Thesis Topic
The following are thesis topics that students can choose from starting Even 2024
| No | Topic Name | Description |
| 1 | AI in Business and Society | This topic explores how AI systems impact organizations and society, encouraging research that goes beyond technical effectiveness to consider wider effects on consumers, employees, and society. We welcome studies examining AI’s role in addressing social challenges like health, inequality, racial biases, and climate change. The goal is to understand the sociotechnical aspects of AI, including how data and algorithms interact with people and organizations, often creating unexpected outcomes. We invite various research types, aiming for insights that build on current knowledge and examine AI’s unique characteristics compared to traditional IT. |
| 2 | Blockchain Technology, DLT, and Fintech | Blockchain and distributed ledger technologies (DLT) are rapidly transforming digital innovation, transformation, and entrepreneurship within and beyond the financial sector. Since gaining momentum with the Bitcoin cryptocurrency, blockchains provide a secure, transparent, decentralized infrastructure for building trustless systems without third-party intermediaries. In the 15 years since Bitcoin launched, blockchain has found use cases across industries, including supply chain, logistics, global trade, healthcare, energy, and more. Industry adoption stayed, however, below expectations. As blockchain matures and integrates into core business processes, its potential to transform organizational structures, incentives, and governance grows. Leading companies across sectors are exploring blockchain systems to reduce costs, mitigate risks, increase transparency, and enable new offerings. |
| 3 | Business Intelligence and Data Mining | This Topic focuses on how companies use data to make informed decisions. Business intelligence involves collecting, processing, and analyzing data to provide insights that help organizations understand market trends, customer preferences, and operational efficiency. Data mining is a key part of this process, where large data sets are examined to find patterns and relationships, often using techniques like classification, clustering, and association rule learning. Through this topic, students can explore practical applications such as predicting sales trends, improving customer satisfaction, and optimizing resources. This field combines technical skills in data analysis with strategic thinking, making it highly relevant for careers in data science, business analytics, and IT management. |
| 4 | Cloud Computing | Cloud computing is the practice of using remote servers hosted on the internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than using a local server or a personal computer. This technology enables organizations and individuals to access large amounts of storage and computational power without needing to own and maintain physical hardware. This topic offers room for both technical exploration (like infrastructure, security protocols, and data management) and real-world applications, providing valuable insights for students preparing to enter the tech industry. |
| 5 | Cybersecurity and Privacy | In cybersecurity, an ongoing race exists between attackers and defenders as new technologies like cloud computing, AI, and modern payment methods introduce vulnerabilities and human errors that increase risks. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work has expanded digital infrastructure, creating new security challenges for organizations and raising concerns about privacy as user data collection increases. Companies now face a delicate balance between advancing digital projects and protecting data. This topic encourages research on cybersecurity and privacy issues, inviting studies that explore the societal, economic, and ethical impacts of digital technologies on user behavior, regulatory needs, and organizational practices across various methods and levels of analysis. |
| 6 | Data Analytics | This topic seeks to gather contemporary research works that have applied and/or developed novel data science and analytics methods, techniques, algorithms, and theories, to address challenging and real-world problems. We are particularly interested in developing research works that would benefit and impact how we do business, live, and socialize. While we do not limit the spectrum of domains, some of the suggested domains could be small and medium-sized enterprises, digital business and innovation, healthcare and wellness, community-based social services, judicial system and democracy, fraud and deception, social cohesion and inclusion, privacy and security, social media and politics, sustainability and climate change, etc. Contributions may be motivated by the shortcomings of state-of-the-art approaches in addressing practical challenges or may apply novel data science tools to existing problems. This track is open to all types of research, including conceptual, theoretical, analytical, and/or empirical. |
| 7 | Database Design and Model | this topic focusing on how data is organized, stored, and accessed within databases, which are essential to most modern applications. This topic covers the principles of database design, such as structuring data into tables, defining relationships, and ensuring data integrity. It also explores database modeling techniques like Entity-Relationship (ER) and Relational models, which visualize data structure and relationships, helping to create efficient, scalable databases. Students can delve into normalization to reduce data redundancy, as well as denormalization for performance in large databases, and apply practical skills with tools like SQL for relational databases or NoSQL for unstructured data. This knowledge is directly applicable to careers in fields like data science, software development, and IT. |
| 8 | Digital Innovation and Transformation | Digital technologies like mobile computing, social media, AI, blockchain, and cloud computing are transforming how businesses operate, creating new opportunities in fields like healthcare, education, and finance. Digital innovation and transformation are now essential as work becomes increasingly virtual, digital, and automated. This track invites researchers to rethink traditional ideas and develop new theories on how digital technologies shape and sometimes disrupt innovation and business models. The Information Systems field, with its socio-technical and interdisciplinary focus, is well-suited to tackle these challenges, welcoming research that advances knowledge and addresses topics like ethics, gender, and sustainability in digital transformation |
| 9 | Digital Learning | Emerging technologies and trends create new pedagogical possibilities and enable innovative uses of digital learning environments and technologies in educational institutions and beyond. Rapidly advancing capabilities in domains such as analytics, cloud computing, edge, and mobile computing, as well as machine learning and other applications of artificial intelligence offer the opportunity to change not only what we teach (curriculum) but how we teach (pedagogy). Following several years of the COVID-19 pandemic, many institutions—having expanded their educational portfolios to include new online offerings—are now adjusting back to a post-pandemic reality. They are seeking the right balance between traditional, online, and hybrid learning scenarios that offer viable options for different learning contexts. The Digital Learning topic provides IS scholars with an opportunity to exchange conceptual ideas and empirical findings regarding curriculum, pedagogy, learning environments, and pedagogical innovations via the use of technologies to improve learning in educational institutions and beyond. |
| 10 | Digital Mobile and Commerce | Digital and mobile commerce have transformed how we shop and do business, moving from simple online transactions to sophisticated mobile apps and AI-powered platforms. AI is central to this shift, helping businesses understand customer preferences, personalize recommendations, and improve customer service through chatbots and virtual assistants. Technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) add to this by allowing customers to visualize products or explore virtual stores. This track invites research on the design and impact of these technologies in various business settings, focusing on technical, strategic, and economic aspects of digital and mobile commerce across different methods and perspectives |
| 11 | Digital Technologies and the Future of Work (RPA) | Technological advancements are reshaping work at every level, changing traditional office routines as digitalization allows for flexible, remote, and project-based work. Modern work structures now include remote and freelance work, the 4-day workweek, and crowdsourcing, while AI, VR, and blockchain drive further changes in jobs and industries. With intelligent algorithms and automation, some job types may decline, while demand for others grows, requiring workers to adapt their skills. As digital natives enter the workforce, they help redefine what work means and its future. This topic invites research on digital technology’s role in transforming work across different levels, from individual tasks to societal impacts |
| 12 | Enterprise Systems | Enterprise systems (ES) are large, integrated information systems designed to support an organization’s overall needs, rather than just specific local functions. Implementing and maintaining ES is a major investment, requiring significant effort and resources. While early ES focused on internal business processes, modern ES include functions like customer relationship management, human resources, and supply chain management. They even support new business models like digital platforms. AI is now embedded in ES to improve decision-making and innovation using data. Managing these systems involves complex challenges, from aligning IT and business needs to adapting to new technologies and processes. This topic explores issues around the evolution, integration, and innovation within ES, including themes like strategic management, emerging technologies, and interdisciplinary areas such as healthcare and supply chains. |
| 13 | Governance, Digital Strategy, and Value | New digital technologies, like mobile platforms, cloud computing, AI, blockchain, and IoT, offer big opportunities for organizations to create value and stay competitive, but they also pose challenges to traditional business models. These technologies enable new ways to meet market demands, such as through platform strategies that connect production and consumption. However, organizations must balance the need for stability and flexibility and consider societal and environmental impacts. For example, IoT helps manage infrastructure and personal devices, while cloud computing allows employees to deploy applications with ease. Analytics and AI further enhance value creation by providing deep insights |
| 14 | Human Computer Interaction | This topic focuses on issues related to the way humans interact with technologies (e.g., information systems, metaverse, artificial intelligence, and social media) in organizational, managerial, cultural, and social contexts. We are also interested in understanding behavioral and institutional factors affecting technology usage as well as the way that technologies help generate value in organizations, societies, and individuals. Additionally, we welcome thesis that examine how digital technology shapes human cognition and emotion, and how users interact with technology and algorithms is important for advancing this stream of research. |
| 15 | Information Systems in Healthcare | Healthcare technology is rapidly evolving to address challenges like the pandemic, climate change, and global conflicts. Key areas of focus include telehealth for accessible care, AI and big data for better diagnostics and personalized treatments, and mobile health apps and wearables for health monitoring. Ensuring data security, especially through blockchain, and improving electronic health records are crucial. Robotics, virtual and augmented reality enhance healthcare delivery and training, while language models and AI can support clinical decisions and reduce administrative tasks. These advancements bring up important questions around ethics, privacy, and equity. This topic invites research on the diverse roles of digital technology in healthcare, exploring both opportunities and challenges. |
| 16 | IoT, Smart Cities, Services, and Government | With the rise of IoT and its role in smart cities, this track explores how these technologies are shaping urban planning, public services, and governance. It highlights how IoT, combined with smart city innovations, is creating more efficient city services and supporting advanced urban management. Generative AI, known for creating new content and solutions, adds another layer by providing predictive planning models, enhancing IoT security, and improving citizen services. This topiuc covers the potential of generative AI in driving innovation within IoT and smart cities, offering a broad look at the future of connected, adaptive urban environments |
| 17 | IS Design, Development, and Project Management | We live in a time of rapid change, where digital transformation through new technology has revolutionized how information systems are designed, developed, and managed. This transformation has led to innovative services and products that can impact both individuals and society. Advances in artificial intelligence have expanded possibilities in system design, while improved project coordination methods allow teams across different locations and cultures to work more flexibly toward their goals. Although these innovations bring many possibilities, they also add complexity and risks of unexpected outcomes. This topic invites research that explores the evolving nature of information systems design, development, and project management, particularly focusing on change and adaptability. We welcome studies from various research methods that look at the social and technical aspects of system design and management across different organizational and societal settings. |
| 18 | IT Business Startup | this topic covers the process of turning a tech idea into a functioning business. This topic allows students to explore key areas such as planning and creating business models that fit IT startups, like subscription-based or freemium models. It includes studying funding options, from venture capital to crowdfunding, and learning about product development—turning concepts into prototypes and gathering feedback. Students also delve into digital marketing techniques, like social media advertising and SEO, which are crucial for attracting customers online. Finally, they explore strategies for scaling the business, managing costs, and building a loyal customer base, giving practical insight into entrepreneurship and technology in today’s business world |
| 19 | IT Implementation and Adoption | In today’s world, digital technologies, especially AI, are transforming many aspects of life and work. As IT continues to expand into our daily routines, it’s important to understand the factors that influence how people and organizations accept and use these technologies. Understanding how IT can be implemented to create positive value is also crucial. This topic invites research that provides new ideas and practical insights on implementing, adopting, and using information systems in our fast-evolving world. It welcomes diverse research approaches, including theoretical, qualitative, quantitative, and simulation-based studies, to explore how information systems are used in various real-world setting. |
| 20 | Organizing Business Processes in the Digital Age | In today’s business world, effective processes and routines are key to organizational success. While technology has long supported business processes, new digital tools like advanced analytics, robotic process automation (RPA), AI, blockchain, and digital realities are transforming how businesses design and execute these processes to deliver value to customers. Despite widespread adoption, much remains to be understood about the full impact of these technologies. This topic explores business processes in the digital age, focusing on how digital systems shape, manage, and enhance them, contributing to fields like business process management (BPM) and process analytics. We invite research that examines these areas from various perspectives, especially interdisciplinary work that connects BPM, digital technology, and related fields |
| 21 | Sharing Economy, Platforms, and Crowds | The sharing economy, platforms, and crowd-based models are major areas of research in information systems with strong economic and social impacts. This topic invites innovative studies on these areas. The sharing economy allows people to earn money by sharing unused assets, like renting homes on Airbnb or using ridesharing with Uber, as well as renting company-owned resources like bikes from Lime or Zipcar. Multi-sided platforms enable these exchanges across many sectors, including transportation, finance, housing, and entertainment, connecting people globally at low costs. These platforms and the rise of crowd-based models have transformed industries, with both positive and negative effects. This topic encourages research from various perspectives and disciplines to explore the future of the sharing economy, digital platforms, and crowd-driven innovations |
| 22 | Social Media and Digital Collaborator | Social media plays a major role in our lives, from personal interactions to global information sharing, affecting individuals, organizations, and society as a whole. It’s a primary news source, a networking tool, and a way for people to shape their identities, while organizations use it to engage with customers, build brand image, and make informed business decisions. Social media also aids social movements and promotes values, but has downsides like misinformation, cyberbullying, and privacy concerns. During the pandemic, digital collaboration became essential, supporting remote work, crowd projects, and human-machine collaboration with tools like AI. Generative AI, which can create content like text and images, is now quickly transforming collaboration in workplaces. This topic invites research on social media and digital collaboration, exploring new insights and methods across various research approaches. |
Source PACIS 2024 & ICIS 2024