A Review of Application of Affordance Theory in Information Systems

This paper analyzes the status quo and tendency of the affordance theory in Information System literature, which can help us understand the relationship between technologies, users and organizations. This would pose a significant value on the related organizational changes and the use of social media. Based on the data from top journals, we reviewed 111 papers from Information Systems, Organization Studies and Management literatures on affordances according to the method of bibliometrics. From the analysis, we know that although the Information System discipline was a relatively late adopter, there is a large space to explore affordances in IS context. Based on the theoretical framework of affordances existence, perception, actualization and effects, we review the primary researches on affordances in IS discipline. In conclusion, IS scholars should focus on the affordance actualization, consider social affordances alongside technological affordances and improve our understanding of IT/IS-related organizational change and social media use in complicated social process.