The common thread of articles published in Decision Support Systems is their relevance to theoretical and technical issues in the support of enhanced decision making. The areas addressed may include foundations, functionality, interfaces, implementation, impacts, and evaluation of decision support systems (DSSs). Manuscripts may draw from diverse methods and methodologies, including those from decision theory, economics, econometrics, statistics, computer supported cooperative work, data base management, linguistics, management science, mathematical modeling, operations management, cognitive science, psychology, user interface management, and others. However, a manuscript focused on direct contributions to any of these related areas should be submitted to an outlet appropriate to the specific area.

Examples of research topics that would be appropriate for Decision Support Systems include the following:

1. DSS Foundations e.g. principles, concepts, and theories of enhanced decision making; formal languages and research methods enabling improvements in decision making. It is important that theory validation be carefully addressed.

2. DSS Functionality e.g. methods, tools, and techniques for developing thefunctional aspects of enhanced decision making; solver, model, and/or data management in DSSs; rule formulation and management in DSSs; DSS development and use in computer supported cooperative work, negotiation, research and product.

3. DSS Interfaces e.g. methods, tools, and techniques for designing and developing DSS interfaces; development, management, and presentation of knowledge in a DSS; coordination of a DSS's interface with its functionality.

4. DSS Implementation - experiences in DSS development and utilization; DSS management and updating; DSS instruction/training. A critical consideration must be how specific experiences provide more general implications.

5. DSS Evaluation and Impact e.g. evaluation metrics and processes; DSS impact on decision makers, organizational processes and performance.

Special Issue on Decision Support Systems on Improving Societal Outcomes with Design Science Research
Submission Date: 2025-01-31

This special issue targets DSR that addresses societal problems. In particular, we encourage submissions linked to any of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) identified by the United Nations , as well as work dealing with technologies that are transforming the world in which we live, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Guest editors:

Leona Chandra Kruse, Department of Information Systems, University of Agder, Norway, leona.chandra@uia.no
Jeffrey Parsons, Faculty of Business Administration, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, jeffreyp@mun.ca
Jinsoo Park, College of Business Administration, Seoul National University, South Korea, jinsoo@snu.ac.kr
Thorsten Schoormann, Business Informatics, TU Braunschweig, Germany, Thorsten.Schoormann@tu-braunschweig.de

Special issue information:

Background

Design science research (DSR) deals with the design of artifacts to solve identifiable problems and the abstraction of knowledge from that process. In its original conceptualization, DSR has been popularly characterized as research that “created and evaluates IT artifact intended to solve identified organizational problems” (Hevner et al., 2004, p. 77, emphasis added). More broadly, there is a recognition that DSR leads to artifacts that “serve human purposes” (March and Smith, 1995, p. 253). In particular, DSR can serve as an approach to tackle many of the wicked problems facing society today, including poverty, health, environmental degradation, climate change, disinformation, and terrorism.

This special issue targets DSR that addresses societal problems. In particular, we encourage submissions linked to any of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) identified by the United Nations, as well as work dealing with technologies that are transforming the world in which we live, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). Recent studies in Decision Support Systems (DSS) have notably contributed to SDGs, spanning from enhancing healthcare quality (e.g., Ojo et al., 2024) to optimizing resource efficiency (e.g., Ge et al., 2024). Storey et al. (2024) emphasized the significance of integrating human-AI synergies in sociotechnical DSS design. Transparency is pivotal in advocating responsible DSR practices and design artifacts (Hevner et al., 2024).

Recent DSR publications reflect a growing consensus within the community regarding the imperative to advance sustainable development. Strobel, et al. (2023) leveraged AI to translate sign language and improve participation of individuals with hearing difficulties in social activities. Wass, Thygesen, and Purao (2023) designed and deployed information systems to promote the social inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With both DSR projects, the authors improved access to quality healthcare and equality. Other examples focus on promoting ecological sustainability, such as Schoormann, Stadtländer, and Knackstedt (2022) and Seidel, et al. (2018). Pan, et al. (2021) conducted an Action Design Research to support wildlife management for the purpose of environmental protection.

Examples such as these demonstrate the promise of DSR as a research paradigm for tangible societal impacts. With this special issue, we hope to encourage fellow design science researchers to create even greater impacts together.

Themes of the Special Issue

This special issue aims to curate and present state-of-the-art design science research on topics related to delivering social good through the design and deployment of information systems. Although conceptual and methodological papers in this vein are welcome, the focus of this special issue on exemplars of DSR. We welcome original research that focuses on a variety of topics and themes, including, but not limited to:

    Contributing to sustainable development with DSR
    Designing and deploying innovative information systems for accessible quality education or quality healthcare
    Designing and deploying innovative information systems to improve access to clean water and sanitation
    The role of DSR in social change
    DSR to mitigate misinformation
    Combining social and technical approaches in DSR for social good
    The challenge of evaluating DSR solutions to wicked problems
    DSR for designing and deploying responsible artifacts
    Considering indigenous values in DSR
    Designing information systems for fairness and justice
    DSR for human flourishing

Manuscript submission information:

The Decision Support Systems’ submission system will be open for submissions to our Special Issue from September 1, 2024. When submitting your manuscript to Editorial Manager, please select the article type “VSI: Design Science for Social Good”. Please submit your manuscript before January 31, 2025.

All submissions deemed suitable to be sent for peer review will be reviewed by at least two independent reviewers. Once your manuscript is accepted, it will go into production, and will be simultaneously published in the current regular issue and pulled into the online Special Issue. Articles from this Special Issue will appear in different regular issues of the journal, though they will be clearly marked and branded as Special Issue articles.

Please ensure you read the Guide for Authors before writing your manuscript. The Guide for Authors and link to submit your manuscript is available on the Journal’s homepage at: Guide for authors - Decision Support Systems - ISSN 0167-9236 | ScienceDirect.com by Elsevier