Information technology and organizational change: Causal structure in theory and research

Citation: M. Lynne Markus, Daniel Robey (1988) Information technology and organizational change: Causal structure in theory and research. Management Science (RSS)
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Summary

Markus and Robey's article tries to unpack and compare the logical structure of different theories from Information Systems research. He breaks it down into three core dimensions: Causal Agency, Logical Structure and Level of Analysis.

The authors suggest there are three approaches to causal agency:

• Technological imperative: The inner logic of technological systems determine organization structure.
• Organization imperative: Information systems are created to fit organizational needs.
• Emergent: Neither or both of the previous system. For example, work that shows that similar dynamics can result in different structure.

Logical structure:

• Variance theories: Theories that suggest that precursors are necessary and sufficiently similar and that we can understand causal relationships between precursers and outcomes.

• Process: That that suggest that outcomes are partially predictable from a knowledge of a process and not from variables alone.

Level of analysis:

• Macro level: Theories focusing on organization or society.
• Micro level: Theories focusing on individuals within organizations.