Structuration bridging diffusion of innovations and gender relations theories: a case of paradigmatic pluralism in IS research

This paper discusses the adoption of a pluralist theoretical framework – one that is also multiparadigmatic – for conducting and publishing information system (IS) research. The discussion is illustrated by a single case study involving the Australian cotton industry. The theoretical framework is informed by three sociological theories, each with its particular paradigmatic assumptions: structuration theory as a meta‐theory, and diffusion of innovations and gender relations as lower‐level theories from notionally opposing paradigms. Theoretical pluralism helped to produce rich findings, illuminating both the social nature of women farmers' roles, the materiality of the cotton farming context, the characteristics of the decision support systems in use and the recursive way in which human agency and institutional pressures shape each other. Because users of so‐called divergent paradigms often face criticism based on the incommensurability issue, one of the main contributions of this paper is to discuss the value of a pluralist and multiparadigmatic theoretical framework in dealing with complex IS social phenomena.     

美国和泰国的语言政策探析

语言政策为解决语言矛盾产生,作为社会政策的重要组成部分,是国家对套民使用语言的态度的反应。泰国与美国都是多民族国家,泰国政府在推行泰语的过程中,同样使用了和美语“美国化”类似的“泰化”政策,使得侨民在学习、使用泰语的过程中不断认同国家概念。世界上没有完美的语言政策,为了雏护多元文化,选择单一的语言已经不能顺应时代要求。     

论企业跨国经营竞争优势的构建

在经济全球化的大背景下，我国企业必将融入到国际竞争中去。本文阐述了跨国经营竞争优势的实质是多元化核心竞争力的观点，并针对我国经济发展状况和企业的具体情况，提出了构建中国企业跨国经营竞争优势的对策。     

半城山水满城苹苑——泰安某居住区的景观设计

居住区是人们生活的家园,心灵的港湾,居住区的环境景观更是促进邻里交往,锻炼身体,愉悦身心的载体。本文以泰安市苹果园小区的景观设计为例,运用现代设计手法和古典传统园林精髓相融合的手法,形成简洁现代的节奏感、时尚舒适的生活氛围、生态与自然的和谐共生,以独特的气韵感,流畅感给住户以一种不同的生活感悟。     

探求建筑理性之美——南通莱茵国际设计分析

本文通过对南通莱苗国际项目的设计思路及过程进行分析，强调案例自身设计理念种中的逻辑秩序和理性成分。在设计中通过对理性美的追求，对在当前纷繁多元的设计风潮中如何走出一条独特思路进行了回应，并对设计中如何对待城市文脉及传统特色进行了一次有益的探索和实践。     

"Leo Rangell and I: Where do we differ?" Response to Dr. Wallerstein: Part I.

Responds to a commentary by R. Wallerstein (see record 2007-10890-011) on the present author's original article (see record 2006-05420-002) regarding the evolution of psychoanalytic theory. I do not believe that misunderstanding or misrepresentation has played a part in these differences. What I think has been at play for almost 20 years has been a difference in outlook on scientific and social issues, and in our interpretations of the historical course of events affecting psychoanalytic theory. These are reversing in recent years, which I welcome. No objective events have taken place to account for these changes, only subjective developments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

陕西省旅游规划研究

西部大开发的实施,给西部旅游业跨越式发展带来了发展契机,促进了旅游业在西部经济中战略地位的形成。但是,西部旅游业要实现跨越式增长,首先必须克服制约因素,为此,需要政府采取具有针对性的战略举措。本文从九个方面总结了陕西旅游产业跨越式发展所面临的主要障碍以及六条发展思路,系统地说明了陕西旅游业中存在的问题以及发展的方向,着重强调对环境的保护,坚持可持续发展战略。在当前的背景下,发展生态旅游是十分必要的。由于生态旅游是在敏感环境和特定设施中的旅游,组织者要为游客提供环境教育的宣传,使游客在享受自然环境和文化的同时,加深对旅游资源的理解和珍视,提高对生态和环境的保护意识。这也是我们要共同面对的一个难题。     

Variety is the spice of life: combining soft and hard OR/MS methods

Some observers have expressed concern over the state of the OR/MS profession, especially as to its failure to tackle complex, messy problems. One response has been to develop various "soft" methods (also called "problem structuring methods") that focus on the human and political aspects of OR/MS interventions. Recent work, both theoretical and practitioner-based, involves the combination of several methods in a particular project (multimethod). Often the combination includes both hard (quantitative) and soft (qualitative) approaches. This paper illustrates the utility of soft methods, and in particular their combination, with recently published case studies. It then proposes an approach to the process of combining methods, including several frameworks and techniques to assist in selecting and linking different methods. Finally, it discusses future research in this field.     

The radical empiricism of William James and philosophy of history.

William James's philosophy of history is explored in his classic psychological and philosophical works and in 2 articles he devoted specifically to the topic. Historical issues are set forth in terms of James's individualism, pragmatism, and radical empiricism. It is argued that a Jamesian philosophy of history provides a reasoned and believable middle way between the extremes of realism and constructionism. James believed that historical change is brought about both by the contributions of individuals and by forces in cultures and the environment that help shape the direction of things. Finally, the author explores implications of James's pluralism for history and his quarrel with absolutistic conceptual schemes that attempt to reduce all things to 1 thing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Theoretical insularity and the crisis of psychoanalysis.

It is argued that the tendency of psychoanalysis toward sectarianism, the inclination to isolate theoretical viewpoints from each other, rather than pluralism, the active engagement of differences, is a significant factor in the loss of influence psychoanalysis has suffered. A brief history is given of the fate of theoretical differences in the field to show the historical sectarianism of psychoanalytic thought. The contention is that the resulting inability of psychoanalysis to define itself, even as a pluralistic discipline, renders it vulnerable to the criticism that the field has little claim to be a branch of knowledge, or to achieve scientific status, even under the most liberal definition of that term. The contention is that the failure to engage differences openly bears a closer kinship to religion than human science. A plea is made for dialogue in the Heideggerean sense of openness to difference so that psychoanalysis can establish itself as a human science characterized by the pluralism of intellectual dialogue rather than the insularity of sectarianism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)