Master of Science in Information Systems – Management and Innovation

The course provides an introduction to the IS research field. Students will gain advanced knowledge of the key concepts and theories of IS research. They will acquire specialised problem-solving skills, being able to analyse and synthesize a research case. They shall take responsibility to a literature review of a specific IS topic.

Central topics include Information Systems as a research field, IS development, IS innovation, IS as sociotechnical and complex systems, Analytics and data driven decision making, Introduction to research methods in IS, Basic concepts and theories in IS, Literature reviews and writing style.

The course aims at providing insight into theoretical and practical aspects of innovation. Students will gain advanced knowledge of key concepts and theories of IT-supported innovation. They will acquire specialised problem-solving skills, being able to analyse innovation cases using different models. They shall take responsibility to conduct a review of the current state-of-the-art in innovation theory.

Central topics includes innovation theories and concepts, digital innovation, service innovation and innovation in organizations.

The module introduces the students to large-scale information systems and these are designed, deployed and how such systems evolve in organizations and markets. The students are introduced to the IS literature on information infrastructures and multisided digital platforms and ecosystems. Especially, the module covers theories of path constitution, generativity, and installed-base cultivation in order to understand and explain the dynamics of information infrastructures and digital platforms. Based on these theoretical insights, the students gain competencies for designing and governing infrastructures and platforms.

The main aim of this course is to provide students with the fundamental knowledge of ethics and sustainability necessary for responsible innovation and the development of new information technologies (IT) in the modern society. The central topics include the role of ethics in responsible innovation and IT development; information privacy concerns, social, economic, and environmental impacts of innovations and new ITs; and how IT development and innovation can contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In covering ethical and sustainability issues, the course addresses the perspectives of various stakeholders at the individual level (IT developers, innovators, consumers, investors), the organizational level (commercial, public, and non-governmental organizations), and the societal level (local and regional communities, nations, international society). Group work on possible solutions to real-life ethical and sustainability challenges constitutes an essential part of the course.

This course highlights the importance of Information systems (IS) Strategy and architecture in contemporary organisations. Students will gain advanced knowledge of key theories and concepts of strategic use of IS. They will acquire specialized problem-solving skills, being able to conduct a strategic analysis based on accepted frameworks, and to analyze the implications for a company's IT architecture. They shall take responsibility to plan and accomplish an IS strategy process for a case organization, with a proposed architecture.

Central topics include IT architecture, IT strategizing, IT strategy alignment and Business Process Modelling.

Students will gain advanced knowledge of key concepts, laws, standards, technologies and ethics within IT security. They will acquire specialised problem-solving skills, being able to perform a comprehensive information risk analysis, and suggest the necessary controls. They shall take responsibility to conduct the design of an IT security plan for a case organisation, and assess the quality.

This course is intended as a master level introduction to research methodology and the research process. This introduction gives the students an overview of the basic concept, methods, and practice of research.

Research is a cyclical process where new and carefully planned investigations build and extend on established work. The aim is to provide students with a fundamental understanding of research as a conceptual, empirical, and practical approach to gathering new insight and knowledge. The content provides a broad overview of how researchers work within the fields of economy, innovation, and technology. It presents students with relevant methods from these domains, along with their possibilities and limitations.

Students will learn a systematic approach to empirical investigation, including literature search, research design and methodology, qualitative and quantitative analyses, and the presentation and evaluation of results.

At completion of the course, students will be able to study and interpret existing research on a topic and suggest approaches to broaden or deepen knowledge within a given topic.

The overall objective of this course is to help students conceptualize and prepare a timely and relevant research proposal, and to nurture a sense of inquisitiveness and active participation in research. The course aims at offering insight into the process behind a successful research project. It has an applied approach that involves collaborative and reciprocal partnerships between the university (faculty, staff, and/or students) and external communities for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources. The research proposal forms the basis for the master thesis and the allocation of supervisor(s).