work in IS to construct a theoretical framework
concerned with the organizational consequences of
information technology. They argued that their framework
could be used to guide studies in two main areas
of information systems research, namely systems
development and the organizational consequences of
using IT. Jones and Nandhakumar (1993) describe the
application of the framework to the analysis of an
interpretive case study of the executive information
system development process in a large manufacturing
company. They conclude that the framework was
valuable to their work, but go on to suggest some areas
for further theoretical development. The two papers
taken together provide a good illustration of theory
generation and development based on interpretive IS
case studies.
A third type of generalization from interpretive
case studies involves specific implications in particular
domains of action. Walsham and Waema (1994) draw a
number of such implications based on an in-depth case
study of the development of IS in a financial services
company over an eight-year period. One implication
concerns the relationship between the design and
development process and business strategy:
An ad hoc methodological approach to the development
of computer-based information systems, accompanied by
a clear business focus, can lead to rapid systems development,
but the price paid for such an approach can be
inflexibility and a lack of adequate integration. Design and
development drawing heavily on formalized methods can
be slow and geared to 'systems for today', if the development
proceeds at a time when the business vision and
related IS strategy remain unclear, (p. 171)
The quotation above uses verbs such as 'can' rather
than 'will' in line with the earlier discussion of
generalizations as tendencies rather than predictions.
The implication provided a good description of a
'generative mechanism' in the case study which was
investigated, and it may prove a useful insight for
related work in other organizations and contexts.
The final category of generalization which we will
consider here is that of 'rich insight' from interpretive
case studies. This phrase is designed to capture insights
from the reading of reports and results from case
studies that are not easily categorised as concepts,
theories, or specific implications. For example, the
book by Suchman (1987) discusses the problem of
human-machine communication based on an interpretive
case study of the use of a particular copying
machine. She develops concepts such as 'plans' and
'situated actions', various theories regarding humanmachine
interaction, and specific implications in domains
such as artificial intelligence. However, this
reader gained more from the book than is captured by
these categories, since Suchman provided rich insight
on a wide range of topics, including the limits of
machine intelligence, the inherent differences between
plans and practical actions, and the need for more
thoughtful machine design.
A further illustration of the above point follows from
noting that the selection of the 'informate' concept
from Zuboff s book does not do justice to the richness
of the insights which many readers have gained from
her work. This can be judged by the way it has been
widely quoted on topics such as the changing nature of
work in contemporary society, and the need to empower
workers in the information age in order to make
fuller use of their human capabilities. We should not be
misled into too narrow a view of the generalizations
which readers can gain from studying the reports and
results from interpretive case studies, and the category
of 'rich insight' attempts to describe these broader and
more diffuse implications.