1. Critical Issues in Information Systems
BUSS 951
Critical Issues in Information Systems
Lecture 11
Text and Context

2. Recall last lecture we looked at language in the workplace
useful for analysing workpractices in workplaces
we have seen in tutorials that work practices, both manual and computer based, can be theorised as texts

3. Agenda
rather than using signs, we use texts- signs can be difficult to apply in practice and are a very small unit of analysis
we will use systemic-functional linguistics as a way of analysing workpractices in workplaces
language or texts becomes an analytical technology

4. Evaluation of Semiotic Analysis

5. Semiotic Analysis Criticisms (1)
sometimes semioticians present their analyses as if they were objective, scientific accounts rather than subjective interpretations
some semiotic analysis has been criticised as nothing more than arid formalism

6. Semiotic Analysis Criticisms (2)
in structuralist semiotics the focus is on langue rather than parole (Saussure's terms) on formal systems rather than on processes of use and production.
structuralism was primarily interested in studying structures in language

7. Semiotic Analysis Criticisms (3)
Valentin Volosinov (Bakhtin) argues that the prime determinant of a sign is not its relationship to other signs but rather the social context of its use (Fiske 1992: 299).
Semiotics can appear to suggest that meaning is purely explicable in terms of determining structures

8. Semiotic Analysis Criticisms (4)
purely structuralist semiotics does not address authorial intentions or audience interpretation
it ignores particular practices, institutional frameworks and the cultural, social, economic and political contexts

9. Semiotic Analysis Strengths (1)
semiotics emphasizes that signs are related to their signifieds by social conventions which we learn
we become so used to such conventions in our use of various media that they seem natural or commonsense

10. Semiotic Analysis Strengths (2)
Examples:
television or photography becomes a 'a window on the world'.
computers make organisations efficient and effective
this is an ideological issue, since, “an ideology is the sum of taken-for-granted realities of everyday life” (Burgin 1982: 46).

11. Semiotic Analysis Strengths (3)
semiotics can help to make us aware of what we take for granted in representing the world
we are always:
dealing with signs, not with an unmediated objective reality
that sign systems are involved in the construction of meaning

12. Semiotic Analysis Strengths (4)
it can be difficult for us to realize the conventional nature of such relationships.
when we take these relationships for granted we treat the signified as unmediated or 'transparent' or commonsense

13. Text and Non-Text

14. Text and Non-Text knowing when we do not have texts is very important!
one way of defining the difference between Computing Science and Information Systems fields (in Aust., Britain, Nth America) is based on the non-text/text distinction...

15. Information Systems Text and Non-text
Field
Culture, Institutions,
Organisations, Communications
in social use: Computer Centres,
Business Data Processing etc.
Text
Non-text
Computing Science
Field
Operating Systems, File Systems
Compilers, Loaders, Linkers,
Machine Architecture

16. Information Systems Text and Non-text
we can see from the previous slide, that the objects of interest in computing science are basically all non-text
the exact opposite is true of IS!
however in conducting IS studies in organisations we are faced with a methodological problem...

17. Text and Non-Text
sometimes it is not possible to directly acquire relevant texts in organisational applications
stictly speaking non-texts are unanalysable using SFL
many situations could be classed as non-texts
Example 1: The Lone User
Example 2: Past Workpractices

18. Example 1: Lone User
Computer based tool user working in apparent isolation in the organisation
this situation is referred to as the I-experience by Bakhtin (Volosinov in Innis ed/ 1985, 54-56).
Whatever may be going on is happening inside the head of the user, about which nothing linguistically can be said.

19. Example 2: Past Workpractices
trying to analyse a past work practice
an analyst may occasionally find objects which provide clues to a workpractice which no longer exists
must be addressed in longitudinal (that is long-term) studies

20. Empty Corpus Problem (1)
Methodologically, these two examples are instances of the empty corpus problem (Andersen 1992)
Both previous examples are unanalysable using systemic-functional linguistics

21. Empty Corpus Problem (2) Partially Resolved
However, it is possible to transform an unanalysable empty corpus into a situation in which a text is produced:
probing for, or eliciting, a text in a situation in which we would normally not expect one
in fact SFL can help us determine the best way to achieve this transformation!

22. Context and Text

23. Context and Text SFL Semiotic Model of Language
used Systemic Functional Linguistic (SFL) theory to provide actual methods for conducting applied linguistic analysis of texts (Halliday 1985)
the Stratal Model of SFL (Martin 1992) is derived in subsequent slides- useful in identifying which strata, systems, and units to consider in a specific study

24. Context and Text Realisation
every text refers to its social context- we use the term ‘social context’ in the broadest way
must do so in order to be meaningful that is to communicate something to someone
in order to model the relationship between language and social context we use concentric ovals
one semiotic system (language) is a realisation of another more abstract one (social context)

25. Social Context and Language Redounding
how language realises context is called redounding
language construes social context, language is construed by social context, and language reconstues social context ...
a relationship of mutual determination and interdependency NOT simple cause and effect

26. Context and Text SFL Context and Text
solidary relationship- that is a relationship of unity- between texts and contexts
context predicts text, text construes context
note the similarity to Hjelmslev’s concepts a major influence for Martin’s reformulation of Halliday
Context
Text

27. Context and Text SFL Bi-stratal Organisation of Context
two types of context recognised by the theory (after Malinowski)
Situational Context which provides secific situational ‘values’ to the text
Cultural Context which provides a pattern or template that is portable across different situations within a national or organisational culture
Cultural Context
Situational Context
Language

28. Context and Text SFL Contextual Strata
Cultural Context is represented in SFL by Genre
text staging involving sequence, selection, and iteration
Genre
Register
Language

29. Social Context and Language Genre
this kind of patterning was referred to in tutorials as Genre
this patterning is like a template
we can apply it in circumstances in which the immediate situation may not be known (buying goods in a foreign country)

30. Social Context and Language Genre
Genre forms a context related to “culture” and is referred to as the Context of Culture
genre is a kind of generalised text type:
novel
film
service encounter

31. Social Context and Language Genre: Several Theories
now it so happens that there are two major views on genre
the first is that genre is simply the unique instance of field, tenor and mode (also called Contextual Configuration)
this is the model of genre theorised by Hasan

32. Social Context and Language Genre: Several Theories
in your reading, the ALABS system is looked at from this point of view initially- but it has some problems when looking at IS in organisations
the alternative way of looking at genre is to treat it in exactly the same way as the rest of the SFL model ie/ as its own strata

33. Social Context and Language Genre: Several Theories
for various reasons genre as a strata (after Martin) is much better way of looking at IS
like everything is SFL: linguistic resources form systems available to language users-
genre should also be treated in this way
IS appear to have some strange characteristics- they are multigeneric by nature

34. Context and Text SFL Contextual Strata
Situational Context is represented in SFL by Register
consisting of field- social action and activities, tenor- who is involved in the language, and mode- how language is used
Genre
Register
Language

35. Social Context and Language Register
we have also started to analyse texts in terms of their field, tenor and mode
field- social activities and actions
tenor- who is doing what to whom
mode- how language is used
these attributes were called Register or Context of Situation

36. Social Context and Language Register
but we also said that we could identify an extra type of context
a kind of patterning exists in texts which is separate from the immediate situation (field, tenor and mode)
the patterning is portable across different situations

37. Language and Social Context

38. Language and Social Context Language as a Semiotic System
unlike most semiotic systems, the meanings in language (content) are not directly realised into sounds or letters (expression)
language is a semiotic system consisting of three levels

39. Language and Social Context Language as a Semiotic System
recall Saussure’s concept of the sign = signifer + signified
content, or the meanings of language (signified), utilise two levels
meanings are realised in wordings (that is words and grammar)
then, wordings are realised by an expression consisting of sounds and letters

40. Context and Text SFL Tri-stratal Organisation of Language
unlike most semiotic systems, the meanings in language (content) are not directly realised into sounds or letters (expression)
language is tristratal; the content (signified) involves meanings and wordings
Genre
Register
Meanings
Wordings
Expression

41. Context and Text SFL Language Strata
meanings of a text are associated with the strata of Discourse Semantics…
…are in turn realised in wordings (words and grammar) are associated with the strata of Lexico-grammar
…are in turn given expression (sounds and letters) with the strata of Phonology/Graphology
Genre
Register
Discourse
Semantics
Lexico-grammar
Phonology
Graphology

42. Context and Text SFL Metafunctions
while strata are responsible for major language units, metafunctions are responsible for the kinds of meanings simultaneously conveyed in texts:
ideational metafunction- concerned with action
interpersonal metafunction- concerned with reflection
textual metafunction- concerned with connection
Genre
Register
field
Discourse
tenor
mode
Semantics
experiential
inter-
personal
textual
Lexico-grammar
Transitivity
Mood
Theme
Phonology
Graphology

43. Context and Text SFL Ideational Metafunction
resolved in language as two distinct components-
experiential meaning: expression of processes and other phenomena in the social world including the speakers’ own consciousness
logical meanings: involves the mapping of experiential meanings into language
Genre
Register
field
Discourse
tenor
mode
Semantics
experiential
inter-
textual
personal
Lexico-grammar
Transitivity
Mood
Theme
Phonology
Graphology

44. Context and Text SFL Interpersonal Metafunction
the metafunction of language by which:
social groups are delimited and
the individual is identified, represented and reinforced
Genre
Register
field
Discourse
tenor
mode
Semantics
experiential
inter-
textual
personal
Lexico-grammar
Transitivity
Mood
Theme
Phonology
Graphology

45. Context and Text SFL Textual Metafunction
refers to the way the text is organised as a piece of writing
Genre
Register
field
Discourse
tenor
mode
Semantics
experiential
inter-
textual
personal
Lexico-grammar
Transitivity
Mood
Theme
Phonology
Graphology

46. Integration Strata & Metafunction

47. Discourse Semantics Metafunctions
discourse semantics is the first content layer in SFL model of language
three kinds of meanings (metafunctions) are conveyed simultaneously in texts
ideational meanings
interpersonal meanings
textual meanings

48. Discourse Semantics Ideational Metafunction
resolved in language as two distinct components- experiential and logical meanings
experiential meanings: expression of processes and other phenomena in the social world including the speakers own consciousness
logical meanings: involves the mapping of experiential meanings into language

49. Discourse Semantics Interpersonal and Textual Metafunctions
interpersonal metafunction:
social groups are delimited
the individual is identified and reinforced
textual metafunction:
refers to the way the text is organised as a piece of writing (or speech)

50. Discourse Semantics & Register Solidarity
it so happens that there is a relationship (solidarity) between register and discourse semantics:
Register Discourse-Semantics
field ideational
tenor interpersonal
mode textual

51. Lexico-grammar second content level in SFL
metafunctions of discourse semantics are rendered into words (lexis) and grammar
consists of:
transitivity
mood
theme

52. Lexico-grammar Transitivity involves: Mood involves: Theme involves:
who is doing what to whom when where why and how
Mood involves:
type of clauses, the degree of certainty or obligation expressed, the use of attitude words, politeness markers
Theme involves:
patterns of foregrounding and continuity in the organisation of clauses

53. LG & Discourse Semantics Solidarity
it so happens that there is a relationship (solidarity) between discourse semantics and lexicogrammar:
Discourse-Semantics LG
ideational transitivity
interpersonal mood
textual theme

54. SFL Model of Language
these solidarities across strata can be added to our SFL diagram
shows how parts of each strata are involved in helping to produce texts
see Handout...

56. Context and Text Appropriate SFL Methods
stratal SFL model has useful properties, eg. for a given study appropriate linguistic methods can be determined in advance
for workpractices associated with IS, metthods must be selected that emphasise the relationship between a text and its context, rather than the language system
methods associated with the (organisational) of IS are used in the case

57. SFL and Information Systems

58. Language and social context Applied to IS
SFL gives two complementary perspectives
can look at the perspective of language: IS as communication (text)
can look at the perspective of context: IS as social organisation

59. Language and social context Applied to IS
applying SFL to examining systems is very different to traditional IS approaches
a given text provides only a partial perspective about a work practice
in the short term a linguistic analysis provides only a small part of the overall picture

60. Language and social context Applied to IS
traditional IS practices are applied top-down: gives a very broad picture poor on details
SFL methodology is applied bottom-up: provides a very detailed view of work practices which then need to be integrated across various sites

61. Language and social context Applied to IS
need to look at many actual texts in a social context in order to find out about work practices
only by shunting between language and social context (the work practice and the organisation) can we perform a meaningful analysis

62. Language and social context Applied to IS
in your last substantive assignment you were asked to collect a single text (of a transaction)
you would need to collect many texts of the same type of transaction before you understood it (see all the variations)

63. Language and social context Applied to IS
how many texts to collect?: well its difficult to know
you need to include those people involved in the work practices into the analysis
so this SFL approach to understanding work practices MUST be participative

64. SFL and IS
not all the SFL model needs to be used on each text- what language resources you use will depend on the type of analysis needed
for IS the most useful strata and context (genre and register) and discourse semantics

65. SFL and IS
IS are interesting because they are multigeneric, many genres are involved in describing the general properties of texts
end-user modification of system and wholesale management driven change can be characterised using genre...