Exploring the management information systems discipline: a scientometric study of ICIS, PACIS and ASAC

Abstract

This study examines the identity and development of the management information systems (MIS) field through a scientometric lens applied to three major global, regional and national conferences: International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems (PACIS) and Administrative Sciences Association of Canada Annual Conference (ASAC). It adapts the conference stakeholder approach to the construction of the identity of the MIS discipline and analyzes the proceedings of these three conferences. The findings suggest that the MIS field has been evolving in terms of collaborative research and scholarly output and has been gradually moving towards academic maturity. The leading MIS conference contributors tend to establish loyalty to a limited number of academic meetings. At the same time, relatively low levels of repeat publication in the proceedings of ICIS, PACIS and ASAC were observed. It was suggested that Lotka's and Yule-Simon's bibliometric laws may be applied to measure and predict the degree of conference delegate loyalty.

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“…By this, we found an α value of 2.62, which is considerably higher than the theoretical α proposed by Lotka (α = 2), but not exceptional regarding other scientometric studies. As discussed in Serenko and Bontis (2004), prior scientometric studies in other fields obtained different values for α within the ranges of 1.5 to 3 (Bonnevie 2003), 1.95 to 3.26 (Chung and Cox 1990), and 2.21 to 2.46 (Cocosila et al 2011). …”

Science Mapping Tools

“…These studies allow members of the academic community to identify the historical roots of a determined field of study [15], to identify prospects for future research, and to decide the right direction in which to focus subsequent research. An historical assessment can help expand existing knowledge by investigating change and continuity over time [16].…”

Understanding e-government research

“…An historical assessment can help expand existing knowledge by investigating change and continuity over time (Cocosila et al, 2011). Therefore, this article not only serves as a synopsis of existing research, but also as an identifier of emerging trends, gaps, and areas for future study.…”