TY - JOUR
T1 - Unpacking reflexivity, psychological empowerment, and agile project dynamics among information systems professionals
AU - Hekkala, Riitta
AU - Nordbäck, Emma
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s). Information Systems Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2024/11/9
Y1 - 2024/11/9
N2 - In this study, we examine the reflexivity modes of information systems (IS) professionals and integrate the IS context—including structural, technological, and social properties—with IS professionals' biographical, inner dialogues to theorise about the role of reflexivity modes in their experiences of psychological empowerment. Through the lens of Archer's (2007) three-stage model of reflexivity and different modes of reflexivity (communicative, autonomous, meta, and fractured), we investigate the experiences of psychological empowerment and project dynamics among IS professionals in IS development work by zooming in on 6 years of three IS professionals' work lives. Our findings make several contributions to theory and practice. First, we elucidate the interplay between reflexivity and psychological empowerment. Second, we show how different IS professionals' approach similar structural, technological, or social circumstances differently (such as agile work practices), depending on their reflexive inner dialogues. This includes showing how different reflexivity modes, focused on various properties of the IS context (structural, technological, and social), becomes entangled with interpersonal dynamics and IS project dynamics.
AB - In this study, we examine the reflexivity modes of information systems (IS) professionals and integrate the IS context—including structural, technological, and social properties—with IS professionals' biographical, inner dialogues to theorise about the role of reflexivity modes in their experiences of psychological empowerment. Through the lens of Archer's (2007) three-stage model of reflexivity and different modes of reflexivity (communicative, autonomous, meta, and fractured), we investigate the experiences of psychological empowerment and project dynamics among IS professionals in IS development work by zooming in on 6 years of three IS professionals' work lives. Our findings make several contributions to theory and practice. First, we elucidate the interplay between reflexivity and psychological empowerment. Second, we show how different IS professionals' approach similar structural, technological, or social circumstances differently (such as agile work practices), depending on their reflexive inner dialogues. This includes showing how different reflexivity modes, focused on various properties of the IS context (structural, technological, and social), becomes entangled with interpersonal dynamics and IS project dynamics.
KW - 512 Business and Management
KW - information systems professionals
KW - information systems project
KW - psychological empowerment
KW - reflexivity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85208381651&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/isj.12569
DO - 10.1111/isj.12569
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85208381651
SN - 1350-1917
JO - Information Systems Journal
JF - Information Systems Journal
ER -