The sociomaterial lens within IS research holds that agency should not be considered as a property solely of humans, or of technology, but instead arises from an emergent interaction between the two. This, emergent, account of agency deepens our understanding of unfolding IS practice, but its largely cognitive orientation remains naïve towards affectively-sensed motivations that also form part of this interaction. By implication, a sociomaterial perspective lacking an affective dimension offers an incomplete conceptualisation of information systems. In response, an affectively-informed negative ontology encourages IS researchers to extend their focus beyond the visible, to encompass how actors’ receptiveness towards material objects (discourses, technologies) is shaped by deep, affectively-derived motivations of which they are not focally aware, but which nonetheless acquire agency in contributing to a sociomaterial outcome. A central argument, and illustrative empirical vignette, demonstrate how the concepts of sociomateriality, affect, and negative ontology combine to offer researchers an enhanced understanding of relational agency. A discussion follows, exploring some initial ontological, epistemological and methodological implications of an affectively-informed negative ontology for IS research.

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Video games are a global digital infrastructure with real economic and social impact. They raise ethical challenges - from harassment to manipulative gamification - often overlooked by traditional frameworks. Normative, utilitarian, and virtue ethics approaches guide design, but often miss the designers’ own experiences and dilemmas. A case study of Eldermove shows ethical design emerges when developers avoid infantilizing users and step back from assumptions about them, respecting dignity and autonomy. Creating responsible games requires attending to the ethics of design itself. As gaming increasingly shapes culture, business, and healthcare, understanding designers’ fantasies and choices is key to technologies that truly support users.
PIGNOT Edouard - EMLV |
- Trends
- Digital Transformation, Health Sector Management, Information Systems, Innovation Management, Organizational Theory

