MG509      Half Unit
Contemporary Digital Innovation Research

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Prof Edgar Whitley

Availability

This course is compulsory on the MPhil/PhD in Management - Information Systems and Innovation. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.

Approval by MG509 Course Leader required

Course content

The course introduces students to a range of contemporary digital innovation research themes.  Different themes will be introduced by members of the ISI faculty group, drawing on their research interests and expertise. The aim is to ground students in the traditional conceptualisations of IS and use this as the base for exploring the theoretical challenges brought about by a variety of digital innovations and to understand how these theoretical challenges are grounded in the relevant academic literature.

Teaching

20 hours of seminars in the Autumn Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.

In its Ethics Code, LSE upholds a commitment to intellectual freedom. This means we will protect the freedom of expression of our students and staff and the right to engage in healthy debate in the classroom.

Formative assessment

Students will be expected to produce a formative 1000-word preparatory essay in the AT by the start of week 7.

 

Indicative reading

  • Berente, N., Gu, B., Recker, J., and Santhanam, R. (2021). Managing artificial intelligence, MIS Quarterly 45(3), 1433–1450.
  • Berente, N., Seidel, S., and Safadi, H. (2019). Research Commentary—Data-Driven Computationally Intensive Theory Development, Information Systems Research 30(1), 50–64.
  • Bonina, C., Koskinen, K., Eaton, B., and Gawer, A. (2021). Digital platforms for development: Foundations and research agenda, Information Systems Journal 31(6), 869–902.
  • de Reuver, M., Sørensen, C., and Basole, R. C. (2018). The Digital Platform: A Research Agenda, Journal of Information Technology 33(2), 124–135.
  • Hodapp, D., and Hanelt, A. (2022). Interoperability in the era of digital innovation: An information systems research agenda, Journal of Information Technology 37(4), 407–427.
  • Karpovsky, A., and Galliers, R. D. (2015). Aligning in Practice: From Current Cases to a New Agenda, Journal of Information Technology 30(2), 136–160.
  • Lee, J. K., Park, J., Gregor, S., and Yoon, V. (2021). Axiomatic Theories and Improving the Relevance of Information Systems Research, Information Systems Research 32(1), 147–171.
  • Tarafdar, M., Shan, G., Thatcher, J. B., and Gupta, A. (2022). Intellectual Diversity in IS Research: Discipline-Based Conceptualization and an Illustration from Information Systems Research, Information Systems Research Forthcoming.
  • Vial, G. (2019). Understanding digital transformation: A review and a research agenda, The Journal of Strategic Information Systems 28(2), 118–144.

Assessment

Essay (100%, 4000 words)


Key facts

Department: Management

Course Study Period: Autumn Term

Unit value: Half unit

FHEQ Level: Level 8

CEFR Level: Null

Total students 2024/25: 1

Average class size 2024/25: 1

Controlled access 2024/25: No
Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Communication
  • Commercial awareness