A method for taxonomy development and its application in information systems

• Published in: European journal of information systems Vol. 22; no. 3; pp. 336 - 359
• Main Authors: Nickerson, Robert C, Varshney, Upkar, Muntermann, Jan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Taylor & Francis 01.05.2013; Palgrave Macmillan UK; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Business and Management; Business Information Systems; Classification; Information systems; Information Systems and Communication Service; Innovation/Technology Management; Knowledge; Literature reviews; Methods; Ontology; Operations Research/Decision Theory; Research Article; research methodologies; Researchers; Science; Studies; Subject fields; Taxonomy; taxonomy development; typology; typology; research methodologies; taxonomy; classification; taxonomy development
• ISSN: 0960-085X; 1476-9344
• DOI: 10.1057/ejis.2012.26

A fundamental problem in many disciplines is the classification of objects in a domain of interest into a taxonomy. Developing a taxonomy, however, is a complex process that has not been adequately addressed in the information systems (IS) literature. The purpose of this paper is to present a method for taxonomy development that can be used in IS. First, this paper demonstrates through a comprehensive literature survey that taxonomy development in IS has largely been ad hoc. Then the paper defines the problem of taxonomy development. Next, the paper presents a method for taxonomy development that is based on taxonomy development literature in other disciplines and shows that the method has certain desirable qualities. Finally, the paper demonstrates the efficacy of the method by developing a taxonomy in a domain in IS.