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Advancing NeuroIS from a Dialectical Perspective

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Information Systems and Neuroscience (NeuroIS 2020)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Information Systems and Organisation ((LNISO,volume 43))

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Abstract

In spite of decades of research, the essence of central IS phenomena such as information, the IT artifact, and the Information System, remain unsettled. This aggravates the identification and definition of their neural correlates, which in turn may stymie the future potential of NeuroIS. To this end, the purpose of this paper is to define an intellectual core for the NeuroIS field, which is based on the dialectics between the individual and her social environment. Such a core enables a reconceptualization of information, the IT artifact, and the Information System as distinct ontological phenomena, however dialectically related. Accordingly, their neural correlates can be more distinctly defined, which opens up for alternative research questions. An example of a NeuroIS study addressing such questions is provided. Thus, the paper contributes to the formulation of a foundation for the future advancement of NeuroIS.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For a case in point, see e.g. [2], where “IT artefact” and “IS artefact” are interchangeably referred to.

  2. 2.

    However, the neural effects of attending and acting with a model may of course be documented by NeuroIS tools and methods.

  3. 3.

    These particular factors were identified from long-term observations of and reflections over projects developing complex telecom systems in industry [31,32].

  4. 4.

    Such mental functions need to be seen as Complex Functional Systems [23] since “no specific function is ever connected with the activity of one single brain center. It is always the product of the integral activity of strictly differentiated, hierarchically interconnected centers” [24, p. 171].

  5. 5.

    Common characterizations are “world” [e.g. 21], “environment” [e.g. 22] and the like.

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Taxén, L. (2020). Advancing NeuroIS from a Dialectical Perspective. In: Davis, F.D., Riedl, R., vom Brocke, J., Léger, PM., Randolph, A.B., Fischer, T. (eds) Information Systems and Neuroscience. NeuroIS 2020. Lecture Notes in Information Systems and Organisation, vol 43. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60073-0_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60073-0_11

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