING AND EVALUATING INTERPRETIVE FIELD STUDIES IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS1
Abstract
This article discusses the conduct and evaluation of interpretive research in information systems. While the conventions for evaluating information systems case studies conducted according to the natural science model of social science are now widely accepted, this is not the case for interpretive field studies. A set of principles for the conduct and evaluation of interpretive field research in information systems is proposed, along with their philosophical rationale. The usefulness of the principles is illustrated by evaluating three published interpretive field studies drawn from the IS research literature. The intention of the
paper is to further reflection and debate on the important subject of grounding interpretive research methodology.
Keywords: IS research methodologies, interpretivist perspective, critical perspective, case study, field study, ethnography, hermeneutics ISRL Categories: IBO1, A10802, A10803, A10102, A10108, A10112, A10116
Introduction
In recent years, interpretive research has emerged as an important strand in information systems research (Walsham 1 995b). Interpretive research can help IS researchers to understand human thought and action in social and organizational contexts; it has the potential to produce deep insights into information systems phenomena including the management of information systems and information systems development. As the interest in interpretive research has increased, however, researchers, reviewers, and editors have raised questions about how interpretive field research should be conducted and how its quality can be assessed. This article is our response to some of these questions and suggests a set of principles for the conduct and evaluation of interpretive field research in information systems.
Purpose and Motivation
The conventions for evaluating information systems case studies conducted according to the natural science model of social science are now widely accepted. One of the key contributions of the research methods stream in IS research has been the formulation of a set of methodological principles for case studies that were consistent with the conventions of positivism (Benbasat et al. 1987; Lee 1989; Yin 1994). As a result, case study research is now accepted as a valid research strategy within the IS research community. The principles proposed in this stream of work have become the de facto standard against which most case study research in IS...