Sociomaterial Practices, Relational Ontologies, and Information Technology: Gilbert Simondon's Theory of Individuation

The recent interest in sociomaterial practices and forms of imbrication of social and material resources in e.g., studies of the use of information technology and information systems in organizations has called for new theoretical developments to enact and fully understand materiality. This article examines the work of French philosopher Gilbert Simondon as an important, yet to date little explored resource in organization studies. Following Orlikowski's (2010) call for a relational ontology apprehending the enfolding of materiality and social resources, Simondon's analytical framework which include key concepts such as individuation, trans-duction and relations, is presented. The article contributes to the recent debates regarding how to theorize and examine material resources such as information and communication technologies used in organizations.