Beyond Rigor and Relevance: Producing Consumable Research about Information Systems

Abstract

Since the field Information Systems IS originated, researchers have faced apparently contradictory pressures. On the one hand, we are exhorted to generate scholarly articles that are academically rigorous; on the other, we are urged to make our research more relevant to practice. In this paper, we argue that there is no inherent conflict between these two pressures; it is not only possible, but also desirable, for IS research to fulfill both directives. We present four major strategies for conducting research that is both rigorous and relevant: cultivating practitioner sponsorship, adopting new research models, producing consumable research reports, and supporting nontraditional research outlets.