Information Systems And Global Diversity

This book studies the intertwined processes of information systems implementation and organizational change within the current trend of economic globalization. It highlights the significance of local context and points out the institutional forces and the multiple rationalities that influence the implementation and use of information technology in diverse organizational settings. It is often assumed that the impact and implementation of ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) will or should be the same in all situations with little regard to the particular social or cultural context. Drawing on experience and research in different societies (Europe, Latin America, etc.), this book explains the nature of organizational diversity in which ICT innovation takes place, and also develops a conceptual approach to account for it. The book draws from institutionalist concepts of organizations, the sociology of technology, current debates on globalization, and critiques of the rationality of modernity. The theoretical perspective is supported empirically by four international case studies. The author shows how the processes of ICT innovation and organizational change reflect local aspirations, concerns, and action, as well as the multiple institutional influences of globalization.