In the age of the smart machine: the future of work and power
In the age of the smart machine: the future of work and power
Social change and the future of information systems development
Critical issues in information systems research
The in-formation of information systems
Critical issues in information systems research
The Computer Journal
Communications of the ACM
Modern software engineering, foundations and current perspectives
Modern software engineering, foundations and current perspectives
Soft systems methodology in action
Soft systems methodology in action
Communications of the ACM - Special issue on information filtering
Information systems issues facing senior executives: the culture gap
The Journal of Strategic Information Systems
Educating computer scientists: linking the social and the technical
Communications of the ACM
Communications of the ACM
An empirical investigation into the adoption of systems development methodologies
Information and Management
Growing systems in emergent organizations
Communications of the ACM
Power, politics, and MIS implementation
Communications of the ACM
How to Plan, Develop and Use Information Systems: A Guide to Human Qualities and Productivity
How to Plan, Develop and Use Information Systems: A Guide to Human Qualities and Productivity
Software Engineering
Management Information Systems: Conceptual Foundations, Structure and Development
Management Information Systems: Conceptual Foundations, Structure and Development
Information, Systems and Information Systems: Making Sense of the Field
Information, Systems and Information Systems: Making Sense of the Field
Computers in Context: The Philosophy and Practice of Systems Design
Computers in Context: The Philosophy and Practice of Systems Design
Interpreting Information Systems in Organizations
Interpreting Information Systems in Organizations
Journal of Management Information Systems - Special section: Exploring the outlands of the MIS discipline
Systems Development: A Restrictive Practice?
International Journal of Information Management: The Journal for Information Professionals
Towards a smart State? Inter-agency collaboration, information integration, and beyond
Information Polity - ICT, public administration and democracy in the coming decade
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Since the very early days of computing, information systems were regarded as "man-machine" systems. This definition is of far greater importance to the teaching of information systems as well as to the profession of information systems developers than is often recognised. The majority of teachers, and textbooks, are still caught in the paradigm that information systems development is a technical "art" rather than a field that concerns sociological, rather than technical problems. This chapter argues that the "human" or sociological side of information systems is of such importance that it should be seen as the core of the discipline, and that information systems are best understood when viewed as social systems.Examining the nondeterministic nature of information systems and applying Ashby's Law of Requisite Variety are helpful to describe and explain these systems as social systems. The paper also refers to current thinking on systems (especially soft systems methodology) and its place in supporting information systems in a constantly changing environment.Finally, the implications of viewing information systems as social systems are discussed with respect to teaching and research, the impact of information systems on organizations, and the shortcomings of current software engineering methodologies.