Lecture 8 - Theory in IS Flashcards
What is social theory? (Gregor)
Social theory is a system of interconnected ideas. It condenses and organizes knowledge about the social world
It help us to understand what are the relationships between the different concepts.
Explain type 1: Theory for analyzing (Gregor)
Type 1: Theory for analyzing – the starting point for theory
Analytic theories analyze “what is” as opposed to explaining causality or attempting predictive generalizations. These theories are the most basic type pf theory. They describe or classify specific dimensions or characteristics of individuals, groups, situations, or events by summarizing the commonalities found in discrete observations.
Explain type 2: Theory for explaining (Gregor)
Type 2: Theory for Explaining
This type of theory explains primarily how and why some phenomena occur. These theories are formulated in such a way, however, that making testable predictions about the future is not a primary concern. Explanations of how, when, where, and why events occurred may be presented, giving rise to process-type theory. These theories often have an emphasis on showing others how the world may be viewed in a certain way, with the aim of bringing about an altered understanding of how things are or why they are as they are.
Explain type 3: Theory for predicting (Gregor)
Type 3: Theory for predicting
So if you have one variable impacting another variable, you can say something about how the IV impact the DP. Very often prediction is not standing alone.
Explain type 4: Theory for explaining and predicting (Gregor)
Type 4: Theory for Explaning and Predicting (EP theory)
This is very common, and it is where you combine explanation and prediction. This type of theory says what is, how, why, when, and what. This theory is referred to as EP theory. EP Theory implies both understanding of underlying causes and prediction as well as description of theoretical constructs and the relationships among them.
Type 5: Theory for design and action (Gregor)
Type 5: Theory for Design and Action
This type of theory says how to do something. It can be called descriptive, because it inform us of the methods and theoretical knowledge that are used in the development of IS.
Which type of theory is most often used in IS?
Type 4: Theory for explaining and predicting
Which type of theory realtes to action research?
Type 5: Theory for design and action
Gregor mentions 3 different perspectives on theory, can you mention these?
Generalization: Theories can be classified by their level of generalization.
Causality: The idea of causality is central to many conceptions of theory. When theory is taken to involve explanation, it is intimately linked to ideas of causation.
Explanation and prediction: Explanation is closely linked to human understanding, as an explanation can be provided with the intent of inducing a subjective state of understanding in an individual.
How would you connect the theory taxonomy to Bacarach?
- Bacarach focus on organizational behavior and not information systems
- Goal of theories: “To establish theories by which events and objects can be established and predicted” > Relates to Gregor’s type 4 for explaining and prediction theory
How would you relate the theory taxonomy to Kawuchlich?
- This paper is much more aligned with Gregors paper
- Theory impacts everything that you do in a study, which is the same kind of figure that is represented by Gregor (Cirkel-modellen)
How would you relate the theory taxonomy to Suddaby?
- Focus on ‘Why theory’ > 5 reasons for why we need theory
- Applicable to the IS domain > “Theory is a simple way of explaining simple way in the empirical world”
Gregors paper is multi paradigmatic, but it mainly focus on positivism, interpretivism and critical theory. Can you explain how?
Positivism: Logical positivism are mentioned many places (p 614-615 discusses this in depth). Type 3 and Type 4 theories includes prediction with propositions, hypothesis, which is positivistic.
Interpretivism: Type II “theory of explaining” can be seen that form of this type of theory correspond reasonably closely to some views of theory in the interpretivist paradigm (p 624)
Critical theory: Different from critical realisms. Critical theory seeks to bring about improvements in the lives of human actors.
