Structuration theory

1. Gidden’s structuration theory and
information systems research
Jones, M. R. & Karsten, H. (2008). MIS Quarterly,
32(1), 127-157
22.10.2014
Alfatika Aunuriella Dini & Aleksandra Lazareva

2. Structuration theory
• a general theory of social organization rather than a theory
specific to IS
• the central issue in the theory is relations between an
individual (agency) and society (structure), and the idea is
that the two are mutually interdependent
• Giddens didn’t focus on technology in his theory, but it’s
believed to have a lot of potential in IS research
• the idea is not that technology can’t have any influence on
society, but that its effect depends on what humans do with it
• it’s been one of the most influential theoretical paradigms in
IS recently

3. Use of structuration theory in the IS research
AST
• if group interaction processes don’t correspond to the
structural features of the technology, outcomes are less
predictable and probably less favorable
Duality of technology
• although technology is a material artifact, it should not be
focused on just as a physical object. It should be more like
an artifact which is the outcome of human action,
something that is created and changed by human, but also
used by human to do some action

4. Critical engagement with the structuration theory
• increasing number of studies are based on secondary
literature (IS-specific versions of the theory), which indicates
that Giddens’s original ideas are sort of misinterpreted
• there’s no cumulative tradition
• only a small part of those works take into account more than
a few key points of Giddens’s theory: mainly the works use
the theory generally OR just specific concepts
• Giddens criticizes objectivism and naturalism, but the IS
research “assumes an epistemological equivalence between
the social and natural sciences” which “is at odds with
central principles of Giddens’s position” (Jones & Karsten
2008, p. 145)

5. Suggested questions for discussion
• How is it possible to use a theory selectively without harming
the credibility of the study?
• How to pick the right theory for your study if there are a few
theories that cover relevant aspects/ concepts/ processes for
your case?
• What may be the reasons for people’s non-use of technology?
Can some of those be explained by the structuration theory?