Claudio Ciborra: the Labyrinths of Information: Challenging the Wisdom of Systems - Book Review

Organization Studies, Oct, 2003 by Walter Baets

In Chapter 8 ('Kairos and Affectio') Ciborra introduces 'the theory of' improvisation, and particularly the dynamic character of improvisation. He describes improvisation as situated action, always catching the latest circumstances in emergent problem-solving. With improvisation, one takes time, instead of being taken by the time. An improvising manager is in the situation; s/he takes care.

In his methodological annex, the author defends his personal approach and outlines what he calls 'his dilettante approach', which is what I would call the manual to Claudio Ciborra. He fuels the discussion about appropriate research methods in MIS and in doing so argues strongly for limiting models and methods.

What can be learned from this book? I would like to split this question into learning for the practising manager, and learning for the practical academic. I'm afraid that for the theoretical academic, the ideas raised by Ciborra are (unfortunately) too distant from what tends to concern him/her. MIS as an academic discipline would certainly benefit from a discussion of Ciborra's ideas.

The practitioner will certainly recognize what s/he lives with every day when implementing IS. Ciborra neatly describes practice in terms of how it fails to obey the laws of systems design and development. He suggests attitudes and activities, which closely resemble procedures, to remedy the situation. He correctly stresses the role of people, but does not go far enough to illustrate what he really means by this undemanding statement. Above all, the book will be refreshing for those who have tried for years to work methodologically with IS and have failed without any apparent reason. They will enjoy this book. It sketches a kind of newly observed reality close to the practitioner's heart.

For the practical academic it is an even more refreshing text, as it gathers and structures some of the fundamental ideas which have already been around for quite a number of years, but have always been voiced in the wings of the theatre, and not on the stage itself. It is neither the first publication nor is he the first author to have constructively critiqued the mainstream approach to MIS research and its applicability and importance for corporations. This book, however, makes no excuses for failures and methods, but clearly selects and advocates an alternative. This is a courageous choice, one that I certainly appreciate. I think this book is therefore a must for all those academics seriously interested in explorative MIS research on the one hand, and for those who are interested in corporate relevant research on the other.

The book considers IS strategy as identical to, or an integral part of corporate strategy, understanding strategy as an emergent process. How does this challenge ongoing MIS research? lf the practical relevance of methods and methodologies is limited, what then is the field of study of MIS? If MIS is indeed a social science (or socio-technical) would that imply a serious reorientation of major research efforts around the world?