Employing Interpretive Research to Build Theory of Information Systems Practice

Abstract

This paper provides guidance and an example for carrying out research using an interpretive framework. Until quite recently, there has been little available in the IS literature to guide the interpretive researcher to build theory of IS practice. While structured as a typical research paper, this paper is different in that the focus is on conceptual issues and the research methods rather than the findings. Unlike positivist research, there is no accepted general model for communicating interpretive research. Similarly, few guidelines exist for conducting the inductive process central to interpretive research. Throughout the paper, issues relating to the choice and application of the methods in terms of conducting inductive research are discussed. Overall, the focus provides an in-depth discussion of the particular interpretive research that I undertook so that other researchers can read of an example that may be similar to their own and therefore guide their work.