Open research questions in Information Systems Theories and Implementation
172 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 1,774 Information Systems Theories and Implementation papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.
What the literature leaves open
The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of how sociotechnical imaginaries form, circulate, and transform across different contexts. The analysis highlights the need for further research on the relations between imaginaries and adjacent concepts, the endurance of imaginaries, and the mediums through which imaginaries are channelled.
The need for an examination of human development related to counseling in the context of humanistic education. The need for an expanded agenda for the journal.
The lack of an overriding mandate to legitimise a reasonable degree of risk-taking in government procurement. The lack of creative procurement policies. The lack of long-term planning.
The paper identifies a gap in the study of democracy, namely the subjective approach used by Schlesinger. The author suggests that a more rigorous approach is needed to study democracy.
The current social conditions characterised by mass production and consumption of goods and services. The lack of a clear route from school to stable employment and adult status.
The current social conditions do not provide a basis for establishing any sense of identity or personal worth. The education system does not adequately promote self-confidence and responsibility in post-primary pupils.
Current OD theory and practice do not address satisfactorily major issues associated with large-system development
The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of intentional activity and its relation to social change. It highlights the need for a clearer understanding of the notion of rational interpretation and its implications for social science research.
The paper identifies a gap in understanding the concept of 'meaning' in social sciences. It highlights the need to apply Max Weber's ideas on 'meaningful interpretation' to understand social action.
The lack of a clear definition of applied communication research. The existence of various definitions and understandings of applied communication research.
Traditional analytic techniques may not be capable of providing evidence for or against systems hypotheses. The paper does not provide a comprehensive analysis of all possible systems properties. The analysis is limited to traditional analytic techniques.
SYSTEMS THEORY AND RESEARCH IN THE STUDY OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION: THE CORRESPONDENCE PROBLEM · 1982 · DOIFuture research should examine the correspondence problem in systems theory and research. Recommendations are offered for correspondence analysis for other conceptualizations of systems, properties, and analytical techniques. Future research should consider the development of new methods for studying systems.
SYSTEMS THEORY AND RESEARCH IN THE STUDY OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION: THE CORRESPONDENCE PROBLEM · 1982 · DOIFurther study on the application of action research in human service professions. Exploration of areas where action research can be beneficial, such as case studies and oral history.
The scientific and humanistic paradigms have limitations in applied human service professions. There is a need for a more suitable approach to research in these fields.
The social sciences have had a relatively poor performance in matters relating to social policy. Sociologists have played only a minor role in influencing social policy.
Is There a Place for the Professional Sceptic?: A Comment on Information Transfer and the Relationship Between Social Policy and Social Research · 1981 · DOIThe complexity of social systems. The lack of a widely accepted theory of organizations. The need to develop a framework for selecting microcomputer-based systems for simulating social systems.
The paper does not provide a comprehensive review of all prior work. The approach is limited to simulation studies. The paper does not provide a detailed analysis of the results.
Ways of coping with problems raised by the new approach need to be found. Future systems may need to address the limitations of the Consistent System.
The difficulty of teaching children to read and write one language in some schools. The success of some schools in teaching children to read and write two languages.
The resistance to human resource management in top management circles - The lack of perception of better people management as a critical business objective
The gap in current education courses is the lack of a theoretical framework that prepares practitioners. The author argues that current education courses may be neglecting certain aspects of teacher preparation.
The gap between the founding values of experiential education and contemporary practices - The need for a renewed commitment to social vision and democratic values
The social sciences often study problems that resist solution. The social sciences need to understand human behavior and mechanisms that society uses to bring about coordination of efforts.
The paper seems to fall into the counseling-model trap - The author indicates less experience and a more limited range of how-to-help ideas at macrosystem levels
CHANGING HUMAN SYSTEMS Ronald G. Capelle Toronto, Canada: International Human Systems Institute, 1979, xviii + 204 pp · 1980 · DOIThe US is dependent on foreign oil and is considering alternative energy sources. There is a need for a more attractive means of reducing US dependence on foreign oil.
Most-cited papers in Information Systems Theories and Implementation
- Humans and Technology: Forms of Conjoined Agency in Organizations · Academy of Management Review · 2020 · 388 citations
- Put to the test: For a new sociology of testing · British Journal of Sociology · 2020 · 85 citations
- The challenging but promising future of industrial relations: developing theory and method in context-sensitive research · Industrial Relations Journal · 2005 · 73 citations
- Sequence organization: A universal infrastructure for social action · Journal of Pragmatics · 2020 · 67 citations
- Collaborative Governance and the Challenges of Network-Based Research · The American Review of Public Administration · 2020 · 50 citations
- From ‘Publish or Perish’ to Societal Impact: Organizational Repurposing Towards Responsible Innovation through Creating a Medical Platform · Journal of Management Studies · 2021 · 47 citations
- Hard and Soft Integration: Towards a Dynamic Model of Post‐Acquisition Integration · Journal of Management Studies · 2021 · 44 citations
- Transparency in design science research · Decision Support Systems · 2024 · 39 citations
- Insights into the accuracy of social scientists’ forecasts of societal change · Nature Human Behaviour · 2023 · 37 citations
- Knowledge contributions in design science research: Paths of knowledge types · Decision Support Systems · 2022 · 35 citations
Most recent work
- On the “next-turn proof procedure” in the analysis of social interaction: Trouble formulations in the context of practical activities · Research on Language and Social Interaction · 2026
- Dynamics of trust in science among digitised publics: A two-wave panel study identifying trust groups · Journal of Trust Research · 2026
- Exploring the dissemination of physics laboratory tools through actor-network theory: A case of the simplified Michelson interferometer · New Physics: Sae Mulli · 2026
- Results-Actionability Gap: Understanding How Practitioners Evaluate LLM Products in the Wild · IT University Of Copenhagen (IT University of Copenhagen) · 2026
- What's the IT in IT identity? Towards a Conceptualization of Information Technology for IT Identity Research · 2026
- The SIMC Framework: Aligning Academic Research and Government Practice in Field Experiments · 2026
- Changing systems from within: Workarounds in sociotechnical system transformation · Proceedings of DRS · 2026
- The Role of Theories in Understanding and Promoting CSCL · Journal of Computer Assisted Learning · 2026
- Practical Applications of Step-In Sociometry · The Journal of Psychodrama Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy · 2026
- The subtle codification of science through integrated design: A multimodal critical discourse analysis of the online marketing of vitamin patches · Critical Discourse Studies · 2026
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