Bridging the IS academic-practitioner relationship divide: a review, a theoretical framework, and an example of interaction

Darroch, Fiona and Toleman, Mark (2007) Bridging the IS academic-practitioner relationship divide: a review, a theoretical framework, and an example of interaction. In: ACIS 2007: 18th Australasian Conference on Information Systems:The 3 Rs: Research, Relevance and Rigour - Coming of Age, 5-7 Dec 2007, Toowoomba, Australia.

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Abstract

It is commonly postulated that a divide exists between the academic and the practitioner wings of the Information Systems (IS) discipline. In recent years, causes and appropriate remedial actions have been widely canvassed in the literature. The paper begins with an analysis of the literature relevant to the ongoing debate, and presents summaries of issues pertinent to the causes of the divide, and to the achievement of enhanced cooperation between the two wings. A theoretical framework is proposed which identifies the necessary actions that are required at the individual and the organisational level. It indicates that radical rethinking may be required with regard to the structure of the IS discipline, both within and outside academia. An illustrative Action Research (AR) project is described. It provides insights into what is achievable by planned cooperation between academics and practitioners. It arises, from an approach to one of the authors by an in-house group of Business Analysts (BAs). Some preliminary feed-back, from the practitioners is included. The paper concludes with some reflections on the need for reform, across the IS discipline, at both individual and organisational level.

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Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Commonwealth Reporting Category E) (Paper)
Refereed:	Yes
Item Status:	Live Archive
Additional Information:	Paper no. 93
Faculty / Department / School:	Historic - Faculty of Business - School of Information Systems
Date Deposited:	13 Dec 2007 05:30
Last Modified:	02 Jul 2013 22:54
Uncontrolled Keywords:	academic-practitioner relationship; IS crisis; IS theory; action research; research relevance
Fields of Research :	13 Education > 1303 Specialist Studies in Education > 130306 Educational Technology and Computing 08 Information and Computing Sciences > 0806 Information Systems > 080610 Information Systems Organisation 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1701 Psychology > 170107 Industrial and Organisational Psychology
Socio-Economic Objective:	C Society > 93 Education and Training > 9303 Curriculum > 930301 Assessment and Evaluation of Curriculum
URI:	http://eprints.usq.edu.au/id/eprint/3605

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