Creating High-Value Real-World Impact through Systematic Programs of Research

Abstract

An ongoing conversation in the Information Systems literature addresses the concern, “How can we conduct research that makes a difference?” A shortage of high-impact research will, over time, challenge the identity and weaken the viability of IS as an academic discipline. This paper presents the systematic high-impact research model (SHIR), an approach to conducting high-impact research. SHIR embodies the insight gained from three streams of high-impact research programs spanning more than 50 years. The SHIR framework rests on the proposition that IS researchers can produce higher-impact contributions by developing long-term research programs around major real-world issues, as opposed to ad hoc projects addressing a small piece of a large problem. These persistent research programs focus on addressing the entirety of an issue, by leveraging multidisciplinary, multiuniversity research centers that employ a breadth of research methods and large-scale projects. To function effectively, SHIR programs must be sustained by academic and practitioner partnerships, research centers, and outreach activities. We argue that SHIR research programs increase the likelihood of high impact research.

Department(s)

Business and Information Technology

Comments

The MIS Quarterly is a peer reviewed scholarly journal published by the Management Information Systems Research Center, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

Keywords and Phrases

Research Impact; IS Research Methodology; Multidisciplinary Research; Value of IS Research; Multimethodological Research; Systematic High-Impact Research Model; SHIR; Research Transition

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0276-7783

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2017 University of Minnesota, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2017

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