MIS Research

For today's seminar, our class had to read an article by Peter Keen. In this article he discusses reference disciplines, dependent variables, relationship of MIS research to computer technology, relationship of MIS research to practice, and where to publish.

What was particularly distressing about this article was its truth about the state of research in MIS. Unfortunately, most departments and major journals encourage traditional positivist research and discourage case studies and practitioner oriented writing. Its as if to say, we want to keep research as distant from reality as possible. Let's make it irrelevant, so we don't have to worry about being wrong.

This is not the type of research I'm interested in being involved with. I want to attack philosophic questions about how technology changes our life and how our values influence the use of technology. From a management perspective, I want to address what technologies are most appropriate for what contexts. I want to write proscriptive articles, not observational articles.

Unfortunately, those types of articles are difficult to get published. So following my dreams will limit my access to research institutions. I may be able to pull it off, but it would certainly be difficult. Not that I've stepped away from difficult projects before. But it is certainly something to give me pause. Is that battle worth fighting? Could I find happiness in a teaching school? I'd still want to write, but where would be my outlet? I need to find the answer to these questions.