Is it reasonable to suggest that IS can be the site for development of a major social theory? In arguing that the attempt is warranted, two factors are considered. The first of these has already been discussed, and is that influential theories provide valuable and long-lived symbolic capital. The second, mentioned briefly earlier, is that there is a gap that IS can target by providing an analysis and explanation of the social effects of the IS constructs that are now helping to define social relationships. These constructs are the sets of standardised data and process definitions that are spreading through organisations by way of enterprise software packages, EDI-facilitated relationships, and data sharing agreements.