1166751

Student organizers: Lucas Göbeler, Nicola Ens, Nina Frausing, and Stig Nyman Christiansen  

Faculty: Michel Avital, Ioanna Constantiou, Philipp Hukal, Tina Blegind Jensen, Attila Márton, Rony Medaglia, Mari-Klara Stein, Xiao Xiao

This student-driven seminar explores contemporary theories on digital phenomena and their interrelated relationships, synergies, and contradictions. The course is designed to build on the participants’ pre-existing knowledge of theory on the digital phenomena to facilitate an in-depth discussion of challenges and opportunities in information systems research. The highly interactive course is geared for intensive exchange between PhD students and faculty mentors. Building on the theoretical expertise of students and faculty, the course allows for a targeted discussion on specific issues and topics with an emphasis on the participants' work.

Beyond promoting an advanced understanding of the digital phenomena, the course aims to bring together students with similar problems and theoretical orientations to create synergies and starting points for future joint projects.

The one-day seminar is structured around interactive plenary sessions and intensive breakout sessions that focus on in-depth discussions between students and faculty mentors. Each student will have an opportunity to present and discuss her or his work with other participants and mentors in small thematic groups of 3-4 students and two faculty mentors.

The thematic groups will be formed based on a two-page pre-course assignment that briefly introduces one’s research project and theoretical focus as well as the challenges encountered during the research.

The two-page assignment is due a week prior to the course.

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

• Identify and critically discuss the main research streams on the digital phenomena
• Identify and discuss key disciplinary controversies and debates on the digital phenomena  
• Identify synergies across research topics based on the theoretical proximity of the participants
• Position own thesis project in the context of the body of knowledge on the digital phenomena

A Pass/Fail grade will be based on participation and timely submission of the course two-page assignment.    

Retake exam: students who do not fulfill the passing requirements may submit a 7-page paper based on their participation in the course. The paper is due 30 days after the seminar. 

Baskerville, R. L., Myers, M. D., & Yoo, Y. (2020). Digital first: The ontological reversal and new challenges for is research. MIS Quarterly, 44 (2).

Gregor, S. “The Nature of Theory in Information Systems,” MIS Quarterly, Vol. 30, No. 3, 2006, pp. 611-642.

Markus, M.L., and Rowe, F. “Is IT Changing the World? Conceptions of Causality for Information Systems Theorizing,” MIS Quarterly, December 2018, 42(4), pp. 1255-1280.

Orlikowski, W. J. (2000). Using technology and constituting structures: A practice lens for studying technology in organizations. Organization Science, 11(4), 404-428.

Sarker, S., Chatterjee, S., Xiao, X., and Elbanna, A. (2019). The sociotechnical axis of cohesion for the is discipline: Its historical legacy and its continued relevance. MIS Quarterly, 43(3), 695-719.

Weber, R. 2012. “Evaluating and Developing Theories in the Information Systems Discipline,” Journal of the Association for Information Systems (13: 1), pp. 1-30. Available at: http://aisel.aisnet.org/jais/vol13/iss1/2

Wessel, L., Baiyere, A., Ologeanu-Taddei, R., Cha, J., & Jensen, T. (2020). Unpacking the difference between digital transformation and IT-enabled organizational transformation. Journal of Association of Information Systems

Yoo, Y., Henfridsson, O., & Lyytinen, K. (2010). Research commentary—the new organizing logic of digital innovation: an agenda for information systems research. Information systems research, 21(4), 724-735.