Abstract

This paper provides an overview of definitions and concepts from coevolution that may be useful in the domain of information systems (IS). Both the management literature and the information systems literature are reviewed to highlight insights that have been drawn from coevolution. Aspects of coevolution that have been considered important in the literature include the dynamic, emergent nature and the mutli-levelness of coevolutionary processes. The nature of the coevolutionary relationship has not received as much attention. This paper presents a classification scheme drawn from Thompson (2005) that can be used to explore the nature of coevolutionary interactions in more depth. It is suggested that future IS research applying a coevolutionary framework can be enhanced with a deeper consideration of the nature of the interactions and with the incorporation of theories from the social sciences.

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