PHIS-NZ Best Doctoral Thesis Award

PHIS-NZ Best Doctoral Thesis Award

Terms of Reference[1]

Purpose

The PHIS-NZ Information Systems Doctoral Thesis Award is presented annually to the author of the most outstanding PhD thesis in Information Systems in a New Zealand university.

Sponsor

The PHIS-NZ Information Systems Doctoral Thesis Award is sponsored by the Professors and Heads of Information Systems in New Zealand (PHIS-NZ).

 Eligibility

 To be eligible for this award, the author of the thesis must have completed (i.e., passed requirements for graduation) in the calendar year preceding the award. The author must have completed a PhD in an Information Systems program or a program that is strongly related to the Information Systems field.

 The Award

 A plaque will be awarded by PHIS-NZ at the annual New Zealand Information Systems Doctoral Consortium (NZISDC) and the winner will be invited to give a short presentation at the Consortium. The nominees of the award are to receive a certificate. The winner and all nominees are to be listed on the PHIS-NZ Web site.

 Nomination and Judging Processes

 The head of department/school is invited to submit one nomination (i.e., one nominee per NZ university) that addresses an important issue in the Information Systems field and that represents the best level of the department's doctoral work. The nomination is to be submitted to the PHIS-NZ Chair by 5:00pm on 1 April in the year of the award. Nominations received after that date and/or submissions that are incomplete will not be considered. The nomination is to include:

• • A 5,000 word (excluding abstract and references) summary of thesis written by the nominee.

  • A letter of support for the nomination (e.g., outlining reasons why the thesis is worthy of the nomination and award) from the nominating supervisor or HOD.

The Judging Panel will comprise of the Chair and Deputy Chair of PHIS-NZ and one or more co-opted PHIS-NZ member(s). Judging criteria will include, but not limited to, the following:

• • Research question(s) that address(es) a significant problem and a clearly identified research gap.

  • The appropriate and novel use of theory within the IS field or wider disciplines.

  • Rigorous in its method with clearly articulated justification of the selected methodology for data collection as well as analysis and suitability of these for the chosen research question(s).

  • Original and substantive contribution to the understanding, development, or use of information systems.

  • A history of good quality publications in each phase of work will be looked at favourably.

When nominations have been made from the same university as a panel member, the panel member(s) concerned shall recuse themselves from discussing or voting on that nomination.

The Judging Panel reserves the right to not make an award in any year if no thesis substantially fulfils the criteria for the award.

Queries

Submissions and questions about this award should be addressed to the PHIS-NZ Chair.

[1] Some content in these terms of reference were sourced from the ACPHIS IS Doctoral Thesis Award Competition Application Process Guidelines with ACPHIS approval. 

Here is a .pdf version