The IM research field in view of a "rational choice" paradigm and an "institutional theory" paradigm

Abstract

This article studies the field of information management research in the light of the differences between approaches building on a "rational choice" epistemology and (new) institutional approaches. I broaden the definition of what may be included in information management research somewhat so that parts of the research field of Information Seeking and Use (INSU) are included and use literature from organisational theory as well as from political science to explain the differences in epistemology. The first part is devoted to defining the research field, the second part to studying underlying epistemological assumptions. The broader project from which this article is derived is my dissertation on how, and why, voluntary peace organisations in Sweden manage information, where some of the ideas discussed here will be used in a chapter on earlier research.