ICT-Driven Organizational Transformation in Microfinance Organization: A View from Critical Realism

Abstract

In Information and Communication Technology driven organizational transformation studies various theories namely the structuration theory, institutionalization theory and actor network theory have been used by the scholars of information systems and management. Despite the inherent strength of each theory, technology driven organizational transformation studies using these theories propose conflicting findings in many cases mainly because of the theoretical heterogeneity in focusing technology, human and non-human agents, and structures. In studying information and communication technology driven organizational transformation in microfinance organizations we used the framework of Critical Realism that helps minimizing the shortcomings of other theories in studying the process of transformation through its stratified domain approach and explanatory framework. This paper presents the material and social changes that information and communication technology engenders in microfinance organizations of a developing country.