Start Date
11-12-2016 12:00 AM
Description
Physical objects get increasingly augmented with digital technology resulting in digitized artifacts and digital innovation. We adapt an analysis framework geared towards the structural nature of theories in IS research to investigate how digitized artifacts, digital innovation and the relationship between the two are conceptualized. We identify and juxtapose research on 1) ‘ubiquitous and pervasive computing’, 2) ‘digital product innovation and digitized products’, 3) ‘digitized service innovation’, and 4) ‘digitized product service systems’ as four research streams that conceptualize digitized artifacts and related innovation. We discuss how the individual research streams contribute to the body of knowledge by recommending how the existing concepts can be utilized and when their application is most suitable. We furthermore reveal ambiguities and blind spots as potential avenues for further research. For scholars, our work provides guidance in choosing an adequate theoretical foundation for research on digitized artifacts and digital innovation.
Recommended Citation
Herterich, Matthias M. and Mikusz, Martin, "Looking for a Few Good Concepts and Theories for Digitized Artifacts and Digital Innovation in a Material World" (2016). ICIS 2016 Proceedings. 9.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2016/DigitalInnovation/Presentations/9
Looking for a Few Good Concepts and Theories for Digitized Artifacts and Digital Innovation in a Material World
Physical objects get increasingly augmented with digital technology resulting in digitized artifacts and digital innovation. We adapt an analysis framework geared towards the structural nature of theories in IS research to investigate how digitized artifacts, digital innovation and the relationship between the two are conceptualized. We identify and juxtapose research on 1) ‘ubiquitous and pervasive computing’, 2) ‘digital product innovation and digitized products’, 3) ‘digitized service innovation’, and 4) ‘digitized product service systems’ as four research streams that conceptualize digitized artifacts and related innovation. We discuss how the individual research streams contribute to the body of knowledge by recommending how the existing concepts can be utilized and when their application is most suitable. We furthermore reveal ambiguities and blind spots as potential avenues for further research. For scholars, our work provides guidance in choosing an adequate theoretical foundation for research on digitized artifacts and digital innovation.