A “Look” into the IS Discipline through the Lens of MIS Quarterly: A Visual Examination of Scholar Characteristics

Abstract

Academic disciplines naturally form their own knowledge cultures. This research examines characteristics of knowledge creators by investigating a subset of information systems (IS) researchers, namely those who have published in one of the field’s premier journals – MIS Quarterly. Author characteristics (pedigree, gender, various location data, etc.) are examined and reported on. Additionally, with the aid of modern visualization tools such as Tableau and/or Microsoft Power BI, influential scholarly foci (knowledge centers) are analyzed. Findings suggest an increase of women, international scholars, and locations over time, are adding to the richness and diversity of the IS field. Furthermore, this research presents some discussion and presentation of the migratory pattern of IS researchers utilizing dynamic mapping visualizations.