Panel Date:

22.2.2022, 15.45-16.45

Panelists

• Prof. Dr. Thomas Hess (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)
• Prof. Dr. Sven Laumer (Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg)
• Prof. Dr. Ulrike Schultze (Southern Methodist University)
• Prof. Dr. Sarah Spiekermann-Hoff (Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien)
• Prof. Dr. Susanne Strahringer (Technische Universität Dresden)

Organization & moderation

• Prof. Dr. Thomas Hess (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)
• Prof. Dr. Susanne Strahringer (Technische Universität Dresden)

Summary

Business Informatics is a relatively young discipline with repeatedly discussed research goals and objects. Fifteen years ago, this discussion focused on design-oriented vs. empirical research and thus on the discipline’s methodological repertoire. Currently, the question is whether Business Informatics should retain its focus on the business domain, place its topics more strongly in a societal context, or should extensively open up to the design of digital technologies in society and the investigation of their societal impact. The latter would result in topics such as ethics of digitization, the support of migration through digital solutions, or the role of digital technologies in guaranteeing human rights as being considered typical BIS topics.

The discussion of the discipline’s openness has so far been conducted rather indirectly. However, contrary positions for and against opening BIS for broad societal issues can be observed. Therefore, the panel aims to elaborate on these positions from different perspectives to make them more transparent for further discussion.