Towards a Hermeneutic Method for Interpretive Research in Information Systems

Abstract

There is increasing interest in hermeneutics as a research approach in the field of information systems. However, the problem facing researchers is that there is a paucity of information on the application of hermeneutics for empirical research in the social sciences; indeed, there is very little guidance on what exactly constitutes a hermeneutic method for the investigation of social phenomena. In order to address this problem, this paper provides an overview of concepts and principles from the related philosophies of phenomenology and hermeneutics; it then illustrates their application in an interpretive case study on the information systems development process. The insights obtained from the application of the hermeneutic method outlined in this paper have helped realize the study's objective of illustrating the link between phenomenological hermeneutics and the conduct of interpretive research.