Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | ECIS 2018 Proceedings |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Place of Publication | Atlanta, GA |
| Publisher | Association for Information Systems. AIS Electronic Library (AISeL) |
| Publication date | 2018 |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | The 26th European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS) 2018: Beyond Digitization – Facets of Socio-Technical Change - University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom Duration: 23 Jun 2018 → 28 Jun 2018 Conference number: 26 http://ecis2018.eu/ |
Conference
| Conference | The 26th European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS) 2018 |
|---|---|
| Number | 26 |
| Location | University of Portsmouth |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| City | Portsmouth |
| Period | 23/06/2018 → 28/06/2018 |
| Internet address |
| Series | Proceedings of the European Conference on Information Systems |
|---|---|
| ISSN | 0000-0034 |
Keywords
- Socio-technical change
- Platform-based organizations
- Generative mechanisms
- Contradictory-complementarity
- Individualization and socialization
- Equilibrium paradox
Cite this
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Socio-technical Change : The Equilibrium Paradox. / Fischer, Louise Harder; Baskerville, Richard.
ECIS 2018 Proceedings. Atlanta, GA : Association for Information Systems. AIS Electronic Library (AISeL), 2018. (Proceedings of the European Conference on Information Systems).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Article in proceedings › Research › peer-review
TY - GEN
T1 - Socio-technical Change
T2 - The Equilibrium Paradox
AU - Fischer, Louise Harder
AU - Baskerville, Richard
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - In the domain of change and information systems (IS), we have persisted in the assumption that a well-functioning IS exhibits a balance between the social and the technical structures such that this system rests in a state of stable equilibrium. When transformational change arises, the system falls into a state of disequilibrium, until it reaches a new state of equilibrium. This as-sumption no longer gives a full explanation of the complex dynamics in today’s enterprise. In this paper, we explain the concept of unstable equilibrium that results from the continuous change that individuated individuals make in socio-technical structures. Our findings arise from a critical realist perspective used to interpret data from an e-group interview with 11 profes-sionals working in platform-based organizations. We find that a generative mechanism of con-tradictory complementarity, denoted as individualization and socialization, now inhabits the IS and causes outcomes that are both individual-technical and socio-technical. Now change hap-pens in the surface-structures resting in unstable equilibrium, while the deep structures remain in stable equilibrium. This equilibrium paradox in socio-technical change explains how plat-form-based organizations achieve change by both achieving agility from their IS while simulta-neously achieving stability.
AB - In the domain of change and information systems (IS), we have persisted in the assumption that a well-functioning IS exhibits a balance between the social and the technical structures such that this system rests in a state of stable equilibrium. When transformational change arises, the system falls into a state of disequilibrium, until it reaches a new state of equilibrium. This as-sumption no longer gives a full explanation of the complex dynamics in today’s enterprise. In this paper, we explain the concept of unstable equilibrium that results from the continuous change that individuated individuals make in socio-technical structures. Our findings arise from a critical realist perspective used to interpret data from an e-group interview with 11 profes-sionals working in platform-based organizations. We find that a generative mechanism of con-tradictory complementarity, denoted as individualization and socialization, now inhabits the IS and causes outcomes that are both individual-technical and socio-technical. Now change hap-pens in the surface-structures resting in unstable equilibrium, while the deep structures remain in stable equilibrium. This equilibrium paradox in socio-technical change explains how plat-form-based organizations achieve change by both achieving agility from their IS while simulta-neously achieving stability.
KW - Socio-technical change
KW - Platform-based organizations
KW - Generative mechanisms
KW - Contradictory-complementarity
KW - Individualization and socialization
KW - Equilibrium paradox
M3 - Article in proceedings
T3 - Proceedings of the European Conference on Information Systems
BT - ECIS 2018 Proceedings
PB - Association for Information Systems. AIS Electronic Library (AISeL)
CY - Atlanta, GA
ER -