3.1 Induction, deduction

of natural sciences and IS – the essential empirical methods – observation – modeling – model formalization – mathematization, reduction to axioms natural sciences IS object of examination object of cognition in the nature information handling processes in organizations manner of examination observation observation utilization of the observation results process of model construction process of model construction result of the process of model construction formal model: formula formal model: data model, information flow model, business process model direct purpose mathematical description construction of system designs for IS indirect use explanation, understanding optimization of information handling processes transferability prediction reference models The essential empirical knowledge-acquiring methods are a basis of comparison between IS and natural sciences. Thus, IS can be considered as an empirical science, but has not yet reached the state of a natural science. Therefore, epistemological approaches and results from natural science