Using Actor-Network Theory to Identify Factors Affecting the Adoption of E-Commerce in SMEs

2011 ◽  
pp. 152-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Tatnall ◽  
Stephen Burgess
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Technological Innovation ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Medium Enterprise ◽  
Human Actors

Just because e-commerce seems like a useful tool that may assist a small to medium enterprise (SME) do its business better, it does not necessarily follow that it will be adopted by this business. The implementation of an e-commerce system in an SME necessitates change in the way the business operates, and so should be considered as an innovation and studied using innovation theory. In this chapter we will argue that the decision to adopt, or not to adopt, a new technology, has more to do with the interactions and associations of both human and non-human actors involved in the project than with the characteristics of the technology. Information systems are complex socio-technical entities and research into their implementation needs to take account of this complexity. This chapter describes three case studies of adoption (or, in one case, of non-adoption) of e-commerce by small business. The chapter describes a research approach based on actor-network theory and innovation translation that we show can be usefully employed in many socio-technical situations involving technological innovation.

Actor-Network Theory as a Socio-Technical Approach to Information Systems Research

2003 ◽  
pp. 266-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Tatnall
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Technological Innovation ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Information Systems Research ◽  
New Business ◽  
Human Actors

An information system is a socio-technical discipline involving both human and non-human entities. Much of the research done in an information system context investigates changes caused by the introduction of new business or organisational system, or changes made to an existing system, and so can be regarded as research into aspects of technological innovation. Information systems are complex entities and their development is a complex undertaking. Research in information systems needs to take account of the complexity of information systems development rather than take steps to hide this. An approach to information systems research, based on actor-network theory, offers a good means of allowing impartial treatment of the contributions of both human and non-human actors, and of handling the complexities involved. This chapter outlines such an approach.

Actor-Network Theory in Information Systems Research

2005 ◽  
pp. 42-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Tatnall
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Technological Innovation ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Information Systems Research

Building an information system is a difficult task, partly due to the problem of ascertaining the requirements of the intended users, but also because of the complexity of the large number of human-machine interactions (Banville, 1991). This complexity is reflected in the difficulty of building these systems to operate free from error and to perform as intended. The dictionary defines innovation as “the alteration of what is established; something newly introduced”. As the introduction or improvement of an information system in an organisation necessarily involves change, information systems research often involves research into technological innovation.

ANT, Phenomenography and a Research Question in Information Systems

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bill Davey
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
New Techniques ◽  
Actor Network

This paper describes the research Approach of Phenomenography. A research question that has been addressed by this method is used to allow comparison between Phenomenography and Actor- Network Theory as approaches to questions involving the adoption of new techniques in information systems projects.

scholarly journals From laboratory life to newsroom practice: The use of actor-network theory and community of practice to explain newsroom practice and culture: Kurdish Network News as case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 686-705
Author(s):  
Kovan Hussein Saado ◽  
Abdulsamad Qadir Hussein
Keyword(s):  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Automation System ◽  
Strong Basis ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Human Actors ◽  
Laboratory Life

This paper focuses on the impacts of technological changes in the newsroom practices, taking both Actor-Network Theory (henceforth ANT) developed by Latour, 1992; Callon, 1992 and Law, 1992), as well as the Community of Practice (henceforth COP) developed by Wenger, 1998 and Lave, 1991) in newsroom practices and news-making processes inside the newsroom of (KNN) a Kurdish news channel. The paper argues that both models provide a strong basis of understanding the situation of news practice and constructing a better environment of learning, shared projects, problem solving, focal actor roles, and translation processes.The paper explores how the ANT and COP models work together to provide in-depth understanding for media researchers in their study of newsroom technology. Through this paper the researcher will provide in-depth understanding surrounding the key concepts and principles of each model and employ these to analyses news practice and contemporary newsroom culture. Through the use of ANT and COP this paper seeks to understand the role of new technology tools, human and non-human actors in shaping journalists’ behavior in the newsroom.The date collection process based on the secondary data includes the in-depth interviews with news making crews in the newsroom and non-participate observation of the situation of automation system newsroom applied by KNN.

Actor-Network Theory Applied to Information Systems Research

2011 ◽  
pp. 20-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Tatnall
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Technological Innovation ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Information Systems Research

Building an information system is a difficult task, partly due to the problem of ascertaining the requirements of the intended users, but also because of the complexity of the large number of human-machine interactions (Tatnall & Davey, 2005). This complexity is reflected in the difficulty of building these systems to operate free from error and to perform as intended. The dictionary defines innovation as “the alteration of what is established; something newly introduced” (Macquarie Library, 1981 p. 914). As the introduction or improvement of an information system in an organisation necessarily involves change, information systems research often involves research into technological innovation.

Studying DNA

2014 ◽  
pp. 196-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Quinlan
Keyword(s):  
Technological Innovation ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Scientific Practice ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
The Other ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Methodological Challenges ◽  
Feminist Thought ◽  
Intellectual Traditions

Feminist methodologies and Actor-Network Theory (ANT) have often been considered opposing theoretical and intellectual traditions. This chapter imagines a conversation between these seemingly divergent fields and considers the theoretical and methodological challenges that ANT and particular branches of feminist thought raise for the other. This chapter examines an empirical project that calls for an engagement with both ANT and feminist methodologies. Through the lens of this empirical project, four methodological questions are considered, which an alliance between ANT and feminist methodologies would raise for any research project: 1) Where do we start our analysis? 2) Which actors should we follow? 3) What can we see when we begin to follow the actors? 4) What about politics? The potential places where ANT and feminist methodologies can meet and mutually shape research on scientific practice and technological innovation are explored. In doing so, this chapter moves towards envisioning new intersections between feminist methodologies and ANT.

The Impact of Network of Actors on the Information Technology

2011 ◽  
pp. 234-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiko Iyamu ◽  
Arthur Tatnall
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
It Strategy ◽  
Web Portal ◽  
Computing Environment ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Design And Implementation ◽  
Human Actors ◽  
The Impact

Organisations’ reliance on Information Technology (IT) is rapidly increasing. IT strategy is developed and implemented for particular purposes by different organizations. We should therefore expect that there will be network of actors within the computing environment, and that such network of actors will be the key to understanding many otherwise unexpected situations during the development and implementation of IT strategy. This network of actors has aligned interests. Many organizations are developing and implementing their IT strategy, while little is known about the network of actors and their impacts, which this paper reveals. This paper describes how Actor-Network Theory (ANT) was employed to investigate the impact of network of actors on the development and implementation of IT strategy in an organisation. ANT was used as it can provide a useful perspective on the importance of relationships between both human and non-human actors. Another example: design and implementation of a B-B web portal, is offered for comparison.

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