[AISWorld] CFP: Practice-based IS Research Mini-track – HICSS 57, Oahu

[Gabriele Piccoli]

CFP: Practice-based IS Research Mini-track – HICSS 57, Oahu

Description

This mini-track encourages practice-based research on new and emerging IS
issues in organizations. Practice-based research aspires to bridge the gap
between academic theory and practice; it aspires both to introduce
researchers to state-of-the-art practices and issues from industry and
introduce managers to research that makes sense of and brings coherence to
the issues they face. The methods used in practice-based research are often
exploratory, field-based studies involving interviews and observations. The
pressure to achieve methodological distinction and theoretical contribution
often results in very current practice-based topics being eschewed by
researchers because the topics themselves are not mature enough to attain
desirable samples or sample sizes, nor are they conducive to theorizing
since so little is known. Exploratory, practice-based research plays a
critical role in helping establish and lay the foundations of a research
domain while providing insights into an emerging topic.
This mini-track aims to encourage practice-based research in information
systems and to disseminate the research results in a manner that makes its
relevance and utility readily apparent.  This mini-track invites authors to
submit research that provides rich stories, unique insights, and useful
conceptual frameworks for information systems practice. Papers might be
based upon single cases, multiple cases, field interviews, or, less
commonly, literature itself.  Experimental, econometric, and survey
research are less likely to achieve the goal of providing rich insight for
practice.  The submissions to this mini-track are not expected to make
distinct or novel theoretical contributions.  Instead, the contributions
should focus on discrete recommendations and unique lessons learned for
practice.  The mini-track chairs coordinate with MIS Quarterly Executive in
selecting papers for fast-tracking to an issue of MISQE.
Overall, this mini-track aims to:

  *   Showcase high-quality practice-oriented IS research
  *   Promote practice-oriented IS research as a critical source of insight
and guidance for digital leaders
  *   Provide researchers a platform to present and discuss their
practice-oriented IS research findings and expose the community to current
challenges in creating value with IT
  *   Help identify the most challenging managerial issues for digital/IT
leaders and frame them as new questions that could guide future
practice-oriented IS research.

Dates:
  *   June 15 | 11:59 pm HST: Paper submission deadline
  *   August 17 | 11:59 pm HST: Initial Notification of Acceptance/Rejection
  *   September 4 | 11:59 pm HST: Deadline for authors to submit the
revised version of papers accepted with mandatory changes (A-M)
  *   September 11: Final Notification of Acceptance/Rejection
  *   September 22: Deadline for authors to submit the final manuscript for
publication
  *   October 1: Deadline for at least one author of each paper to register
for the conference

Additional guidance for authors of practice-based IS research papers
This practice track has run for many years at HICSS and has produced track
best paper award winners on numerous occasions. We are not just seeking
research with strong relevance for practitioners but manuscripts written in
a way that makes them easily accessible to enlightened practitioner
readers. This means that any accepted manuscript will not follow the
traditional “rules” of writing for an academic audience.
If you are not a regular reader of MISQE articles, we advise you to read a
few to understand their style, structure, focus, and content. Some general
guidelines for writing such articles include:

  *   Simplify reality, but don’t be simplistic
  *   Keep theory and methodology in the background (perhaps add your
methods in an appendix, but write it so that it is accessible to
non-academic readers).
  *   Use literature and in-depth evidence to give credibility and
generalizability.

Typically, such articles loosely follow this structure:
Short lead-in
Motivate the practitioner reader in 2-3 sentences. Why should they read the
article? What you write should resonate closely with them; perhaps it is a
problem that they recognize that you will now help them solve.
Short introduction to the topic
Frame the topic of the article. Use footnotes rather than the traditional
academic referencing style when using prior research.
Extensive research findings
Use headings and figures/tables to communicate findings. Address solutions
to managerial challenges. Present lessons learned from the research and
recommendations.
Actionable guidelines
Actionable guidelines include action verbs, not passive verbs like
“understand,” “assess, “think,” or “get commitment.”  Tell the reader what
to actually do, or what to change.  For example, if getting commitment is
important, say how to get the required level of commitment.

Appendix
Present an overview of research methods. Remember to write in a way
accessible to an academic audience unfamiliar with the nuances of academic
research.

Minitrack CoChairs:
Bill Kettinger, Clemson University
Gabe Piccoli, Louisiana State University
Michael Milovich, Rowan University
Joaquin Rodriguez, Grenoble Ecole de Management