Multi-paradigmatic theorizing: Mixing design and exploration

Design science research is becoming a major area in the IS discipline. Despite the growing popularity of DSR in IS, there is a lack of established guidance on how to conduct this type of research. Moreover, although DSR is considered a pluralistic area of research, few studies have proposed multi-paradigmatic methods for DSR. The current study suggests a new framework for theory development in DSR. The proposed framework integrates the previous DSR methodologies and differentiates between four components: design, design theorizing, explanatory theorizing, and data collection. A pluralist approach that integrates existing DSR components by coupling design and exploration, generating new knowledge (design theories) that can inform future representations is leveraged. This study steps outside the conventional theory development in DSR through employing a pluralistic perspective. We illustrate the framework with empirical research in the context of open strategic planning.