IRMA-International.org: Creator of Knowledge
Information Resources Management Association
Advancing the Concepts & Practices of Information Resources Management in Modern Organizations

Researching the Portal

Researching the Portal
View Free PDF
Author(s): Arthur Tatnall (Victoria University, Australia)and Bill Davey (RMIT University, Australia)
Copyright: 2007
Pages: 4
Source title: Managing Worldwide Operations and Communications with Information Technology
Source Editor(s): Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, D.B.A. (Information Resources Management Association, USA)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-59904-929-8.ch085
ISBN13: 9781599049298
EISBN13: 9781466665378

Abstract

The Web portal is now ubiquitous, and a considerable amount of research has now been done into portal technology and applications. In this paper we will argue that research in portal applications should adopt a socio-technical stance, and should see the portal as an innovation which must be adopted before it can be used. We distinguish between inventions and innovations and argue that there is nothing automatic about adoption of an innovation, and that this can best be investigated through the lens of innovation theory. The paper also points out that from a socio-technical perspective some portal adoptions have had positive consequences while others have been negative. To fully appreciate all the human and non-human influences involved, research into the applications of portal technology should adopt a socio-technical approach that considers positive and negative consequences of this technology. We argue that a good way to do this is by considering the portal as an innovation and considering its adoption using the theory of innovation translation, informed by actor-network theory.

Body Bottom