Green information systems adoption: A reflection about meta-theoretical assumptions towards a research Agenda

This paper aims to propose a paradigmatic reflection for GIS adoption studies from the four meta-theoretical assumptions: ontological, epistemological, human nature and methodological. This study is stimulated by some research concerns related to the philosophical assumptions of the GIS adoption studies in which has been few explored in the literature. It has faced ontological concerns about the origin of basic concepts that surrounds the field. The traditional IT adoption field has influenced the nature of this GIS studies in terms of using of theories and methods. It makes difficult the understanding about the essence of the phenomenon and its reality. We discussed four research questions related to the meta-theoretical assumptions. To do so, we performed a literature review based on descriptive review analysis through Atlas.ti software. To present a comprehensive and transparent systematic process, we explored the standards of trustworthiness of literature review. Analysis determined the extent to which the body of empirical studies of the GIS adoption field supports patterns/trends with respect to meta-theoretical assumptions. Our findings revels that GIS adoption field supports the functionalist paradigm derived from the IT adoption studies, adopting assumptions guided towards an objective nature approach: realism, positivism, determinism and nomothetic. This mainstream contradicts the nature and proposal of the GIS field. Due to the complex nature of the relation of the phenomenon, this paper suggest a "paradigmatic rupture" of the area to seek explanations of individual consciousness and subjectivity that allows the adoption of the interpretative paradigm involving nominalism, anti-positivism, voluntarism and ideographic assumptions.