Axiomatic Theories and Improving the Relevance of Information Systems Research

Abstract

Axiomatic Theories and Improving the Relevance of Information Systems Research This paper examines the fact that a significant number of empirical information systems (IS) studies engage in confirmative testing of self-evident axiomatic theories without yielding highly relevant knowledge for the IS community. The authors conduct both a horizontal analysis of 72 representative IS theories and an in-depth vertical analysis of 3 well-known theories (i.e., technology acceptance model, diffusion of innovation theory, and institutional theory) in order to measure how pervasive such testing of axiomatic theories is. The authors discovered that more than 60% of 666 hypotheses from the horizontal analysis could be regarded as axiomatic theory elements. In the vertical analysis, 68.1% of 1,301 hypotheses from 148 articles were axiomatic. Based on these findings, the authors propose four complementary IS research approaches: (1) identifying disconfirming boundary conditions, (2) measuring the relative importance of axiomatic causal factors, (3) measuring the stage of progression toward visionary goals when the nature of the axiomatic theory can be extended to future visions, and (4) engaging in the conceptual design of visionary axiomatic goals. They argue that these complementary IS research approaches can enhance the relevance of IS research outcomes without sacrificing methodological rigor.