Document Type : علمی - پژوهشی
Authors
1
valiasr rafsanjan
2
Ph.D. Candidate in Information Technology Management, Department of Information Technology Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Tarbiat Modares University, Jalale Ale Ahmad, Tehran, Iran.
3
Tarbiat Modares univProfessor in Information Technology Management, Department of Information Technology Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Tarbiat Modares University, Jalale Ale Ahmad, Tehran, Iran.ersity
4
Professor in Industrial Engineering, Department of Industrial Management, Vali-e-Asr University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Kerman, Iran.
10.30471/mssh.2025.10408.2570
Abstract
In information systems research, three methodologies are recognized: positivism, interpretivism, and critical realism. Research conducted within the frameworks of the positivist and interpretivist paradigms often suffers from contradictions between theory and practice. These contradictions arise from the incompatibility between researchers’ ontological assumptions and the actual functioning of science, which necessitates a reexamination of the ontological foundations of research and practice in information systems. According to the methodology of critical realism, a distinction exists between the "real" world and the "observable" world, where unobservable structures give rise to observable events. Information systems can only be comprehended when these underlying structures are acknowledged. Critical realism provides a beneficial context for information systems research, facilitating the reinterpretation of scientific activities and the concepts of generative structures and mechanisms. It offers greater explanatory power than current research methodologies and resolves the contradictions between theory and practice. This study conducts a systematic review of the theoretical foundations using a narrative approach, reporting findings from a narrative synthesis of previously published information on critical realism. To achieve this, an initial search for credible sources was conducted employing both automated and snowball sampling methods within reputable databases, resulting in 156 relevant sources aligned with the study's objectives. Following qualitative evaluation, 49 studies were selected for in-depth examination. In the second stage, a narrative review methodology was employed to explore the fundamental concepts related to critical realist methodology. These concepts were presented in the form of ontological narratives, generative mechanisms and causality, the nature of reality within critical realism, the retroductive process, and research design.
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