The Grand Challenges in Information Systems
Open Access
- 1 January 2022
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Scientific Research Publishing, Inc. in Journal of Software Engineering and Applications
- Vol. 15 (04), 103-115
- https://doi.org/10.4236/jsea.2022.154005
Abstract
The field of information systems has historically suffered from a pre-dominance of behavioral approaches. As a result, it is not surprising that in spite of decades of research, dozens of conferences and journals and thousands of researchers, very few breakthroughs have been achieved. This paper advocates a technical approach that focuses on improving existing systems in organizations by viewing them from the point of roles i.e. functions fulfilled by IS in organizations. These are understood as: 1) supporting operations, 2) providing information, 3) supporting decision making, 4) providing knowledge, 5) supporting knowledge and clerical work, and 6) supporting organizational design. It is generally agreed that the field’s understanding of fulfilling roles “1”, “2”, “3” and “6” is mature while understanding of areas “3” (for unstructured decisions), “4”, and “5” are still incomplete. The challenges in these areas are difficult problems that we refer to as grand challenges and discuss in this paper.Keywords
This publication has 31 references indexed in Scilit:
- Memorandum on design-oriented information systems researchEuropean Journal of Information Systems, 2011
- Problem Solving and Human ExpertisePublished by Elsevier BV ,2010
- A survey of decision support system applications (1995–2001)Journal of the Operational Research Society, 2006
- Knowledge management for administrative knowledgeExpert Systems, 2005
- The role of IT in successful knowledge management initiativesCommunications of the ACM, 2003
- Introduction to Knowledge in OrganizationsPublished by Elsevier BV ,1997
- CLASSIFYING MANAGERIAL PROBLEMS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF DEFINITIONAL CONTENTJournal of Management Studies, 1995
- Exploring the software engineering component in MIS researchCommunications of the ACM, 1995
- Research issues in information systemsJournal of Information Technology, 1993
- Organizational Problem Formulation: An Empirical StudyAdministrative Science Quarterly, 1980