Management Information Systems Field Research Articles

The “problem” in and of management information systems

Management Information Systems uncritically draws upon a number of disciplines for its theoretical framework. In doing so it has imported a host of ontological, epistemological and behavioral assumptions which have shaped the theories, technologies and practices of information system analysis, design and implementation. This has taken place without careful reflection upon the historical emergence of these assumptions or upon the context within which attempts are made to operationalize them. This paper argues that the Management Information Systems field is in need of researching itself. It proposes that through a combination of genealogical and ethnographic research methodologies, the historical emergence of theoretical constructs and the organizational context within which information systems operate should be critically examined. In the following analysis, the historical emergence of the “problem” as a generic construct in the Management Information System literature is examined and contrasted to the manner in which a group of manufacturing managers defined problems within their organizational context. A critical tension is revealed which suggests that information systems researchers, analysts and designers need to at least broaden their assumption about the nature of organizational reality, human behavior, information processing and problem solving.

An Assessment of the Contingency Theory of Management Information Systems

:This paper explores the use of contingency theory in the field of Management Information Systems (MIS). The development of contingency theory in MIS is compared to the development of organization theory. The assumptions of fit, performance as a dependent variable, rational actors, and a deterministic model in both organizational research and MIS research are critiqued. The dominant influence of contingency theory is demonstrated through a review of empirical studies published in JMIS and MIS Quarterly. Of the 177 articles during the period studied, 59 percent were empirical and over 70 percent of these were judged to follow a contingency model. Based on our assessment of this research, we conclude that research in MIS has been hampered by the use of a naive meta-theory, conflicting empirical results with low explained variance, ill-defined concepts of performance and fit, and a narrow perspective of researchers. We give some recommendations for improving the theoretical basis of MIS, including advocating more subjectivist, less functional, and less deterministic research approaches. We also suggest a wider selection of methodologies including qualitative case studies, longitudinal studies, and ethnographic approaches. Finally, we conclude that significantly more theory-building is required in defining the MIS construct.

Decision Support Systems (DSS): A Knowledge Oriented Approach

The design of decision supports systems (DSS) is an important reserach area within the field of management information systems (MIS). The design is based on models that consider decision making either as an act which takes place whithin a sociotechnical environment (an organization) or as a cognitive process. The decision supports systems' current architecture and conceptual framework seems to present several weaknesses. Recent research in artificial intelligence shows that decision support systems must increasingly incorporate explicit knowledge in order to meet the objectives set by DSS designers. This paper presents a conceptual framework and a DSS architecture based on the processing of knowledge.

A preliminary conceptual framework for the design, development, and use of client-oriented information systems in health.

Client-oriented information systems (COIS) in the health care arena are defined and discussed. The antecedents of these systems, as well as current examples of the systems, are described. Prior studies in this area suggest content for COIS but demonstrate lack of a conceptual framework to guide the design, development, adoption, and use of these systems. The purpose of the paper is to suggest a preliminary conceptual framework for future study of COIS that draws upon concepts from the field of management information systems.

MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS CURRICULA: STATE‐OF‐THE‐ART*

ABSTRACTBusiness and business/management schools were surveyed to determine the characteristics of management information systems (MIS) curricula. All academic degree levels–Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate–were investigated. An encouraging 82% response from 260 academic institutions queried lends credibility to findings reported. These survey results should provide insights for the development of new and/or revised MIS curricula. They also indicate opportunities for expanding enrollments.The MIS field, still in its infancy, has not yet stabilized. This is causing difficulties in planning curricula for this newly‐evolving discipline. The MIS area within both the academic and business communities is undergoing constant and rapid change due to environmental and technological advancements. In order to insure curriculum relevance and properly trained personnel in this field, these areas must respond to these changes. Suggestions as to where and how this discipline should proceed must be based upon the currently existing situation.