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Seeking Constructive Synergy: Design Science and the Constructive Research Approach

  • Conference paper
Design Science at the Intersection of Physical and Virtual Design (DESRIST 2013)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 7939))

Abstract

Information systems research and management science create knowledge which can be applied in organizations. Design science specifically aims at applying existing knowledge to solve interesting and relevant business problems and has been steadily gaining support in information systems research. However, design science is not the only design-oriented framework. Accordingly, this raises the question of whether it is possible to compare the results obtained from different brands of design-oriented research. This paper contributes to answering this question by comparing two research approaches, enabling mutual learning possibilities and suggesting improvements in transparency and rigor. The objective of this paper is to compare design science research with the constructive research approach. The conclusion is that the two approaches are compatible, save for details in practical requirements and partly underlying philosophical assumptions, but both have something to teach each other about how to define and execute design-oriented research in information systems and management science.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta, Finland

    Kalle A. Piirainen

  2. Javeriana University, Bogotá, Colombia

    Rafael A. Gonzalez

Authors
  1. Kalle A. Piirainen
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  2. Rafael A. Gonzalez
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Information Systems, University of Liechtenstein, Fürst-Franz-Josef-Strasse 21, 9490, Vaduz, Liechtenstein

    Jan vom Brocke

  2. Department of Information and Service Economy, Aalto University, Chydenia (Runeberginkatu 22-24), P.O. Box 21220, 00076, Aalto, Finland

    Riitta Hekkala  & Matti Rossi  & 

  3. Department of Management Information Systems, Eller College of Management, University of Arizona, 430J McClelland Hall, 85721, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Sudha Ram

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© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Piirainen, K.A., Gonzalez, R.A. (2013). Seeking Constructive Synergy: Design Science and the Constructive Research Approach. In: vom Brocke, J., Hekkala, R., Ram, S., Rossi, M. (eds) Design Science at the Intersection of Physical and Virtual Design. DESRIST 2013. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 7939. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38827-9_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38827-9_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-38826-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-38827-9

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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