A Case of Social Dynamics and Social Relativism

Abstract

The paper presents a case study of the replacement of an IT system in a production plant, in the context of a change of ownership of the plant and a renewal of its complete IT landscape as a consequence. The new systems had to be operational by a fixed date, some 8 months after formal transfer of ownership. Simultaneously with the replacement of systems the local organisation had to adapt to the views of the new parent company, exploring some workable middle ground between structures and patterns of the old and new parent company.

In the given situation where the organisation was transiting to new and partly still to be determined structures and patterns, methodologies assuming a more or less stable social world would be of little guidance. Finding – and creating – firm ground together with people from different backgrounds involved in the project was a major challenge. The paper will present the case itself, followed by a reflection on the position of several methodologies from the social relativism paradigm regarding the dynamics of evolving meanings while developing an information system. The Learning Cycle from Soft Systems Methodology will be projected on the case, to examine retrospectively the fit of SSM with the volatility of the social environment in the case.