REFLEXIVE STANDARDIZATION.INTERPRETING SIDE-EFFECTS AND ESCALATION IN STANDARDMAKING

Edoardo Jacucci, Department for Informatics, University of Oslo, Miria Grisot, Department for Informatics, University of Oslo, Margunn Aanestad, Department for Informatics, University of Oslo, and Ole Hanseth, Department for Informatics, University of Oslo

1/01/2005
(Original Publish Date: 2003)

In this paper, we address the general question proposed by the symposium: "What historical or contingent events and factors influence the creation of ICT standards, and in particular, their success or failure?" Based on a case study conducted over a period of two years in a Norwegian hospital on the standardization process of an Electronic Patient Record (EPR), the paper contributes to the current discussion on the conceptualization of standard-making in the field of Information Systems. By drawing upon the concepts of reflexivity (as in Reflexive Modernization as theorized by Beck) and unexpected side-effects, the paper makes two key contributions: firstly, it shows that in complex sociotechnical settings, standardization processes may induce side-effects hampering the standardization itself; secondly, in such settings side-effects may be interpreted as apparitions of the reflexive nature of the standardization process. Accordingly, attempts to standardize may reinforce complexity. The research question is addressed by providing an historical and contingent analysis of the dynamics emerging from the case.