Organizational metaphors and information systems research

Abstract

This paper describes how various streams of information systems research and consequent prescriptions for information systems practice are related to eight organizational metaphors. The metaphors are drawn from the work of Morgan in which he considers images of organizations as machines, organisms, brains, cultures, political systems, psychic prisons, flux and transformation, and instruments of domination. Each metaphor is related to the study of information systems and its strengths and weaknesses are outlined. It is argued that theoretical views of organizations should be a more explicit element in the theory of computer-based information systems, and that future information systems research would benefit from a pluralist approach with less emphasis on the mechanistic and organismic metaphors of organizations.