Rethinking Stakeholder Involvement: An Application of the Theories of Autopoiesis and Boundary Critique to IS Planning

Abstract

Current practice in strategic information systems (IS) planning seems to be focused on surfacing an organisation’s vision and goals, exploring the potential offered by information technology (IT), and designing information systems to support the fulfillment of the stated goals using the most appropriate technology available (García, 1993; Currid, 1994; Lewis, 1994; Andreu et al., 1996). Methodologies for IS planning usually involve the training and participation of individual employees—but only in so far as they contribute to furthering the pre-set organisational agenda. These methodologies also tend to assume a ‘standard’ role for IS experts: providing expertise in IT/IS management. Most of the literature and the practice of IT/IS development in organisations seem to be focused upon technical issues (Davies and Wood-Harper, 1989), where computer science experts play an important role (Winograd and Flores, 1987). They are expected to provide knowledge to solve problems.