Systems of Meaning: Ethnography as a Methodology for the Study of Information Technologies

Abstract

This paper explores the implications of using ethnography as a methodology to study information technologies. It outlines the principal distinguishing characteristics of ethnographies by contrasting this methodology with other commonly used qualitative field research. It traces the philosophic roots of ethnography in symbolic anthropology and stresses the methodology's concern for thick description, plausibility of accounts, the cultural context and the immersion of the researcher. The paper also illustrates how the methodology can contribute to our understanding of Information Systems by discussing a few studies in this genre. It concludes by highlighting some recenl dilemmas facing researchers in the ethnographic tradition.