Boundary Crossing Issues Between Academia, Business and Government

摘要

In this paper issues arising from crossing boundaries between the three worlds of academia, business and government in performing informatics research are explored. In particular the issues arising for informatics researchers in conducting case studies in business are explored following the qualitative research phases set out by Denzin and Lincoln (2000). Habermas (1996) provides a philosophical and structural framework on which to base this exploration. Informatics case study research is selected to deconstruct because it is the most common qualitative method chosen by informatics researchers. The framework developed in this paper is one attempt to address Hirschheim and Klein's (2003) claim that the field of information systems is a 'fragmented adhocracy' in which disconnects exist between researchers and practitioners in business, researchers and government, researchers and the rest of academia and also within the ever-growing context in which informatics research takes place. Such a framework provides a navigation aid for dealing with the complex issues associated with dilemmas, disconnect and distortions that may arise in undertaking case study research.