Engaging structuration theory: case study research in examining organizational implications of implementing technology

Abstract

Structuration theory has been increasingly acknowledged in the information system research as a powerful conceptual tool to examine the social impact of implementing and using technology in organization. Giddens (1976, 1984) proposed structuration theory to replace the old conception of social structure. Explicitly, he suggested the notion of the duality of structure to address the limitations of the dualism view in theorizing social change. This paper demonstrates the applicability of structuration theory in examining the social impact of deploying medical imaging in hospital. It discusses how this research integrates structuration theory with case study research method to identify how the external context shapes the implementation and use of the technology in Malaysian hospitals.