This paper attempts to demonstrate the principles of hermeneutics in an effort to understand factors affecting Information Systems (IS) projects. As hermeneutics provides a systematic method of interpreting text from multiple information sources, thus, Information Systems being prima facie defined and documented as text documents, are eminently suited for this mode of investigation. In this paper, we illustrate hermeneutics by analysing a sample case study document describing a well known project of Denver International Airport (DIA) Automated Baggage Handling System, which was extensively reported in IS and management press and studied by Montealegre and his colleagues (Montealegre, Nelson, Knoop, & Applegate, 1999, p553-554). As a result of the hermeneutic approach to the analysis of this document, a new "flexibility" factor has been discovered to play an important, yet unreported, role in the DIA system demise. In the DIA case, the observed flexibility factor influenced the quality of the interaction between the actors, the prevailing environment and the information systems.
History
Pagination
1 - 16
Location
Canberra, ACT
Open access
Yes
Start date
2004-07-16
End date
2004-07-17
ISBN-13
9781920942205
ISBN-10
1920942203
Language
eng
Notes
Reproduced with the kind permission of the copyright owner.