Technological and organizational structures: A case of adaptation in the archaeological sector

Abstract

In the archaeological sector, information about finds and related documents is highly relevant, but no information system (IS) is available to manage it. Professionals working in the field are often not used to managing information by means of technology and, moreover, work practices are not standardized. The introduction of a new IS to track events and record information in such an environment is therefore a big challenge. An adaptation between technology and organization is then to be expected, in order to find an appropriate form of integration. By adopting a structuration theory perspective, this work analyses the case of a project in which an IS to manage finds was designed, experimented with, discussed, and then developed. © Springer-Verlag 2010.