Defining information systems as work systems: implications for the IS field

The lack of an agreed upon definition of information system (IS) is one of many obstacles troubling the academic IS discipline. After listing a number of definitions of IS, this paper defines IS as a special case of work system as defined in Alter (1999a). This definition has many desirable characte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of information systems 2008-10, Vol.17 (5), p.448-469
Main Author: Alter, Steven
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Automation
Business and Management
Business Information Systems
Communication
Computers
definition of information system
Definitions
Electronic games
Information processing
information system
Information systems
Information Systems and Communication Service
Information technology
Innovation/Technology Management
IS discipline
IT antifact
Operations Research/Decision Theory
Opinion Paper
Studies
work system
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Summary:The lack of an agreed upon definition of information system (IS) is one of many obstacles troubling the academic IS discipline. After listing a number of definitions of IS, this paper defines IS as a special case of work system as defined in Alter (1999a). This definition has many desirable characteristics: it is easy to understand; differentiates IS from information technology (IT); covers totally manual, partially automated, and totally automated ISs; links to a life cycle model that generates many insights about development and implementation problems; provides a simple guideline that helps in interpreting common IS/IT jargon; and has other useful implications related to IS concepts, IS terminology, and the analysis and design of ISs. The paper presents the proposed IS definition and evaluates the definition in terms of simplicity, clarity, scope, systematic power, explanatory power, validity, reliability, and fruitfulness. An Appendix summarizes previously published concepts and two frameworks that flow from the proposed definition and are useful for appreciating many points in the evaluation section.
ISSN:0960-085X
1476-9344
DOI:10.1057/ejis.2008.37