PhD in Information Systems

Socio-political, socio-cultural or socio-economic change today is likely to be driven largely by information-, and data-intensive industries, processes and structures. Increasingly, information and communication technologies (ICTs) are influencing people's lives both at work and in personal/social settings.

Industry seems to benefit from being increasingly knowledge-based and reliant on information systems and infrastructures, which are pervasive in all sectors of activity, from private for-profit organisations to governments, educational institutions and civil society organisations. However, the increased use of the digital is introducing new challenges in organisations and society, amplifying existing social inequalities, thereby potentially exacerbating exclusions and oppressions. Take for example, the questionable promise of development and innovation as unproblematic linear outcomes of ICT intervention.

Our research group looks critically at the transformative potential of ICTs within society and organisations, focusing on the adoption, exploitation, management and creative use of information systems in a variety of contexts. 

We apply our research to specific goals, e.g. how ICTs support or hinder access to user communities, improve or inhibit decision making, challenge, replicate, amplify inequalities in the workplace/society