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Introduction to the special issue on design science

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Abstract

The rigorous application of design science in information and communications technology (ICT) research is growing rapidly and producing exciting results. The five papers published in this special issue reflect some of the most recent ideas and research projects in ICT design science research (DSR). This introduction begins with concise summaries of the published papers. We then reflect on three key design science issues, using the published papers to illustrate our views. The three issues are: (1) the nature of the artifacts/problems studied in DSR in ICT disciplines; (2) the research approaches that are used; and (3) the nature of the research contributions that are made. We explain why we believe that these issues are interdependent and why thinking about these three issues as a whole can support an improved understanding of the goals and processes of design science research.

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Acknowledgments

The Guest Editors wish to thank the many researchers who willingly provided reviews for this special issue. The issue would not have been possible without the encouragement and efforts of the editorial staff of the Journal of Information Systems and e-Business Management.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia

    Shirley Gregor

  2. University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Alan R. Hevner

Authors
  1. Shirley Gregor
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  2. Alan R. Hevner
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Correspondence to Alan R. Hevner.

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Gregor, S., Hevner, A.R. Introduction to the special issue on design science. Inf Syst E-Bus Manage 9, 1–9 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10257-010-0159-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10257-010-0159-8

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