The Growth of Scientific Knowledge in MIS: The MIS Paradigm

Has the MIS discipline matured enough to be considered a paradigm? This paper will review the MIS discipline from its inception, arguing that the discipline was created by what Thomas Kuhn would call a revolution leading to a paradigm shift. Using Kuhnian philosophy, the paper will argue that the MIS discipline has now reached a point to be considered a paradigm, according to the standards set forth by Kuhn in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. The paper will identify several subject areas within the MIS paradigm that demonstrate a line of normal science. Finally, the paper will argue that to continue the growth of scientific knowledge within the MIS paradigm, researchers need to expand beyond what has been called the “IT artifact” and search for new discoveries that will create revolutions within the MIS paradigm.