University of Tasmania, Australia

Project management in new technology projects has proved problematic especially in relation to change management issues. An important consideration in change management has been the effective use of power. Several sociological and philosophical theories have been relevant to this issue, namely Godden’s Structuration Theory, Foucault’s theories of knowledge and power and Clegg’s Circuits of Power model. All of these have strengths and weaknesses. A promising new theory is Turner’s Three Process Theory of Power. This theory will be tested via multiple interpretivistic case studies to see if it overcomes some of the shortcomings of the extant theories mentioned above.  One case study planned involves the Mental Health Information System in the Tasmanian DHHS.

PhD students Involved:

• Yaqian (Michelle) Ye – Turner's 3-Process Theory as a Basis for Understanding Power Relations in IS Implementation Projects