Standalone Literature Reviews in IS Research: What Can Be Learnt From the Past and Other Fields?

This panel addresses the divergent expectations of the IS community on new directions in the genre of standalone literature reviews (SLRs), which synthesize and interpret a body of literature within a domain. The primary purpose of the panel is to spur a controversial discussion on a) what the IS field can learn from other fields and where it should be specific, b) how the IS field should move forward to foster the genre of SLRs, and c) what are the best approaches to train doctoral IS students in publishing SLRs. The panelists initiate a vital discussion on where the IS field can profit from considering approaches of other fields and where it should focus on IS specifics that are not shared by other fields, which SLR processes are of particular importance for the IS field, and whether and how doctoral IS students should be trained in writing SLRs

(Re)considering the Concept of Literature Review Reproducibility

Literature reviews play a key role in academic research by describing, understanding, explaining, and testing the constructs and theories within a particular topic area. In recent years, various commentaries, debates, and editorials in the information systems (IS) field’s top journals have highlighted the importance of a trustworthy literature review process, including detailed discussions on systematicity and transparency. Although the reproducibility of a literature review has also been noted as important, it remains less recognized because of several terminology-related issues. This ambiguity could result in misunderstandings regarding the degree of trust that should be placed in a literature review’s process. In this research essay, we seek to clarify what makes a literature review reproducible, how it is distinct from related concepts, and when achieving it is desirable and feasible. We propose a series of clarifications and remedies to assist scholars within and outside the IS field in the preparation of stand-alone reviews

The critical interpretive synthesis : an assessment of reporting practices

The importance of the critical interpretive synthesis (CIS) to review quantitative and qualitative research, and to critically develop new theory, is increasingly recognized and evidenced by the increase in published CIS reviews. However, the flexibility embedded in the method hampers its implementation and exacerbates concerns about trustworthiness. This paper seeks to determine the extent of transparent reporting and soundness of execution in published CIS reviews by developing assessment criteria based on CIS key features. We analyzed 77 CIS reviews published between 2006 and 2018 for their reporting practices. Findings indicate that reporting practices of CIS key features are suboptimal. We recommend that authors better document their CIS to increase the transparency of their study and suggest authors to rely on described guidelines to select and conduct their CIS. To this end, our reported evaluation criteria could assist authors, reviewers, and journal editors in their evaluation of the quality of CIS studies

Should We Collaborate with AI to Conduct Literature Reviews? Changing Epistemic Values in a Flattening World

In this paper, we revisit the issue of collaboration with artificial intelligence (AI) to conduct literature reviews and discuss if this should be done and how it could be done. We also call for further reflection on the epistemic values at risk when using certain types of AI tools based on machine learning or generative AI at different stages of the review process, which often require the scope to be redefined and fundamentally follow an iterative process. Although AI tools accelerate search and screening tasks, particularly when there are vast amounts of literature involved, they may compromise quality, especially when it comes to transparency and explainability. Expert systems are less likely to have a negative impact on these tasks. In a broader context, any AI method should preserve researchers’ ability to critically select, analyze, and interpret the literature

Blockchain Technology in Business Organizations: A Scoping Review

The scientific literature on blockchain technology is emerging but increasing rapidly. This review paper aims to provide a deeper understanding of the nature and scope of the extant literature on blockchain technology in the particular context of business organizations. To achieve our main objective, we searched five databases and screened 320 papers for inclusion. As a result of the search and screen process, we identified 39 relevant articles. Data coding was first pilot tested and then performed independently by two teams of researchers. All disagreements were reconciled by a third coder. Our findings reveal that most of the extant literature focuses on how blockchain technology works and, to a lesser extent, on the what , i.e. its potential applications and usages in business organizations. For its part, the why question, which focuses on the organizational motivations for adopting blockchain technology, was scarcely discussed in prior literature. In short, our findings reveal that many issues and questions remain to be investigated. Based on a gap analysis, we propose a few promising avenues that shall guide future research efforts in this important topic

Literature Reviews in IS Research: What Can Be Learnt from the Past and Other Fields?

Literature reviews (LRs) are recognized for their increasing impact in the information systems literature. Methodologists have drawn attention to the question of how we can leverage the value of LRs to preserve and generate knowledge. The panelists who participated in the discussion of “Standalone Literature Reviews in IS Research: What Can Be Learnt from the Past and Other Fields?” at ICIS 2016 in Dublin acknowledged this significant issue and debated 1) what the IS field can learn from other fields and where IS-specific challenges occur, 2) how the IS field should move forward to foster the genre of LRs, and 3) the best practices to train doctoral IS students in publishing LRs. This paper reports the key takeaways of this panel discussion. We provide guidance for IS scholars on how to conduct LRs that contribute to the cumulative knowledge development in and across the IS field to best prepare the next generation of IS scholars

Big Data Reference Architectures, a systematic literature review

Today, we live in a world that produces data at an unprecedented rate. The significant amount of data has raised lots of attention and many strive to harness the power of this new material. In the same direction, academics and practitioners have considered means through which they can incorporate datadriven functions and explore patterns that were otherwise unknown. This has led to a concept called Big Data. Big Data is a field that deals with data sets that are too large and complex for traditional approaches to handle. Technical matters are fundamentally critical, but what is even more necessary, is an architecture that supports the orchestration of Big Data systems; an image of the system providing with clear understanding of different elements and their interdependencies. Reference architectures aid in defining the body of system and its key components, relationships, behaviors, patterns and limitations. This study provides an in-depth review of Big Data Reference Architectures by applying a systematic literature review. The study demonstrates a synthesis of high-quality research to offer indications of new trends. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on the principles of Reference Architectures, the current state of Big Data Reference Architectures, and their limitations

A Synthesized Perspective on Privacy and Transparency in the Digital Workplace

The pandemic crisis has made the digitalization of workplaces imperative for many organizations. Besides reorganizing work, rapid advances in technologies also enhance organizational efficiency and enable remote work. Having to work completely digitally imposes unprecedented transparency on employees. A major consequence of the transparent workplace is the emergence of employees’ privacy concerns. Even though the concepts of transparency and privacy are closely related, there is a research gap regarding the relationship between the two. Based on a conceptual approach and a systematic literature review, we postulate a synthesis of transparency and privacy in the digital workplace, and outline directions for future research. We discuss what makes the relationship between the two constructs double-edged by introducing the privacy-transparency paradox. This study therefore adds to the literature on privacy and transparency in the digital workplace and forms the basis for further studies