Ebook: Information System Concepts: An Integrated Discipline Emerging: IFIP TC8/WG8.1 International Conference on Information System Concepts: An Integrated Discipline Emerging (ISCO-4)September 20–22, 1999, University of Leiden, The Netherlands

This volume contains the invited paper, the reviewed research papers, the discussants' comments on the latter, and the workshop memoranda of the fourth IFIP WG 8. 1 International Working Conference on "Information System Concepts", with the subtitle "An Integrated Discipline Emerging" (ISC04). It was held in Leiden, The Netherlands, 20-22 September 1999. The previous three ISCO conferences were subtitled "An In-depth Analysis", "Improving the Understanding", and "Towards a Consolidation of Views". Their proceedings were published in 1989, 1992, and 1995, respectively. The ISCO conferences were instigated by the former Task Group FRISCO (an acronym for "FRamework of Information System Concepts"), charged by the IFIP Working Group 8. 1 with the task of proposing a conceptual framework for the information system field. Its report, entitled "A Framework of Information System Concepts" (the "FRISCO Report" for short), is available on the World Wide Web via the address: http://www. wi. leidenuniv. nl/~verrynstlfrisco. html or may be downloaded directly as a condensed Word-6 file from: ftp://ftp. leidenuniv. nl/pub/rullfri-full. zip The FRISCO Report forms a significant contribution to the long-lasting quest of our community towards developing a scientific outlook on the field of information systems. Clarifying the varied nature of many diverging views - some of which may not easily be reconciled - the report does propose a coherent, consistent and partially formalised framework of concepts.

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This book contains the papers, discussion notes and workshop reports of `ISCO4', the fourth international conference in a series instigated by the former IFIP Working Group 8.1 Task Group FRISCO (FRamework of Information System COncepts). The FRISCO Report - published in 1998 - forms a significant contribution to the long-lasting quest of our community towards developing a scientific outlook in the field of information systems. ISCO4 provided a forum for debate on that report and on a range of related issues:

Reflections on and criticism of conceptual frameworks (such as FRISCO);

Fundamental and generic information system concepts;

Novel information system design approaches;

Approaches to integrate and synthesise information system design methods.

The three workshops addressed the following themes:

• The conceptual foundations of information systems;
• Innovation and standardisation in the information system field;
• How do our concepts shape our practice, and vice versa?

ISCO4 was held in the Lorentz Center of Leiden University, The Netherlands, in September 1999, and was sponsored by the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP). Its proceedings are of prime interest to all those working in information systems, especially researchers, lecturers, and students, but also practitioners, such as tool and method developers.

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This book contains the papers, discussion notes and workshop reports of `ISCO4', the fourth international conference in a series instigated by the former IFIP Working Group 8.1 Task Group FRISCO (FRamework of Information System COncepts). The FRISCO Report - published in 1998 - forms a significant contribution to the long-lasting quest of our community towards developing a scientific outlook in the field of information systems. ISCO4 provided a forum for debate on that report and on a range of related issues:

Reflections on and criticism of conceptual frameworks (such as FRISCO);

Fundamental and generic information system concepts;

Novel information system design approaches;

Approaches to integrate and synthesise information system design methods.

The three workshops addressed the following themes:

• The conceptual foundations of information systems;
• Innovation and standardisation in the information system field;
• How do our concepts shape our practice, and vice versa?

ISCO4 was held in the Lorentz Center of Leiden University, The Netherlands, in September 1999, and was sponsored by the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP). Its proceedings are of prime interest to all those working in information systems, especially researchers, lecturers, and students, but also practitioners, such as tool and method developers.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Information Systems as a Social Science....Pages 1-51
Comments on “Information Systems as a Social Science” by R.K. Stamper....Pages 52-54
Comments on “Information Systems as a Social Science” by R.K. Stamper....Pages 55-60
Conceptions are Social Constructs....Pages 61-73
Comments on “Conceptions are Social Constructs” by H. v. Braun, W. Hesse, U. Andelfinger, H.-B. Kittlaus and G. Scheschonk....Pages 74-76
An Organizational Theory of Information....Pages 77-91
Comments on “An Organizational Theory of Information” by A.W. Holt and F. Cardone....Pages 92-94
A Semiotic Approach to the Design of Agent-mediated E-commerce Systems....Pages 95-114
Comments on “A Semiotic Approach to the Design of Agent-mediated E-commerce Systems” by S. Chong and K. Liu....Pages 115-116
The Quality of Business Process Modelling Methods....Pages 117-136
Comments on “The Quality of Business Process Modelling Methods” by B.-J. Hommes and V. van Reijswoud....Pages 137-139
Modelling Concurrent Process Coordination in Workflow Specifications....Pages 141-162
Comments on “Modelling Concurrent Process Coordination in Workflow Specifications” by A.P. Barros and A.H.M. ter Hofstede....Pages 163-164
An Autopoietic View of the Concept ‘Information System’....Pages 165-186
Comments on “An Autopoietic View of the Concept Information Systems” by E.-S. Abou-Zeid....Pages 187-188
Failure, Identity Loss and Living Information Systems....Pages 189-212
Comments on “Failure, Identity Loss and Living Information Systems” by P. Kanellis, M. Lycett, and R.J. Paul....Pages 213-215
An Ontological Evaluation of the OML Metamodel....Pages 217-232
Comments on “An Ontological Evaluation of the OML Metamodel” by A.L. Opdahl, B. Henderson-Sellers and F. Barbier....Pages 233-234
Overviews of Models Defined with Charts of Concepts....Pages 235-256
Comments on “Overviews of Models Defined with Charts of Concepts” by X. Castellani....Pages 257-258
Information System? Which One Do You Mean?....Pages 259-277
Comments on “Information System? Which One Do You Mean?” by J.A. Carvalho....Pages 278-280
The ‘Information’ Concept in FRISCO Compared to Empirical Studies of Information in Decision Making....Pages 281-294
Comments on “The ‘Information’ Concept in FRISCO Compared to Empirical Studies of Information in Decision Making” by J. Kaasb?ll....Pages 295-297
Keynote Address: Formal and Informal Aspects of Intelligent Agent-based Systems....Pages 299-310
Conceptual Foundations of Information Systems....Pages 311-323
Innovation and Standardization in the Information Systems Field....Pages 325-332
Information System Concepts in Practice....Pages 333-340
Back Matter....Pages 341-343

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This book contains the papers, discussion notes and workshop reports of `ISCO4', the fourth international conference in a series instigated by the former IFIP Working Group 8.1 Task Group FRISCO (FRamework of Information System COncepts). The FRISCO Report - published in 1998 - forms a significant contribution to the long-lasting quest of our community towards developing a scientific outlook in the field of information systems. ISCO4 provided a forum for debate on that report and on a range of related issues:

Reflections on and criticism of conceptual frameworks (such as FRISCO);

Fundamental and generic information system concepts;

Novel information system design approaches;

Approaches to integrate and synthesise information system design methods.

The three workshops addressed the following themes:

• The conceptual foundations of information systems;
• Innovation and standardisation in the information system field;
• How do our concepts shape our practice, and vice versa?

ISCO4 was held in the Lorentz Center of Leiden University, The Netherlands, in September 1999, and was sponsored by the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP). Its proceedings are of prime interest to all those working in information systems, especially researchers, lecturers, and students, but also practitioners, such as tool and method developers.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Information Systems as a Social Science....Pages 1-51
Comments on “Information Systems as a Social Science” by R.K. Stamper....Pages 52-54
Comments on “Information Systems as a Social Science” by R.K. Stamper....Pages 55-60
Conceptions are Social Constructs....Pages 61-73
Comments on “Conceptions are Social Constructs” by H. v. Braun, W. Hesse, U. Andelfinger, H.-B. Kittlaus and G. Scheschonk....Pages 74-76
An Organizational Theory of Information....Pages 77-91
Comments on “An Organizational Theory of Information” by A.W. Holt and F. Cardone....Pages 92-94
A Semiotic Approach to the Design of Agent-mediated E-commerce Systems....Pages 95-114
Comments on “A Semiotic Approach to the Design of Agent-mediated E-commerce Systems” by S. Chong and K. Liu....Pages 115-116
The Quality of Business Process Modelling Methods....Pages 117-136
Comments on “The Quality of Business Process Modelling Methods” by B.-J. Hommes and V. van Reijswoud....Pages 137-139
Modelling Concurrent Process Coordination in Workflow Specifications....Pages 141-162
Comments on “Modelling Concurrent Process Coordination in Workflow Specifications” by A.P. Barros and A.H.M. ter Hofstede....Pages 163-164
An Autopoietic View of the Concept ‘Information System’....Pages 165-186
Comments on “An Autopoietic View of the Concept Information Systems” by E.-S. Abou-Zeid....Pages 187-188
Failure, Identity Loss and Living Information Systems....Pages 189-212
Comments on “Failure, Identity Loss and Living Information Systems” by P. Kanellis, M. Lycett, and R.J. Paul....Pages 213-215
An Ontological Evaluation of the OML Metamodel....Pages 217-232
Comments on “An Ontological Evaluation of the OML Metamodel” by A.L. Opdahl, B. Henderson-Sellers and F. Barbier....Pages 233-234
Overviews of Models Defined with Charts of Concepts....Pages 235-256
Comments on “Overviews of Models Defined with Charts of Concepts” by X. Castellani....Pages 257-258
Information System? Which One Do You Mean?....Pages 259-277
Comments on “Information System? Which One Do You Mean?” by J.A. Carvalho....Pages 278-280
The ‘Information’ Concept in FRISCO Compared to Empirical Studies of Information in Decision Making....Pages 281-294
Comments on “The ‘Information’ Concept in FRISCO Compared to Empirical Studies of Information in Decision Making” by J. Kaasb?ll....Pages 295-297
Keynote Address: Formal and Informal Aspects of Intelligent Agent-based Systems....Pages 299-310
Conceptual Foundations of Information Systems....Pages 311-323
Innovation and Standardization in the Information Systems Field....Pages 325-332
Information System Concepts in Practice....Pages 333-340
Back Matter....Pages 341-343
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