Implications for Futures: The Missing Section in Sustainable Information Systems Research

Abstract

This paper argues in favor of a deeper understanding of the importance of futures in information systems (IS) research and proposes an initial set of guidelines for the inclusion, in IS publications, of an optional section devoted to the discussion of futures. The proposal was inspired by reflections on the nature of disruptive innovations and was grounded on a cross disciplinary literature review in the areas of IS, management, and computer science. The proposal includes examples of preferable futures and a discussion of their exploration. The anticipation of sustainable futures has the potential to (1) enrich the debate in IS research, (2) contribute to the development of preferable futures, and (3) create knowledge bases of scenarios and trajectories for such development. As far as theory is concerned, the paper advances the incorporation of futures in IS research. For the practice of the discipline, the paper proposes an additional dimension for the publication of impactful research that takes into account the needs of today’s managers, namely those who deal with uncertain environments.