Conducting and publishing design science research

• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2016.06.004
• Author: Aravind Chandrasekaran,Joop Halman,Joan Aken
• Published date: 01 November 2016
• Date: 01 November 2016

Conducting and publishing design science research

Inaugural essay of the design science department of the Journal of

Operations Management

Joan van Aken

a

,

*

, Aravind Chandrasekaran

b

, Joop Halman

c

a

Design Science Research institute, Netherlands

b

Ohio State University, USA

c

University of Twente, Netherlands

article info

Article history:

Available online 1 July 2016

Accepted by: Mikko Ketokivi

abstract

The new Design Science department at the Journal of Operations Management invites submissions using

a design science research strategy for operations management (OM) issues. The objective of this strategy

is to develop knowledge that can be used in a direct and specific way to design and implement actions,

processes or systems aimed at achieving desi red outcomes. This knowledge is developed by engaging

with real-life OM problems or opportunities. Manuscripts submitted to this department will be evaluated

on pragmatic validity and practical relevance. Because design science research (DS R) differs in some

important aspects from other OM research strategies, this essay examines in some depth its challenges

and possible solutions.

©2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction

The operations management (OM) community is widely regar-

ded as a problem-solving discipline, seeking to create knowledge

by interacting with the real world (McCutcheon and Meredith,

1993; Lewis, 1998). OM scholars have consistently echoed this

sentiment and urged researchers to develop valid and relevant

knowledge that can directly or indirectly support managers'

problem-solving efforts (Tang, 2015; Boyer and Swink, 2008). Van

Mieghem (2013) calls for OM research to increase its relevancy

dimensions and urges scholars to move away from the quintes-

sential “ivory tower”syndrome.

1.1. DSR as a research strategy for OM

The new Design Science department at the Journal of Operations

Management intends to contribute to this objective by publishing

original, high-quality and practice-based OM articles using a design

science research (DSR) strategy. Inspired by Herbert Simon (1996),

DSR is conceptualized as a research strategy, aimed at knowledge

that can be used in an instrumental

1

way to design and implement

actions, processes or systems to achieve desired outcomes in

practice. DSR is driven by field problems or opportunities; instru-

mental knowledge is developed by deep engagement with these

real-life OM problems or opportunities.

DSR's core research products are well-tested, well-understood

and well-documented innovative generic designs, dealing with

authentic field problems or opportunities. DSR posits that such

generic designs have significant practical relevance. In the OM

context, they can take a variety of forms, from a highly responsive

scheduling system to account for strong demand variations to an

approach to manage power conflicts in a supply chain or a model

for patient-centered hospital care delivery.

The assessment criteria for Design Science department sub-

missions will be discussed in detail later in this essay. Key criteria,

however, coverquestions of validity and relevance: (1) How strong

is the evidence that the design will produce the desired results (i.e.

pragmatic validity)?; and (2) In what way does the design make a

valuable contribution to addressing a significant field problem or

*Corresponding author.

E-mail address: vanaken@dsri.eu (J. van Aken).

1

The concept of instrumental knowledge use draws on Pelz (1978): it is use of

knowledge in a specific and direct way for action or design. This is in contrast to

conceptual use, the use of knowledge for general enlightenment on the subject in

question.

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Journal of Operations Management

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jom

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2016.06.004

0272-6963/©2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Journal of Operations Management 47-48 (2016) 1e8