WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET ? A COMPARISON OF THEORETICAL LENSES TO STUDY TECHNOLOGY IN ORGANIZATIONS

Abstract

This paper investigates how the application of different theoretical lenses impacts theo-rizing on technology in organizations. Based on a case study of a corporate Wiki intro-duction, three theoretical lenses are applied as sensitizing devices: a process theoretical analysis based on the Enterprise Systems Experience Cycle (Markus and Tanis 2000), a structurational analysis based on technologies-in-practice (Orlikowski 2000), and a so-ciomaterial analysis based on the mangle of practice (Pickering 1995). The authors reflect upon their own experiences in applying these and present a comparison of their ob-servations. In doing so, the paper identifies and analyzes five emergent issues in theo-rizing across the three lenses: the role and nature of technology, technological change, changing practice, organizational change, and understanding stability. Similarities and differences among these three lenses are discussed and conclusions are drawn with re-spect to how what we as researchers see through our theoretical lenses determines what we will get in terms of theories. The paper thus presents other researchers with an op-portunity to reflect upon the authors’ experiences and supports the choice of an appro-priate theoretical lens for studying technology in organizations.

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