About MISQ Discovery

MISQ
Discovery

Introduction	MISQ Discovery was a department of MIS Quarterly. Unfortunately, due to the low number of submissions, MISQ Discovery is no longer accepting manuscripts for review. MISQ Discovery is now closed. The following represents part of the original description of MISQ Discovery.
Page Contents	Objective of MISQ Discovery \| What is MISQ Discovery?] [Desired Content of Submissions \| Relationship with MIS Quarterly \| Relationship with ISWorld Net \| Living versus Archival Publications \| Review Process \| Publications Schedule \| What are Engine Rooms?
Objective	MISQ Discovery was a department of MIS Quarterly intended to engender new forms of knowledge dissemination and knowledge creation related to information technology. MISQ Discovery was intended toprovide an outlet for: Qualitative researchers in IS to include multimedia data in their presentation of the case study or field research Design researchers in IS to better illustrate their designs (by showing or demonstrating the model on the web) IS researchers to explore alternative knowledge dissemination models. IS researchers to challenge assumptions rooted in a paper-based world.
What is it?	We will publish scholarly works, albeit in new forms, in MISQ Discovery but we also encourage one-time initiatives intended to release us from the box of 'paper publishing'. You might take numerous pages to explain to a project in 3-Dimensional modeling, or show your "audience" a 3-D representation and let them experience it for themselves. They might then examine the underlying program or data structure, comments from users, or even download the model for their own use. In an electronic world it will be possible to both show the model or concept and the way it is constructed or applied. Through the use of multimedia, video, interactivity, hypertext, live data, and so on, we expect our producers to challenge our existing assumptions about research and learning. For example, qualitative researchers may include multimedia data to supplement the presentation of a case study. Research works that are found to be of acceptable quality (through the review process) will be "published" as individual contributions and will have MISQ Discovery volume and issue numbers appended to them. They will also be abstracted in the MIS Quarterly and appear in the table of contents of that journal. A fuller version (in PDF format) will also be published in eMISQ, the electronic edition of MISQ (with regular volume, issue, and page numbers).
Desired Content	Electronic Outlets, as with their paper counterparts, serve a targeted constituency. They do so to attract subscribers as well as those seeking outlets for their works. Scholarly journals, in particular, have grown to be closely associated with the rewards systems for various disciplines. These same external pressures drive us to define a constituency for our scholarship even as the technology makes it easier and easier and more and more necessary for us to cross disciplinary boundaries. Our intended constituency are researchers (and managers) interested in the structure of information and knowledge and the application of information systems and information technology. As we are committed to playing a leadership role in the development of a new intellectual infrastructure, we also intend to publish works demonstrating advancements in knowledge creation and dissemination. We also encourage works that use MISQ Discovery or ISWorld Net as illustrative organizations. For instance, a work focused on the maintenance of distributed knowledge repositories might include an analysis and recommendation based on schemes currently employed in MISQ Discovery. Such work, however, must be generalizable to other settings and otherwise be a demonstrated contribution to knowledge. There are many similar topics that we must address including issues of intellectual propery rights, link management, and citation counts. As a user and builder of systems, both MISQ Discovery and ISWorld Net will be guided and assisted by the works published here. The concrete and the conceptual should come together in these productions, and the organizations we thereby create should be exemplar models of virtual worldwide learning organizations.
Relationship to MISQ	MISQ Discovery was founded by the publisher and senior editors of the Management Information Systems Quarterly, and is a department of MIS Quarterly. Although initially conceived with a separate board, later there was a shared editorial board for both journals. MISQ Discovery is not intended as an electronic analog to a paper-based journal. Rather, the real potential of new intellectual infrastructure must come through reengineering the learning process around the sophisticated application of today's computer and communications systems. The paper paradigm, has served scholarship well for centuries, but is now breaking down under the competitive pressure from distributed networks linking servers and workstations throughout the world. It is essential that the information systems academic discipline be at the forefront of this revolution, both in application and research. Thus the Management Information Systems Quarterly, lends its name and reputation to this experimental new publication vehicle. Works published in MISQ Discovery are abstracted in the MIS Quarterly and appear in the table of contents of that journal. A fuller version will also be published in eMISQ, the electronic edition of MISQ.
Relationship to ISWorld Net	The MIS Quarterly is a founder of ISWorld Net. Although MISQ Discovery is not a component of ISWorld Net, there will be a relationship between the two organizations. ISWorld Net activities that contribute to knowledge will be eligible to be considered for publication in MISQ Discovery. Although remaining within the ISWorld Net hierarchy, they will also be listed as MISQ Discovery publications. Such publications will be required to carry, on the first screen, immediately below, the ISWorld Net logo, an MISQ Discovery publications logo as shown below. Unless a submission falls within some other organization such as ISWorld Net, we would expect that submissions would conform to the existing publications standards of MISQ Discovery.
Living versus Archival Publications	Electronic Publications, unlike paper ones, can be readily modified. This presents both opportunities and problems. Updates destroy the trail of scholarship, which provides a basis for the reward system that lubricates the progress of research. On the other hand, errors embedded in paper archives are compounded through subsequent citation. Moreover, some of the value that researchers can add to knowledge, such as organizing it in some useful way, will be impacted if the information itself is dynamic. Thus, for instance, a survey on electronic commerce on the World Wide Web, written in January of 1996 would have little relevance for a reader in October of 1997 unless it had been updated. Therefore MISQ Discovery will publish both "living" and "archival" works as described below. Neither category are to viewed as representing greater or lessor scholarship. Rather, they have a different purpose. Archival Publications Works designated as "archival" will only be subsequently edited to correct typing, spelling, grammar, or to update links - and then only if the original linked to site has moved or is no longer available. Responsibility for such updates, though not required, is the authors. But such changes must be reported to the Senior Editor of MISQ Discovery. All updates must be carefully documented in an update document, accessible from the first screen. This document may also contain, at the producer's discretion, descriptions of other errors that can otherwise not be corrected (e.g., errors in statistical analysis). Works so published will also carry on their first screen an MISQ Discovery Archive logo, including the date of publication. Living Publications Works that are intended to be dynamic will permit, and require, unrestricted modification of links. Such works must provide at the very top of their first screen a linked MISQ Discovery Living Scholarship logo, including the date of publication (we will provide this). It should link to the MISQ Discovery home page. Such productions must also contain a pointer to a separate file, maintained on the MIS Quarterly's server. This file will contain a version of the work that was first published. The link should be from the following sentence, that should appear so as to be visible on the first screen. This "living scholarship" is published in MISQ Discovery. The originally accepted work is available in the MISQ Discovery Archive where "MISQ Discovery Archive" is linked to the original. At the bottom of each page of the "living work" it should say, "This living work was published in MISQ Discovery Archive on [date]. The originally accepted work is available in the MISQ Discovery Archive. This living version is maintained by [author name]. Corrections, clarifications, and suggested modifications should be directed to him at [linked email address]. Serious problems should be referred to the Senior Editor." Where "MISQ Discovery" is linked to the journal's home page, " MISQ Discovery Archive" is linked to the archival version of the paper and the reference to the Senior Editor should be linked to the MISQ Discovery Archive Editors page. An example of this is available. The archival version should say near the top, This is the original archival version of this "living scholarship". It has been unchanged since the work was accepted on [date]. Readers are referred to the live, and recently updated version of the work. Where "recently updated version of the work" should be linked to the living version. At the bottom of each page in the archival version it should say, " This work was published in MISQ Discovery Archive on [date]. This is the archival version. A living version is maintained by [author name, optional link]. Corrections, clarifications, and suggested modifications should be directed to him at [linked email address]. Serious problems should be referred to the Senior Editor." Here MISQ Discovery Archive should be linked to the journal's home page and "living version" should be linked to the living version of the work. An example of this is available. Works that are not maintained or are otherwise not in compliance with these guidelines, will be noted as "retired" on the MISQ Discovery Index and the link to the living work will be removed.
Review Process	The "peer" reviewing process is fairly similar to what one would expect at MIS Quarterly. The Senior Editor will first of all screen each submission to assess its suitability for MISQ Discovery. If a submission is deemed suitable to go out for review, he may then ask a member of the MISQ Editorial Board to act as Associate Editor. The submission will then be reviewed as normal. One point of difference is that, in most cases, the identities of authors will be known to the reviewers (particularly for "living scholarship" submissions on the web). Therefore the review process will not be double blind in these cases. However, this is exactly the same policy that is now followed at Information Systems Research. Further information regarding submission procedures is available.
Publications Schedule	We do not anticipate publishing many pieces in our first several years as people begin to transition to this new media. We will publish articles as they are accepted and announce them over the ISWorld communications list and in MIS Quarterly. As there is no economic reason to group articles together and as we expect few during our first several years, we will publish single articles for the forseeable future. Articles published in MISQ Discovery will also be abstracted in MIS Quarterly and listed in the MIS Quarterly's table of contents. A fuller version may also be published in eMISQ, the electronic edition of MISQ.
Engine Rooms	Unlike paper publications, electronic ones can be multidimensional. Thus a work intended to extend our knowledge of electronic cash might employ a sophisticated multi-media technique to communicate its message to the reader. Although the latter contribution might not be unique in its own right, it will still be of interest to many. Engine rooms, first conceived of for ISWorld Net provide such an opportunity. "Engine rooms" are not reviewed for scholarly contribution nor are they necessarily illustrative of "the best way". They are instead intended as relatively informal methods to enhance organizational learning. An engine room page may be required prior to acceptance of the work. MISQ Discovery also has its own engine room, also known as the "editor's corner", a place which the Senior Editor will use periodically to promote a vision of electronic scholarship. Early entries thank some of the key participants and reflect further on the changing world of knowledge creation and dissemination.