As Information Systems matures as a discipline, there is a gradual move away from pure statistics towards consideration of alternative approaches and philosophies. This has not been incorporated into the literature of the field. Until now. Collecting major social theorists and philosophers into one volume, Social Theory and Philosophy for Information Systems provides a historical and critical analysis of each that is both authoritative and firmly focused on practical relevance to IS. The result is an insightful text for researchers, academics and students that will provide an up-to-date starting point for those considering alternative approaches.

John Mingers is Professor of OR and Information Systems and Director of Research at Kent Business School, University of Kent, UK. His research interests include the use of systems methodologies in problem situations, particularly the mixing of different methodologies within an intervention (multimethodology); the development of critical realism as a philosophy for information systems; the development of theory concerning the nature of information and meaning; and autopoiesis and its applications. He has published several books, including Self-Producing Systems: Implications and Applications of Autopoiesis and Information Systems: An Emerging Discipline? (with Professor Frank Stowell).

Leslie P. Willcocks is Professor of Information Management at Warwick Business School. He received a doctorate from the University of Cambridge, is visiting professor at Erasmus and Melbourne Universities, and joint Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Information Technology. He is co-author of 23 books, and has published over 140 papers in journals ranging from Harvard Business Review to MIS Quarterly, MISQ Executive and Journal of Management Studies. His research interests include organizational issues, politics, outsourcing, implementation, e-business and evaluation.