More changes and responses

European Journal of Information Systems (2003) 12, 167. doi:10.1057/palgrave.ejis.3000472 In the last editorial, I discussed the change management process associated with my Faculty. Things have moved on. As Washington Irving said ‘There is a certain relief in change, even though it is from bad to worse; as I have found travelling in a stage-coach, that it is often a comfort to shift one’s position and be bruised in a new place.’ Well, my position has shifted, the University has decided to scrap faculties (and Deans!) and move to Schools, and I have little doubt I can look forward to being bruised in a new place. In Paul R (2002), (IS): is information systems an intellectual subject? European Journal of Information Systems 11, 174–177, I wrote an Opinion Piece on whether Information Systems is an academic discipline. In this issue of the journal, there are four bruising responses. Guy Fitzgerald takes me to task for veering all over the place taking swipes in all directions. He spends a fair amount of space explaining why it does not matter. David Avison takes a more direct line to some of my comments and, unlike Guy, he thinks it matters. Mark Perry takes the view that Information Systems does not need to be an academic discipline. He is happy for an Information System to be defined as a technology with a viewpoint and a perspective. Lucas Introna sees the question as political, and goes into some depth probing the issue. He tantalisingly ends with the thought that being an academic discipline may be a disadvantage. All four authors know me as friends and colleagues. I believe that their responses are based in part on my Opinion Piece and in part on their view of me – I leave it as an exercise to the reader to spot this. I have decided to make a change to my life. I have been diagnosed with Parkinsonism since early 2000. More bruising! I have decided to go part time as an academic, staying on as Editor of the Journal. I am announcing this in an editorial as a declaration that Parkinsonism affects different people in different ways, and can be resisted. You will find me largely unaltered (no one guessed for 3 years while I kept it secret), but your view of me when we meet might change. As with the responses to my Opinion Piece, this change in your view will be largely to do with you, not me. There is a danger I will have time for more Editorials and Opinion Pieces! European Journal of Information Systems (2003) 12, 167 & 2003 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. All rights reserved 0960-085X/03 $25.00