A Discipline Divided: Globalization and Parochialism in Information Systems Research

Abstract

This research note examines an apparent paradox in Information Systems (IS) research. This paradox relates to the parochial nature of much of the published IS research (both in terms of the chosen journal outlet and the literature cited), notwithstanding the global nature of the phenomena being investigated. The motivation behind this paper is to raise awareness within the IS academy concerning the global nature of our field, the applicability -or otherwise -of our research results in widely differing contexts, and the limited attention currently given to literature published elsewhere in the world. In line with the stated purpose of Communications of the AIS, this paper aims "to foster the free flow of ideas within the IS community" and seeks to encourage debate on this important topic. It investigates the paradox of globalization and parochialism in IS by reviewing author 'nationality' in four leading IS journals over a seven-year period (1994-2000), and by reviewing the 'nationality' of the literature cited by these authors. Two of the journals are published in the USA and two are published in Europe. Despite apparent recognition of increasing globalization in our field, brought about – in part at least – by information technology (IT), the data provide firm evidence that the IS discipline is marked by a distinct parochialism along national, or at least, regional lines. A reorientation appears to be required if leading IS journals are not to continue to be the unwitting mouthpieces of unwitting researchers, publishing the results of partial, culturally biased research. The findings also contain profound implications for published material based on citation analyses and on our understanding of what constitutes the appellation 'international' in our discipline.