Thoughts on Generalizing the IS Artifact

Abstract
How do we generalize an information systems (IS) artifact that works in one setting so that it will work in another setting? We know much about generalizing a scientific theory from one setting to another setting, but generalizing a scientific theory and generalizing an IS artifact are not the same thing. For a scientific theory to work in a new setting and for an IS artifact to work in a new setting require satisfying very different sets of requirements. Generalizing a scientific theory requires satisfying and making assumptions about objective, scientific reasoning. Generalizing an IS artifact, however, requires satisfying and making assumptions about subjectively defined information requirements, social requirements, and even technology requirements. The purpose of this seminar is to provide and illustrate a procedure for generalizing the IS artifact. The procedure will build on, but diverge from as necessary, what is known about generalizing a scientific theory. The illustration will show how we generalize an IS artifact involving educational software on a thumb drive, where we generalize it from a setting involving education for primary school students in Haiti to a setting involving continuing medical education for physicians in Nepal.

Biography
Allen S. Lee is Professor Emeritus of Information Systems at Virginia Commonwealth University. He served as associate dean at both VCU and McGill University, as editor-in-chief of MIS Quarterly, and as a founding senior editor of MIS Quarterly Executive. His research program over more than three decades has involved identifying basic lessons from the philosophy and history of science and extending them, in the information systems discipline, to show not only how qualitative research can be done rigorously, but also how quantitative research equally needs to live up to the requirements of science. He is a Fellow of the Association for Information Systems, a member of the Circle of Compadres of the Information Systems Doctoral Students Association (ISDSA) of the KPMG Ph.D. Project, and a founder of Chinese American Professors of Information Systems. In 2015, he received the LEO Award for “lifetime exceptional achievement in information systems” from the Association for Information Systems.

Manoj A. Thomas is an Associate Professor in the Discipline of Business Information Systems at the University of Sydney Business School. His research interests are primarily in areas of emerging technologies, data science, and ICT for Development (ICT4D). He conducts research in diverse settings involving uncertain environments, non-traditional users, and unconventional application of technological solutions. His work has been published and presented internationally. His ICT outreach and research is global, taking him to Asia, Africa, Caribbean, Europe, Oceania, South America, and the United States.