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Reading the organization: metaphors and information management
Author(s) -
Walsham G.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
information systems journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.635
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-2575
pISSN - 1350-1917
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2575.1993.tb00113.x
Subject(s) - reading (process) , value (mathematics) , metaphor , information management , knowledge management , management information systems , information system , epistemology , politics , computer science , sociology , management science , political science , linguistics , engineering , philosophy , machine learning , law
. The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of selected metaphors as a way of reading organizations, and to relate this to elements of the practice of information management A brief outline of the philosophical basis of the metaphorical approach is given. This is followed by a detailed discussion of the metaphors of organizations as cultures and political systems. These metaphors are then related to a specific issue in information management, namely the development and implementation of information systems strategy. Finally, some conclusions are drawn on the value of a metaphorical approach for information management.