The importance of rhetoric in conceptualising IS adoption

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to outline the importance of organisational rhetoric as a valuable theoretical lens to examine and conceptualise IS adoption.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a critical, yet selective, review of some relevant literature on rhetoric and IS adoption.Findings – The paper outlines four distinctive yet interrelated elements of rhetoric, namely, different types of rhetoric and their implications; the role of stakeholders; the notion of rhetorical congruence; and rhetorical situations and strategies. These provide a means of operationalising the rhetorical dimension in researching IS adoption.Originality/value – The paper's main contribution is to enrich the existing repertoire of IS adoption theories and perspectives by adding the dimension of rhetoric.

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