Information systems research: the ‘infurgic’ perspective

The information systems laboratory (LABORIS) is the focus of information systems research in the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. LABORIS itself has 12 researchers, three of whom have doctorates. The LABORIS activities are financed 40% by University, 40% by research funding and the rest by industrial contracts. LABORIS is part of the Turku Centre for Computer Science which co-ordinates work of IT related activities of the two Finnish and Swedish universities and Turku School of Economics and Business Administration. The Centre’s prime focus is the running of the Graduate School where 50 doctoral students are at work. The LABORIS was founded and managed by Professor Nurminen. The core of its competence lies in the relationships between information systems (IS) and work (in Latin labor). There is a significant overlap among people working in LABORIS and the IS group of the department. However, LABORIS is a useful organisational unit that works on various research contracts with industry and less on undergraduate teaching.