Information Systems and Global Diversity

It is often assumed that the impact and implementation of ICT's (Information and Communication Technologies) will or should be the same in all situations with little regard to the particular social or cultural context. Drawing on experience and research in different societies (Europe, Latin America, etc.), this book explains the nature of organizational diversity in which ICT innovation takes place, and also develops a conceptual approach to account for it. The book draws from institutionalist concepts of organizations, the sociology of technology, current debates on globalization and critiques of the rationality of modernity. The theoretical perspective is supported empirically by four international case studies. The author shows how the processes of ICT innovation and organizational change reflect local aspirations, concerns, and action, as well as the multiple institutional influences of globalization.

Chrisanthi Avgerou is Senior Lecturer in Information Systems at the London School of Economics. Her research interests include the relationship of information technology to organizational change, and the role of IT in socio-economic development.