A Cross-Institutional Case Study of the Organizational Framework for IT Education: Implications for Unification of the IT Field

This paper examines the evolution of organisational structures supporting the IT disciplines at a sample group of Australian universities. The paper draws on sociological theory to suggest that there is strong two-way inter-connection between organizational structure and disciplinary structure within universities. It argues that the debate and discussion about the definition of disciplinary boundaries in IT have failed to take account of this relationship. Models of disciplinary structure have usually been based solely around disciplinary and professional issues, and have not given consideration to the university organizational structures in which most teaching and research in IT are carried out. The paper argues that the prospects for disciplinary convergence within the IT field will depend on the way in which these structural issues are addressed.