Data-Driven Meets Theory-Driven Research in the Era of Big Data: Opportunities and Challenges for Information Systems Research

Abstract

The era of big data provides many opportunities for conducting impactful research from both datadriven and theory-driven perspectives. However, data-driven and theory-driven research have progressed somewhat independently. In this paper, we develop a framework that articulates important differences between these two perspectives and propose a role for information systems research at their intersection. The framework presents a set of pathways that combine the datadriven and theory-driven perspectives. From these pathways, we derive a set of challenges, and show how they can be addressed by research in information systems. By doing so, we identify an important role that information systems research can play in advancing both data-driven and theory-driven research in the era of big data. Medicine. His research investigates the relationship between conceptual modeling and AI/ML, AI in distributed environments (EdgeAI), and the design of smart services. Additionally he has a strong focus on knowledge transfer to industry through funded projects and spin-offs. 1273Carson Woo is Stanley Kwok Professor of Business, Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia. His research interests include conceptual modeling, systems analysis and design, and requirements engineering. In particular, he is interested in using conceptual models to acquire relevant contextual information (e.g., business goals) and utilizing it to design new information systems, or aligning it to existing information systems design, so that changes can be more appropriate to business needs. At the University of British Columbia, he is a member of two research clusters: (1) Artificial Intelligence, and (2) Blockchain. Dr. Woo is editor of Information Technology and Systems Abstracts Journal at the Social Science Research Network, and serves or has served on several editorial boards, including ACM Transactions on Management Information Systems, Business & Information Systems Engineering Journal, Information and Management, and Requirements Engineering. He currently serves as the chair (2019-2020) of the Conceptual Modeling Conference steering committee and has served as the president of the

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