Hardback
Handbook of Qualitative Research Methods for Information Systems
New Perspectives
9781802205381 Edward Elgar Publishing
This vital new Handbook clarifies how qualitative research can be undertaken in the discipline of Information Systems (IS), observing how IS can be taught and its recent developments. Through succinctly bringing together influential research, it extensively surveys contemporary trends in qualitative IS studies.
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Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
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This vital new Handbook brings together cutting-edge contributions from experts in Information Systems (IS) to explore how qualitative research can be undertaken in the IS discipline.
The Handbook critically surveys contemporary trends in qualitative IS studies and offers detailed examples of how IS research methods can be taught. The leading group of contributors provide future-oriented analyses of key research methodologies, covering important topics such as the nature of theory and philosophy in qualitative IS research and new developments in the field. Engaging in an exploratory analysis of where opportunities for qualitative IS research might be heading, the Handbook concludes by identifying a need to consolidate existing research methodologies and develop new ones.
The Handbook of Qualitative Research Methods for Information Systems will be beneficial for students studying areas such as information systems, qualitative research methods, research method innovation and knowledge management.
The Handbook critically surveys contemporary trends in qualitative IS studies and offers detailed examples of how IS research methods can be taught. The leading group of contributors provide future-oriented analyses of key research methodologies, covering important topics such as the nature of theory and philosophy in qualitative IS research and new developments in the field. Engaging in an exploratory analysis of where opportunities for qualitative IS research might be heading, the Handbook concludes by identifying a need to consolidate existing research methodologies and develop new ones.
The Handbook of Qualitative Research Methods for Information Systems will be beneficial for students studying areas such as information systems, qualitative research methods, research method innovation and knowledge management.
Critical Acclaim
‘This book will raise editors’ and reviewers’ expectations for the execution of research using qualitative methods, it will broaden the application of qualitative methods in information systems research, and it will ease the teaching of the qualitative approach to our beloved grad students. It’s a jewelry box, full of gems.’
– Cynthia Beath, University of Texas at Austin, US
‘This book collects the most recent advances in qualitative research in information systems field and should form a very valuable reference for anyone planning to undertake a qualitative study within the field. Robert Davison has gathered an impressive group of writers that provide a wide array of views and approaches for performing qualitative studies. The future-oriented chapters should be of particular interest for both seasoned researchers and new doctoral students entering the field. I warmly recommend this book for everyone who plans to do qualitative research within information systems.’
– Matti Rossi, Aalto University School of Business, Finland
‘This Handbook, with chapters written by the most influential qualitative Information Systems scholars, provides a much-needed overview of qualitative research methods in the field of Information Systems. Some of the methods outlined and discussed in the book are well-established and widely practiced, others are methodological advances suitable for researching emerging digital phenomena. The book provides guidance on how to practice and how to teach qualitative research methods. Importantly, it explores their ontological and epistemological underpinnings and cultivates theory development capabilities. This Handbook is an excellent resource for practicing researchers, and it should be recommended reading in PhD programmes.’
– Chrisanthi Avgerou, London School of Economics, UK
‘This book is a treasure. Davison and his contributors have provided insights into qualitative research methods and the latest trends. They have written the definitive primer on how to conduct qualitative research. This is a book, not only to be read, but also to be subjected to deep reflection and application.’
– Shan Pan, University of New South Wales, Australia
– Cynthia Beath, University of Texas at Austin, US
‘This book collects the most recent advances in qualitative research in information systems field and should form a very valuable reference for anyone planning to undertake a qualitative study within the field. Robert Davison has gathered an impressive group of writers that provide a wide array of views and approaches for performing qualitative studies. The future-oriented chapters should be of particular interest for both seasoned researchers and new doctoral students entering the field. I warmly recommend this book for everyone who plans to do qualitative research within information systems.’
– Matti Rossi, Aalto University School of Business, Finland
‘This Handbook, with chapters written by the most influential qualitative Information Systems scholars, provides a much-needed overview of qualitative research methods in the field of Information Systems. Some of the methods outlined and discussed in the book are well-established and widely practiced, others are methodological advances suitable for researching emerging digital phenomena. The book provides guidance on how to practice and how to teach qualitative research methods. Importantly, it explores their ontological and epistemological underpinnings and cultivates theory development capabilities. This Handbook is an excellent resource for practicing researchers, and it should be recommended reading in PhD programmes.’
– Chrisanthi Avgerou, London School of Economics, UK
‘This book is a treasure. Davison and his contributors have provided insights into qualitative research methods and the latest trends. They have written the definitive primer on how to conduct qualitative research. This is a book, not only to be read, but also to be subjected to deep reflection and application.’
– Shan Pan, University of New South Wales, Australia
Contributors
Contributors: Richard Baskerville, Dubravka Cecez-Kecmanovic, Hameed Chughtai, Robert Davison, Antonio Diaz Andrade, Caitlin Doogan, Federico Iannacci, Stephen Jackson, Matthew Jones, Stan Karanasios, Stefan Klein, Aron Lindberg, Henry Linger, Julien Malaurent, Evelyn Ng, Ojelanki Ngwenyama, Marko Niemimaa, Niki Panteli, Hamid Pousti, Ulrike Schultze, Harminder Singh, Mira Slavova, Barney Tan, Angsana Techatassanasoontorn, Gijs van den Heuvel, Louie H.M. Wong, Xiao Xiao, Amber Young, Yingqin Zheng, Aljona Zorina
Contents
Contents:
1 Introduction to the Handbook of Qualitative Research Methods for
Information Systems 1
Robert M. Davison
PART I HOW TO DO QUALITATIVE IS RESEARCH
2 Teaching qualitative research methods 10
Robert M. Davison, Barney Tan, Louie H.M. Wong and Evelyn Ng
3 Analyzing genres of discourse in IS research: an approach to
interrogating validity claims in IS scientific argumentation 30
Ojelanki Ngwenyama
4 Exploring IS phenomena through metaphors: insights from a study on
Facebook 59
Stephen Jackson and Niki Panteli
5 Knowledge acquisition for quality engagement 77
Robert M. Davison and Louie H.M. Wong
6 Understanding the digital experience: phenomenological IS research 88
Antonio Díaz Andrade, Angsana A. Techatassanasoontorn and Harminder Singh
7 Ethnographic evidence for practice 104
Richard L. Baskerville
8 How do researchers get close to the technology under investigation?
Insights, benefits and challenges 124
Stan Karanasios, Mira Slavova and Aljona Zorina
PART II METHODOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN QUALITATIVE IS RESEARCH
9 Case study followed by action research: enhancing researcher and
practitioner outcomes 149
Julien Malaurent, Robert M. Davison, and Louie H.M. Wong
10 Critical IS research 163
Amber Young
11 Methodological practices for enacting “strong” sociomateriality in
qualitative IS research 182
Marko Niemimaa, Ulrike Schultze, and Gijs van den Heuvel
12 The nuts and bolts of qualitative comparative analysis 197
Federico Iannacci
13 Some principles for conducting phronetic IS research 222
Ojelanki Ngwenyama and Stefan Klein
14 Decolonial critical hermeneutics 240
Hameed Chughtai
PART III THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF QUALITATIVE IS RESEARCH
15 The shape of theory: an alternative take on theorizing based on the
nature of qualitative data 258
Evelyn Ng and Barney Tan
16 Dancing between theory and data: abductive reasoning 274
Antonio Díaz Andrade
17 Developing indigenous theory with qualitative IS research 288
Xiao Xiao and Barney Tan
18 Grounded theory in the era of datafication: a data journey perspective 306
Hamid Pousti, Henry Linger and Caitlin Doogan
PART IV FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR QUALITATIVE IS RESEARCH
19 Process oriented research: opening new horizons for IS research 325
Dubravka Cecez-Kecmanovic
20 Beyond the snapshot: reconceptualising human agency and context in
qualitative IS research 340
Matthew Jones and Yingqin Zheng
21 Analysis chaining: conceptual and empirical framing of digital traces 360
Aron Lindberg
22 Current trends and future opportunities in qualitative IS research 376
Robert M. Davison
Index 383
1 Introduction to the Handbook of Qualitative Research Methods for
Information Systems 1
Robert M. Davison
PART I HOW TO DO QUALITATIVE IS RESEARCH
2 Teaching qualitative research methods 10
Robert M. Davison, Barney Tan, Louie H.M. Wong and Evelyn Ng
3 Analyzing genres of discourse in IS research: an approach to
interrogating validity claims in IS scientific argumentation 30
Ojelanki Ngwenyama
4 Exploring IS phenomena through metaphors: insights from a study on
Facebook 59
Stephen Jackson and Niki Panteli
5 Knowledge acquisition for quality engagement 77
Robert M. Davison and Louie H.M. Wong
6 Understanding the digital experience: phenomenological IS research 88
Antonio Díaz Andrade, Angsana A. Techatassanasoontorn and Harminder Singh
7 Ethnographic evidence for practice 104
Richard L. Baskerville
8 How do researchers get close to the technology under investigation?
Insights, benefits and challenges 124
Stan Karanasios, Mira Slavova and Aljona Zorina
PART II METHODOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN QUALITATIVE IS RESEARCH
9 Case study followed by action research: enhancing researcher and
practitioner outcomes 149
Julien Malaurent, Robert M. Davison, and Louie H.M. Wong
10 Critical IS research 163
Amber Young
11 Methodological practices for enacting “strong” sociomateriality in
qualitative IS research 182
Marko Niemimaa, Ulrike Schultze, and Gijs van den Heuvel
12 The nuts and bolts of qualitative comparative analysis 197
Federico Iannacci
13 Some principles for conducting phronetic IS research 222
Ojelanki Ngwenyama and Stefan Klein
14 Decolonial critical hermeneutics 240
Hameed Chughtai
PART III THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF QUALITATIVE IS RESEARCH
15 The shape of theory: an alternative take on theorizing based on the
nature of qualitative data 258
Evelyn Ng and Barney Tan
16 Dancing between theory and data: abductive reasoning 274
Antonio Díaz Andrade
17 Developing indigenous theory with qualitative IS research 288
Xiao Xiao and Barney Tan
18 Grounded theory in the era of datafication: a data journey perspective 306
Hamid Pousti, Henry Linger and Caitlin Doogan
PART IV FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR QUALITATIVE IS RESEARCH
19 Process oriented research: opening new horizons for IS research 325
Dubravka Cecez-Kecmanovic
20 Beyond the snapshot: reconceptualising human agency and context in
qualitative IS research 340
Matthew Jones and Yingqin Zheng
21 Analysis chaining: conceptual and empirical framing of digital traces 360
Aron Lindberg
22 Current trends and future opportunities in qualitative IS research 376
Robert M. Davison
Index 383
