IRIS Overview

The IRIS Research Group carries out research into the effective utilization of information systems and technology in government, business and communities. This includes applications in areas such as education, health, and agriculture. The research recognizes the critical importance of social and organizational factors in the beneficial use of technology. Information technology should be an emancipatory, enabling and empowering factor in human affairs, not a controlling, constraining and oppressive element. The IRIS Research Group has been jointly formed in the School of CIS by Judy Young, Phyl Willson, Kristy de Salas and Peter Marshall. The Research Group is focused on qualitative and Interpretivist research in Information systems. Particular interests are as follows:

• IS strategy and governance
• Business process management
• Philosophic foundations of IS, particularly hermeneutics, social constructionism and postmodernism
• Qualitative research methods including action research, case study, narrative and grounded theory