An analysis of MIS doctoral dissertations

The advancement of any field is accomplished largely by research directed at specific issues in that field. Research in management information systems (MIS) takes place, or is reported in (1) private studies that usually resuit in published articles, (2) doctoral dissertations, and (3) private or government funded research that may be reported in private publications, books, or articles. This paper reviews four MIS Ph.D. dissertation lists that were compiled by Scott Hamilton, Blake Ires, and Gordon Davis, covering the period 1972 through 1983 and reported in the MIS Quarterly. It describes the nature of the research conducted in the dissertation process, lists the fields and schools from which major work is being produced, and indicates some of the characteristics of those research efforts.