Trending topics workshop

Reforming and innovating how the Information Systems Journal (ISJ) publishes and promotes research has always been a core value of the journal. Therefore, in 2021, we introduced a new submission format with the ISJ Trending Topics Workshop. After 2 years, we are pleased to announce that the first paper from the ISJ Trending Topics Workshop series will be published in the journal. Adam et al. (2023) was submitted to the first workshop issue in June 2021 and will appear in this issue.

The ISJ Trending Topics Workshop is an annual paper development workshop (PDW) format held in early to mid-June prior to the European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS). We use a hybrid format for the workshop, allowing authors to participate virtually, ensuring inclusivity, and overcoming geographical barriers for those participants who are unable to travel to ECIS. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related travel restrictions, the workshop was held in a virtual format in 2021 and 2022. This year, we were able to organise the workshop in a hybrid format on 13 June 2023, in Kristiansand with 28 on-site and 20 virtual participants.

The PDW encourages scholarship that focuses on high-impact research on emerging trending topics in the IS field, such as inclusive digital initiatives, IS in social and political protests, the impact of generative AI, the ethical use of data, algorithms, and design, social cyberwarfare and cybersecurity, applications of blockchain technology, the role of IS in climate change, and many more. Prior to the workshop, participants whose papers have been accepted for discussion in the workshop receive two additional papers to read and review for their roundtable. During the workshop, participants meet in small groups or virtual breakout rooms where they receive feedback from ISJ Editorial Board members and provide feedback on other participants' papers. The ISJ SEs and AEs facilitate the discussion so that each participant has equal time to receive comments from others in the roundtable.

Selection for the ISJ Trending Topics Workshop is competitive. This workshop focuses on trending topics and significant societal issues, packaged in a high-quality, high-impact research paper. To be considered for the workshop, a paper must demonstrate a significant contribution to IS research, with or without data. The following table shows the number of submissions to and the acceptance rate for the workshop.

Authors of workshop papers are not obligated to submit their work to the ISJ after the workshop, but it is ISJ's goal that those papers that receive feedback during the workshop will be ready for submission and further consideration for publication in ISJ after the workshop. Although the paper from the 1st edition of the ISJ's Trending Topics Workshop is published in this issue, papers from the 2nd and 3rd editions of the workshop are currently under review and will be published in future issues of the ISJ.

In addition to the publication of workshop papers in the journal, there are several other reasons why we are running this workshop.

The primary goal of the ISJ Trending Topics Workshop is to foster a collaborative environment where both junior and established scholars can gain first-hand experience in submitting to a top IS journal. By participating in this workshop, early-career researchers in particular will have the unique opportunity to learn how to engage in the reviewing process of a top journal and how to interact with editorial board members. This iterative process increases the chances of a positive outcome after the first round of review and provides authors with valuable insights and suggestions on how to strengthen their research. We also consider the workshop to be the 0.5 review round before a submission enters the regular ISJ review process. Authors receive comprehensive feedback from an SE and AE, enabling them to significantly improve their submissions. This guidance enables participants to refine their manuscripts before entering the regular journal submission process.

In addition, the ISJ Trending Topics Workshop plays a critical role in facilitating the dissemination of knowledge related to digital transformation. Given the dynamic nature of technology and its profound impact on society, this workshop provides an exceptional platform to publish and discuss timely content related to trending topics in digital transformation. By bringing together IS researchers from different geographical locations with a wide variety of content and methodologies, we foster a collaborative environment for exploring the implications of technological advances in different areas of the IS field.

We are indebted to all ISJ editors who have handled submissions over the past 3 years, participated as roundtable mentors, or served as panellists or keynote speakers during the workshop. The following individuals have participated in at least one edition of the ISJ Trending Topics Workshop.

Senior Editors:

Antonio Diaz-Andrade, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Carol Hsu, University of Sydney, Australia

Federico Iannacci, University of Sussex, UK

Stan Karanasios, University of Queensland, Australia

Paul Lowry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA

Petter Nielsen, University of Oslo, Norway

Niki Panteli, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK

Ravi Patnayakuni, University of Alabama in Huntsville, USA

M. N. Ravishankar, Queen's University Belfast, UK

Barney Tan, University of New South Wales, Australia

Monideepa Tarafdar, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA

Angsana Techatassanasoontorn, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Associate Editors:

Abayomi Baiyere, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

Roberta Bernardi, University of Bristol, UK

Petros Chamakiotis, ESCP Business School, Spain

Christy Cheung, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong

Nancy Deng, California State University Dominguez Hills, USA

Daniel Fuerstenau, IT University Copenhagen, Denmark

Sven Laumer, Friedrich-Alexander University, Germany

Marco Marabelli, Bentley University, USA

Marjolein van Offenbeek, University of Groningen, Netherlands

Niki Panteli, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK

Dimitra Petrakaki, University of Sussex, UK

Christoph Rosenkranz, University of Cologne, Germany

Felix Tan, University of New South Wales, Australia

Yenni Tim, University of New South Wales, Australia

Manuel Trenz, University of Goettingen, Germany

Chong (Alex) Wang, Peking University, China

Jingguo Wang, The University of Texas, USA

Xiao Xiao, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

Zhongyun (Phil) Zhou, Tongji University, China

In their paper, Adam et al. (2023) address gaps in our understanding of the effectiveness of gam(bl)ified monetary reward designs (MRDs), which entice visitors to earn monetary rewards by playing interactive games, compared with their non-gamified counterparts. The study examines the differential effects of these MRDs on user registration and uncovers the underlying psychological processes that drive user engagement. Drawing on cognitive evaluation theory, the research establishes a theoretical model for understanding the intrinsically motivating effects of gamified MRDs on user registrations. The experiments conducted in this study provide compelling evidence for the superiority of gamified MRDs in motivating user registrations compared with non-gamified MRDs. The mere presence of gamified elements significantly increases the likelihood of user registration, highlighting the importance of the interactive and challenging aspects of these designs.