In Memory of Claudio Ciborra 1951 - 2005

Tributes to Claudio Ciborra

index to tributes

Page 8

Frank Land
Emeritus Professor in the Department of Information Systems, LSE
Many of my colleagues and I knew that Claudio was gravely ill but that he had maintained his spirit and was continuing to work. The latest news we had was that his condition had stabilised. This made the shock of his death on 13th of February more striking.

I had met Claudio when he was a young man at the Politechnico di Milano. At that time he somewhat shy and modest, but already making an impression with the breadth and depth of his thinking. As the years passed that impression was reinforced. When he came to the LSE as a visiting professor I was delighted, and even more so when he agreed to apply for a permanent post.

Most of the appreciations flowing in from all over the world illustrate the impact he has made on the IS world. But they also indicate the warmth of feeling he engendered as a human being. He added lustre to the IS department at the LSE, and in the great tradition of the LSE he will be remembered as one of its outstanding luminaries. He will leave a huge gap in the IS world.

Bridget Hutter and Mike Power
Co-directors, Centre for Analysis of Risk & Regulation, LSE
Claudio joined CARR in 2001 as PricewaterhouseCoopers chair in risk management, a position he held until June 2004. Within CARR he introduced glamour and high opera in addition to intellectual insight and fresh, multidiscipline approaches to risk and information systems.

He led us into his academic 'labyrinths' and at a personal level we never knew what to expect next - cakes fresh in from Naples, photos from Sardinia, or a tour of his 'palazzo'. His knowledge and interests were informed by the renaissance and modern - philosophy (a sustained interest in Heidegger), by music, night clubs, 'punk design' among other things. In an exchange last month about Stromboli he declared yet another interest, signing off 'Love from your volcanologist and risk expert'. Sadly, what he referred to as his own personal 'system disaster management' didn't avert the disaster, but he leaves CARR a legacy of work on risk, philosophy, organizations and information on which others may build. One his last publications was a CARR discussion paper and we enjoyed frequent exchanges until shortly before his death about his next book. Sadly that will not be completed but he leaves behind ideas which will remain important references point in risk regulation studies for the future. His colleagues at CARR will miss him greatly.

Humberto Gumeta Chavez
ADMIS 2001/2, Department of Information Systems, LSE
I am very saddened to hear the sad news of Professor Ciborra's passing away. I was greatly influenced by his thoughts regarding the study of Information Systems and he will always evoke very happy memories of the LSE. My condolences go out to his family, friends, and colleages.

Niki Panourgias
Department of Information Systems, LSE
It was a privilege to be at the department during Claudio's presence and to witness at first hand how his challenging and groundbreaking contributions took shape. Reading the finished items in books and papers disguised the effort, meticulousness and passion that went into the nurturing and development of the initial raw flash of brilliance. It was invaluable to me to have a ring-side seat for Claudio’s campaign/crusade against the appropriation and trivialisation of the notion of situatedness, using Heidegger's study of the letters of St. Paul as ammunition. Apart from the content of Claudio’s position, what was particularly instructive was to see how he worked. How he started from a highly controversial but emotive and raw reaction and then gradually moulded, shaped and refined it so that it took on increasingly the form of a highly polished and rigorous piece of work. Maintaining the thread from the initial raw emotion through to the polished item was what gave the work that something special. It involved having the courage, but also the intuition and authority, to stand up with something controversial and provocative, but not necessarily ready, and being prepared to take the resulting flack. Rather than be brought down by it, however, the skill was to use it and through reflecting and responding to it, refining the position for use in its next outing. The key seemed to be that it was through this emotional living with the concepts and positions thus brought into being, like a parent defending an errant naughty child, that the emotional link was preserved even as the work itself got more and more intellectually solid. I would feel a great sense of achievement if I could find a way of mastering this technique in my own endeavours.

Eduardo Ribas Fontana
ADMIS 2002/3, Department of Information Systems, LSE
The role of a scientist is to lead society into innovations, new findings and discoveries. Professor Ciborra was much ahead of his simple role as a scientist. He lead all of us, at LSE and outside the school boundaries, to discover new ways of thinking and to see the life. A brilliant mind is easily found in any one of his works or his research. An amazing professor of whom it is hard to forget, because of his amazing capacity to turn simple the most difficult themes and explanations. But mainly, an unforgettable person in his simplicity and empathy with everybody surrounding him. All of us for sure will miss him a lot, but always we will still have the best memories to remember him by.

Toni Rendina
Former Student, Bologna University ( Political Science)
Professor Claudio Ciborra has been a very special person for me. It was the 1997 when I have met him, at his course (Programmazione Organizzativa) at Bologna's university: his talks, his lessons during the course were all the time flavoured with humour and irony, and most of the students remained fascinated by this professor so different from the rest.

Claudio gave me my big opportunity to study and to write my thesis at Viktoria Institute in Gothenburg, thanks to him I have also undertaken some research at LSE when he was visiting professor. Once I completed my study, I moved to the UK, during my stay in London it was a great pleasure to visit Claudio at LSE constantly: we had in common the passion for travelling, for the sunshine and for London.

I am so proud to have been your student, I will miss you.

Katie Brown
ADMIS 2002/3, Department of Information Systems, LSE
Since learning of Claudio's illness last year through an email exchange with him, I have kept him in my daily prayers and thoughts. I was simply stunned to hear of his passing, as he had emanated such strength, integrity and courage even when faced with a dire situation.

I will remember him as a highly intellectual man, with a fabulous sense of humor and a passion for learning. Ciao for now, Claudio.

Marco De Marco
Catholic University of Milan, Italy
Regrettably, I did not have the good fortune to encounter Claudio until relatively late in life when his reputation was well established. Our first meeting, which took place at the ECIS meeting in Aix-en-Provence, was a milestone in my academic career. It seemed to me that Claudio's approach to the subject of IS opened up a path that I had been searching for, for years. Generous to a fault, Claudio staked his whole reputation and deployed all his influence in an unremitting endeavour to encourage the Italian research community to venture out into the international academic world.

Visiting Claudio in the course of his illness, I was struck by his indomitable vitality: alert to detail, prompt to grasp the essence of things, he remained remarkably creative right to the end. Claudio had the enviable ability to juggle multiple research interests at the same time, though always giving his various colleagues the impression that his attention was devoted exclusively to them. Irrepressible as he was, Claudio's mind was forever lighting on interests outside our academic field, often of the most unexpected nature: architecture, cooking, sport but, above all, art. One day after he had become quite ill I called him to see whether he would like me to visit: "Certainly," came the reply "but don't come round until you've seen the Seven Heavenly Palaces of Anselm Kiefer exhibition." After following these instructions, I went to see Claudio and found myself embroiled in an absorbing discussion with a man who, though confined to his sickbed, gave every impression of knowing much more about the exhibition than his interlocutor. Claudio's academic and cultural contribution is something that those who shared his interests and relied on his support cannot but carry on into the future. His immense human warmth, too, will surely remain with those of us who had the privilege of enjoying his friendship and love.

John Lee
ADMIS 2000/1, Department of Information Systems, LSE
As a former ADMIS student, I can still remember always looking forward to grabbing the best seat in the Hong Kong Theatre, and how I watched and observed how Professor Ciborra developed and delivered his ideas in ways that left me craving for more! Though he is no longer with us, his words and ideas stay and willcontinue to influence future generations of IS scholars and researchers.

Ashutosh Khanna
Department of Information Systems, LSE
"Hugs & Kisses Ash, love, Claudio"....., his words on a get well card, when I was in hospital a couple of years ago.

I remember Pro's and my shock, and Antonio reassuring us, "Noooo, but this is what Claudio is like", on seeing him, Professor Ciborra, drumming away on his car steering-wheel and nodding his head wildly, at a drum and bass track, while driving us back to our place, late at night, after his house warming party in Old Street. Another image, in my mind, is of the photograph of him holding up his trophy on the beach after having won the swimming competition last summer. Some of us still use his phrase "Armani glasses", (imitating an Italian accent) when referring to concepts of 'transaction cost and markets'. It's hard to accept that he is not going to be around us anymore.

His passion for life and his work was an inspiration, if not infectious, evident from his rigorous intellectual inquiry and varied personal interests: swimming; the opera; i-studio 5; his love for well presented, good food; to name a few. It is heart warming and humbling to see how many people’s minds and hearts he has touched, like mine. He will always be remembered.

"Hugs & Kisses Claudio, love, Ash."

Antonio Germani
BASF, Germany
I was in my first swimming race, with Claudio on the lane by me, and I was wondering to myself how strange he was. So I was intrigued that, from that moment I started a lasting swimming friendship but that professional life diluted. Anyway I will not forget him and his brilliant comments and ideas. Your swimming companion Ciao.

Malcolm Peltu
Editorial Consultant, London
I edited only a few of Claudio’s papers; heard him talk only once; and had only a dozen or so real and virtual discussions with him. Yet, when I heard of his death, I felt a deep sense of personal loss – of a light going out. Reading the tributes to him makes me realise that he truly had a special quality of human warmth that touched all those who came into contact with him, however briefly. I understand how much more of a loss his death has been to those who were closer to him and knew him better, but at least his memory still burns brightly for all who had been touched by his living warmth.

Senthil Jyothiprakashan
ADMIS 2000/1, Department of Information Systems, LSE
It is very sad to note the passing away of Prof. Ciborra. A genre of information systems will be gone with him. We have to tinker our way without him.

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Page last updated 22 June, 2005