IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/binfse/v61y2019i4d10.1007_s12599-018-0529-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Simulation-Based Research in Information Systems

Author

Listed:
  • Jannis Beese

    (University of St. Gallen)

  • M. Kazem Haki

    (University of St. Gallen)

  • Stephan Aier

    (University of St. Gallen)

  • Robert Winter

    (University of St. Gallen)

Abstract

Simulations provide a useful methodological approach for studying the behavior of complex socio-technical information systems (IS), in which humans and IT artifacts interact to process information. However, the use of simulations is relatively new in IS research and the current presence and impact of simulation-based studies is still limited. Furthermore, simulation-based research is quite different from other approaches, making it difficult to position and evaluate it adequately. Therefore, this paper first analyses the epistemic particularities of simulation-based IS research. Based on this analysis, a structured literature review of the status quo of simulation-based IS research was conducted, to understand how IS scholars currently employ simulation. A comparison of the epistemic particularities of simulation-based research with its status quo in IS literature allows to critically examine epistemic inferences in the respective research process. The results provide guidance for prospective simulation-based IS research through discussing the theory-based derivation of simulation models, as well as different simulation techniques, validation techniques, and simulation uses.

Suggested Citation

  • Jannis Beese & M. Kazem Haki & Stephan Aier & Robert Winter, 2019. "Simulation-Based Research in Information Systems," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 61(4), pages 503-521, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:binfse:v:61:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s12599-018-0529-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s12599-018-0529-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12599-018-0529-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12599-018-0529-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Martin Bichler & Ulrich Frank & David Avison & Julien Malaurent & Peter Fettke & Dirk Hovorka & Jan Krämer & Daniel Schnurr & Benjamin Müller & Leena Suhl & Bernhard Thalheim, 2016. "Erratum to: Theories in Business and Information Systems Engineering," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 58(5), pages 327-328, October.
    2. Frank, Ulrich, 2011. "Multi-perspective enterprise modelling: Background and terminological foundation," ICB Research Reports 46, University Duisburg-Essen, Institute for Computer Science and Business Information Systems (ICB).
    3. Wanda J. Orlikowski & C. Suzanne Iacono, 2001. "Research Commentary: Desperately Seeking the “IT” in IT Research—A Call to Theorizing the IT Artifact," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 12(2), pages 121-134, June.
    4. Christopher Poile & Frank Safayeni, 2016. "Using Computational Modeling for Building Theory: A Double Edged Sword," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 19(3), pages 1-8.
    5. Ulrich Frank & Klaus G. Troitzsch, 2005. "Epistemological Perspectives on Simulation," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 8(4), pages 1-7.
    6. Jörg Becker & Jan Brocke & Marcel Heddier & Stefan Seidel, 2015. "In Search of Information Systems (Grand) Challenges," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 57(6), pages 377-390, December.
    7. Peter Loos & Tobias Mettler & Robert Winter & Matthias Goeken & Ulrich Frank & Alfred Winter, 2013. "Methodological Pluralism in Business and Information Systems Engineering?," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 5(6), pages 453-460, December.
    8. Joerg Becker & Bjoern Niehaves & Karsten Klose, 2005. "A Framework for Epistemological Perspectives on Simulation," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 8(4), pages 1-1.
    9. Martin Bichler & Ulrich Frank & David Avison & Julien Malaurent & Peter Fettke & Dirk Hovorka & Jan Krämer & Daniel Schnurr & Benjamin Müller & Leena Suhl & Bernhard Thalheim, 2016. "Theories in Business and Information Systems Engineering," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 58(4), pages 291-319, August.
    10. Lee, Ju-Sung & Filatova, Tatiana & Ligmann-Zielinska, Arika & Hassani-Mahmooei, Behrooz & Stonedahl, Forrest & Lorscheid, Iris & Voinov, Alexey & Polhill, J. Gareth & Sun, Zhanli & Parker, Dawn C., 2015. "The complexities of agent-based modeling output analysis," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 18(4).
    11. Larry G. Epstein, 1999. "A Definition of Uncertainty Aversion," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 66(3), pages 579-608.
    12. Ulrich Frank & Stefan Strecker & Peter Fettke & Jan Brocke & Jörg Becker & Elmar Sinz, 2014. "The Research Field “Modeling Business Information Systems”," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 6(1), pages 39-43, February.
    13. Brian W. Kulik & Timothy Baker, 2008. "Putting the organization back into computational organization theory: a complex Perrowian model of organizational action," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 84-119, June.
    14. Jan W. Rivkin, 2001. "Reproducing Knowledge: Replication Without Imitation at Moderate Complexity," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(3), pages 274-293, June.
    15. Riccardo Boero & Flaminio Squazzoni, 2005. "Does Empirical Embeddedness Matter? Methodological Issues on Agent-Based Models for Analytical Social Science," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 8(4), pages 1-6.
    16. Günter Küppers & Johannes Lenhard, 2005. "Validation of Simulation: Patterns in the Social and Natural Sciences," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 8(4), pages 1-3.
    17. Bruce Edmonds & David Hales, 2003. "Replication, Replication and Replication: Some Hard Lessons from Model Alignmen," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 6(4), pages 1-11.
    18. Wanda J. Orlikowski, 1992. "The Duality of Technology: Rethinking the Concept of Technology in Organizations," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 3(3), pages 398-427, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Patrick Afflerbach & Christopher Dun & Henner Gimpel & Dominik Parak & Johannes Seyfried, 2021. "A Simulation-Based Approach to Understanding the Wisdom of Crowds Phenomenon in Aggregating Expert Judgment," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 63(4), pages 329-348, August.
    2. Julia Brasse & Hanna Rebecca Broder & Maximilian Förster & Mathias Klier & Irina Sigler, 2023. "Explainable artificial intelligence in information systems: A review of the status quo and future research directions," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-30, December.
    3. Hussain, Jafar & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Hu, Danting, 2023. "Maximizing load capacity factor through a carbon-neutral environment via a simulation of carbon peak," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 746-764.
    4. Kristina Rosenthal & Benjamin Ternes & Stefan Strecker, 2021. "Business Process Simulation on Procedural Graphical Process Models," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 63(5), pages 569-602, October.
    5. Hussain, Jafar & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Chen, Yongxiu, 2022. "Optimal green technology investment and emission reduction in emissions generating companies under the support of green bond and subsidy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    6. Kathrin Eismann, 2021. "Diffusion and persistence of false rumors in social media networks: implications of searchability on rumor self-correction on Twitter," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 91(9), pages 1299-1329, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wil M. P. Aalst & Jörg Becker & Martin Bichler & Hans Ulrich Buhl & Jens Dibbern & Ulrich Frank & Ulrich Hasenkamp & Armin Heinzl & Oliver Hinz & Kai-Lung Hui & Matthias Jarke & Dimitris Karagiannis &, 2018. "Views on the Past, Present, and Future of Business and Information Systems Engineering," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 60(6), pages 443-477, December.
    2. Reinhard Schütte & Frederik Ahlemann & Jörg Becker & Christine Legner & Christiane Lehrer & Manuel Wiesche & Gérard Richter, 2022. "Quo Vadis Information Systems Research in Times of Digitalization?," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 64(4), pages 529-540, August.
    3. repec:dau:papers:123456789/4907 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Oliver Thomas & Simon Hagen & Ulrich Frank & Jan Recker & Lauri Wessel & Friedemann Kammler & Novica Zarvic & Ingo Timm, 2020. "Global Crises and the Role of BISE," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 62(4), pages 385-396, August.
    5. Flaminio Squazzoni, 2010. "The impact of agent-based models in the social sciences after 15 years of incursions," History of Economic Ideas, Fabrizio Serra Editore, Pisa - Roma, vol. 18(2), pages 197-234.
    6. J. Gareth Polhill & Dawn C. Parker & Daniel Brown & Volker Grimm, 2008. "Using the ODD Protocol for Describing Three Agent-Based Social Simulation Models of Land-Use Change," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 11(2), pages 1-3.
    7. François-Xavier de Vaujany & Nathalie Mitev & Matthew Smith & Isabelle Walsh, 2017. "Renewing Literature Reviews in MIS Research? A Critical Realist Approach," Working Papers hal-01648133, HAL.
    8. Hart O. Awa & Ojiabo Ukoha & Best C. Eke, 2016. "Adoption of emerging ICTs: The role of actors in a social network," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 1259879-125, December.
    9. Bauermann, Tom & Roos, Michael W. M. & Schaff, Frederik, 2020. "POSA: Policy implementation sensitivity analysis," Ruhr Economic Papers 854, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    10. Alistair Mutch, 2010. "Technology, Organization, and Structure---A Morphogenetic Approach," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 21(2), pages 507-520, April.
    11. Maria Balta & Konstantina Spanaki & Thanos Papadopoulos & M.N. Ravishankar, 2023. "Understanding the use of digital technologies in entrepreneurial start-up settings and growth-oriented firms," Post-Print hal-04053205, HAL.
    12. François-Xavier de Vaujany, 2005. "Information Technology Conceptualization: Respective Contributions of Sociology and Information Systems," Post-Print hal-00644428, HAL.
    13. Kathrin Figl, 2017. "Comprehension of Procedural Visual Business Process Models," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 59(1), pages 41-67, February.
    14. François-Xavier de Vaujany & Vladislav V. Fomin & Stefan Haefliger & Kalle Lyytinen, 2018. "Rules, Practices, and Information Technology: A Trifecta of Organizational Regulation," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 29(3), pages 755-773, September.
    15. Dehua Gao & Flaminio Squazzoni & Xiuquan Deng, 2018. "The Intertwining Impact of Intraorganizational and Routine Networks on Routine Replication Dynamics: An Agent-Based Model," Complexity, Hindawi, vol. 2018, pages 1-23, November.
    16. Robin Williams & Neil Pollock, 2012. "Research Commentary ---Moving Beyond the Single Site Implementation Study: How (and Why) We Should Study the Biography of Packaged Enterprise Solutions," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 23(1), pages 1-22, March.
    17. Raphael Lissillour & Jean Michel Sahut, 2023. "Uses of Information Systems to Develop Trust in Family Firms," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 65(2), pages 127-141, April.
    18. Brian T. Pentland & Martha S. Feldman, 2007. "Narrative Networks: Patterns of Technology and Organization," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(5), pages 781-795, October.
    19. Burger, Katharina & White, Leroy & Yearworth, Mike, 2019. "Developing a smart operational research with hybrid practice theories," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 277(3), pages 1137-1150.
    20. Viju Raghupathi & Raquel Benbunan-Fich, 2020. "A Social Capital Perspective on Computer-Mediated Group Communication and Performance: An Empirical Study," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 747-801, August.
    21. Åkesson, Maria & Sørensen, Carsten & Eriksson, Carina Ihlström, 2018. "Ambidexterity under digitalization: A tale of two decades of new media at a Swedish newspaper," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 276-288.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:binfse:v:61:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s12599-018-0529-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.