Panel Report ECIS 2012: Publication Strategy for Junior Researchers: Quantity vs. Quality, Importance of the First Authorship and Collaboration

The publication record is a key component of a successful academic career in IS. Despite its importance, its definition―especially for junior researchers―remains unclear. Is it better to have one A-publication or three B-publications? Does being the third author on an A-publication carry more weight than being the first author on a B-publication? Is it better to publish with as few co-authors as possible to demonstrate ability for independent work or is publishing with others a sign of good teamwork and academic excellence? Faced with these uncertainties, young researchers increasingly question the choices they make regarding their publication strategy. If unaddressed, these issues are bound to interfere with the quality of the IS research and scholars’ job satisfaction. This article raises these concerns associated with a publication strategy for junior researchers and reports the views voiced by five academics at a panel session at the European Conference on Information Systems 2012. In particular, the following topics are discussed: quantity vs. quality, value of the first authorship, the “optimal” number of authors, and the issues of co-authorship with an academic supervisor.