--- name: journal-of-the-association-for-information-systems description: Use when targeting Journal of the Association for Information Systems (JAIS) or deciding whether a theory-rich, methodologically broad information-systems manuscript fits this venue. Encodes the journal's fit, framing, method-and-evidence bar, house style, official-submission re-check, and desk-reject heuristics. --- # Journal of the Association for Information Systems (journal-of-the-association-for-information-systems) ## Journal positioning The Journal of the Association for Information Systems (JAIS) is the flagship journal of the Association for Information Systems (AIS) and a member of the AIS Senior Scholars' Basket of eight. It is known for theory-rich, methodologically broad IS scholarship: it welcomes conceptual and theory-development papers as well as empirical work across behavioral, economic, design-science, and qualitative traditions. JAIS is a natural home for ambitious theoretical contributions and methodological pluralism in IS. The readership is the global AIS research community. This skill is a **fit / venue-selection / re-framing** tool. It does not replace the journal's current official submission guidelines. Before submitting, re-check the live author instructions on the JAIS / AIS site and the editorial submission system. ## When to trigger - The author names JAIS (or the AIS flagship / Senior Scholars' Basket) as the venue. - A theory-development, conceptual, or methodologically diverse IS paper needs the association's flagship home. - An empirical or design IS paper with a strong theoretical ambition needs a pluralistic outlet. - The author needs JAIS's desk-reject risks and a credible Basket / INFORMS alternative list before submitting. ## Scope & topic fit - IS theory development and conceptual contributions, including new constructs, frameworks, and theoretical integrations. - Behavioral IS, economics of IS, and design science across organizational, individual, and societal levels. - Qualitative and interpretive IS research with rigorous theory-building. - Methodological and meta-theoretical contributions to the IS discipline. ## Method & evidence bar - A substantial theoretical contribution is central; JAIS is receptive to papers whose contribution is conceptual rather than empirical, provided the theorizing is rigorous. - Empirical work (quantitative, qualitative, design-science) must meet its genre's rigor standards and serve a clear IS theoretical contribution. - Qualitative/interpretive work needs transparent methods and a credible path from data to theory. - Methodological pluralism is welcome, but the IS contribution and theoretical logic must be explicit. ## Structure & house style - The front end frames an IS theoretical problem or tension and develops the contribution with explicit logic. - Conceptual papers build arguments carefully; empirical papers are transparent about method and link evidence back to theory. - Appendices/online supplements carry instruments, proofs, coding schemes, or design details. - The discussion states the theoretical contribution and its implications for IS research and practice. ## Official-submission checklist - Before giving submission-ready advice, read `../../resources/source-basis.md` and `../../resources/official-source-map.md`; start from the official source anchors for this journal family, then cite the current journal-specific page you checked. - Search the live site for "Journal of the Association for Information Systems author guidelines / submission guidelines" and follow the current AIS/publisher version, including any genre/department statements. - Re-check word/length limits, abstract format, anonymization for double-blind review, and reference style. - Re-check the current open-science, data/code availability, and disclosure/ethics policies. - If the live official instructions conflict with this skill, the official instructions win. ## Pre-submission self-check - [ ] One sentence stating the IS theoretical contribution — conceptual or empirical. - [ ] The theorizing follows explicit logic; the contribution is not "first to study X." - [ ] Method (if empirical) matches the genre and meets that genre's rigor standards. - [ ] Evidence (or argument) links clearly back to the theoretical contribution. - [ ] Length, abstract, anonymization, references, and open-science policy match the current JAIS guide. ## Common desk-reject triggers - An empirical study with no IS theoretical contribution, or a "first to study X" framing. - A conceptual paper that restates existing theory without a genuine advance. - A method/analytics paper with no IS theory, or qualitative work with opaque methods. - A paper that is really management, CS, or economics framed as IS. ## Re-routing decision - Behavioral/design IS for the field's premier outlet → `mis-quarterly`. - Quantitative/economic IS with an INFORMS audience → `information-systems-research`. - Management-of-IS, IT business value, IS strategy → `journal-of-management-information-systems`. - Broad quantitative management → `management-science` (IS department); computational/ML-for-OR with no IS theory → `informs-journal-on-computing`. ## Output format ```text [Fit] High / Medium / Low (one-line reason) [Target] Journal of the Association for Information Systems [Topic tags] <2–3 closest topics + genre: conceptual/empirical/DSR> [Method/evidence] [Top risk] [Official items to re-check] [Re-route suggestion] ```