Role of information systems as a business discipline

Abstract

One of the questions that is frequently raised during any serious discussion related to the identity of Information Systems (IS) education is the relationship between the business domain and IS and the role of IS as a business discipline. Naturally, IS as an academic discipline has its strongest roots within the business school community and a history that is closely linked to the rapid growth in the dependence of businesses of all types and sizes on information technology. Particularly in North America, most of the founding academics in the field of IS came from business schools, and information systems as artifacts were seen to exist to support management in organizations. Both in research and in curriculum development, large corporations got more attention than smaller companies because they presented the most interesting and challenging problems to solve and had the most focused demand for graduates. In addition, business schools identified the need to hire academic specialists who are able to integrate issues related to business and technology in their research and teaching. Particularly during the boom years of late 1980s and 1990s, student demand for courses in Information Systems was very high, which obviously raised the level of interest in the discipline among business school administrators. The events of early 2000s led to the rapid declines in enrollments that we all have experienced and are fighting against. Not surprisingly, these developments have made some business schools question the value of IS programs and departments, but the field is still predominantly associated with business schools.