Research summaries

Hevner et al 2004: Design Science in Information Systems Research

Posted by Chitu on Jul 21, 2010 in Research summaries | 0 comments

Hevner, A., March, S., Park, J., and Ram, S. “Design Science in Information Systems Research,” MIS Quarterly (28:1) 2004, pp. 75-105. I read this paper to learn about the design research paradigm. Rationale: IS research features two paradigms: the dominant behavioural science, and the secondary design science. Whereas behavioural science as applied to IS is well-understood and explained, design science is not as well covered. Whereas behavioural science is most concerned about "truth (justified theory)", design science...

Agerwal et al 2008: Editorial Overview—The Interplay Between Digital and Social Networks

Posted by Chitu on Jul 11, 2010 in Research summaries | 0 comments

Ritu Agarwal, Anil K. Gupta, Robert Kraut 2008. Editorial Overview—The Interplay Between Digital and Social Networks. Information Systems Research (19:3), pp. 243-252. September 2008. I read this paper because it introduced a special issue that includes some research on open source software; thus, it would hopefully situation OSS research in a broader context. This special issue covers seven articles in ISR 19:3 and three articles in ISR 19:4. Rationale: This paper introduces an ISR special issue on the interplay between digital and...

Feller et al 2008: From Peer Production to Productization: A Study of Socially Enabled Business Exchanges in Open Source Service Networks

Posted by Chitu on Jun 25, 2010 in Research summaries | 0 comments

Joseph Feller, Patrick Finnegan, Brian Fitzgerald, and Jeremy Hayes 2008. From Peer Production to Productization: A Study of Socially Enabled Business Exchanges in Open Source Service Networks. Information Systems Research (19:4), December 2008, pp. 475-493. I read this paper because of my interest in theoretical perspectives on open source software. Context and theory: Open Source Service Network (OSSN): "A network of firms that collaborate in order to service customer software needs based on open source solutions." This is a new...

Ågerfalk and Fitzgerald 2008: Outsourcing to an unknown workforce: Exploring opensourcing as a global sourcing strategy

Posted by Chitu on Jun 25, 2010 in Research summaries | 0 comments

Agerfalk, Pär and Brian Fitzgerald. (2008). Opensourcing to an unknown workforce: Exploring opensourcing as a global sourcing strategy. MIS Quarterly, 32(2), 385-410. I read this paper because of my interest in theoretical perspectives on open source software. Context: Opensourcing is presented as a form of outsourcing where a software product is purposely made available as open source in order to involve communal development. Agerfalk and Fitzgerald decline to use agency tehory, relational exchange theory, and transaction cost theory,...

Lee and Hubona 2009: A Scientific Basis for Rigor and Relevance in Information Systems Research

Posted by Chitu on Jun 10, 2010 in Research summaries | 0 comments

 Lee, A.S., and Hubona, G.S. (2009) "A Scientific Basis for Rigor and Relevance in Information Systems Research," MIS Quarterly (33:2), pp. 237-262, June 2009. Context: IS research is multi-paradigmatic and multi-method. Although qualitative research is well-accepted, it is not always clear what is the philosophical or scientific basis for determining the rigour of a study, especially when compared to positivist quantitative studies, whose scientific rigour, hailing from methods derived in the natural sciences, is well...

Structured abstracts

Posted by Chitu on Jun 10, 2010 in Research summaries | 0 comments

I want to summarize some articles I've read as structured abstracts. I will cover the following points:

• Rationale: Practical and theoretical background of the study, including its relevance.
• Objectives: What does the study attempt to accomplish?
• Theoretical background: Theoretical frameworks or perspectives (whether theory building or theory testing) used to accomplish the objectives.
• Key questions: What are the specific research questions addressed? This includes listing the hypotheses tested, if applicable.
• Methodology: Methodological approaches used to answer the questions.
• Variables and data sources, if any: The dependent and independent variables, including control variables; for empirical studies, some key characteristics of the data sources (brief description, sociocultural/organizational context, sample size, quantitative/qualitative, etc.)
• Key findings: Summary of objective results of methodology (other than interpretation).
• Key contribution to knowledge: Most important and novel contributions.
• Key implications: Implications for practice and for future research.
• Comments: Any comments, including why this is considered high-quality research.