---
_id: '65311'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Information Systems (IS) is rooted in systems theory. Systems theory offers
powerful concepts to address challenges of growing system complexity and non-systemic
design approaches in information systems. Despite its systemic origins, systems
theory remains a peripheral topic in IS. The study addresses this gap by introducing
a comprehensive framework of 52 systems-theoretical concepts to guide the design
of complex IS artifacts. We synthesize scattered systems knowledge from diverse
disciplines to provide a unified level of abstraction for complex information
system design. We apply the framework to a use case of business reputation systems
to show how the systems lens informs the design of a novel, complex information
system. We make three key contributions to the literature. First, the framework
provides a common ground for interdisciplinary research in information system
design. Second, it offers a unified level of abstraction grounded in systems theory
that serves as a coherent basis for artifact design. Third, it demonstrates the
potential of systems theory as a foundational justificatory knowledge base. Furthermore,
we provide guidance on applying the framework across multiple modes of reasoning,
alongside further application guidelines. The study thus serves as a bridge between
the body of systems knowledge and contextual design in IS.
alternative_title:
- Design Your System
article_type: review
author:
- first_name: Ulvi
full_name: Ibrahimli, Ulvi
last_name: Ibrahimli
- first_name: Simon
full_name: Hemmrich, Simon
last_name: Hemmrich
- first_name: Axel
full_name: Winkelmann, Axel
last_name: Winkelmann
citation:
ama: 'Ibrahimli U, Hemmrich S, Winkelmann A. Bridging Systems Theory and Information
Systems: A Framework for Designing Complex Information Systems. Communication
of the Association for Information Systems. Published online 2026. doi:https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/'
apa: 'Ibrahimli, U., Hemmrich, S., & Winkelmann, A. (2026). Bridging Systems
Theory and Information Systems: A Framework for Designing Complex Information
Systems. Communication of the Association for Information Systems. https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/'
bibtex: '@article{Ibrahimli_Hemmrich_Winkelmann_2026, title={Bridging Systems Theory
and Information Systems: A Framework for Designing Complex Information Systems},
DOI={https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/},
journal={Communication of the Association for Information Systems}, publisher={AIS},
author={Ibrahimli, Ulvi and Hemmrich, Simon and Winkelmann, Axel}, year={2026}
}'
chicago: 'Ibrahimli, Ulvi, Simon Hemmrich, and Axel Winkelmann. “Bridging Systems
Theory and Information Systems: A Framework for Designing Complex Information
Systems.” Communication of the Association for Information Systems, 2026.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/.'
ieee: 'U. Ibrahimli, S. Hemmrich, and A. Winkelmann, “Bridging Systems Theory and
Information Systems: A Framework for Designing Complex Information Systems,” Communication
of the Association for Information Systems, 2026, doi: https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/.'
mla: 'Ibrahimli, Ulvi, et al. “Bridging Systems Theory and Information Systems:
A Framework for Designing Complex Information Systems.” Communication of the
Association for Information Systems, AIS, 2026, doi:https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/.'
short: U. Ibrahimli, S. Hemmrich, A. Winkelmann, Communication of the Association
for Information Systems (2026).
date_created: 2026-04-02T04:19:09Z
date_updated: 2026-04-02T04:32:05Z
department:
- _id: '195'
doi: https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/
extern: '1'
external_id:
unknown:
- https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/
jel:
- D83
- L14
- D83
- O33
- C63
- P
keyword:
- Information Systems Research
- Systems Theory
- System Complexity
- System Design
- Design Science
language:
- iso: eng
publication: Communication of the Association for Information Systems
publication_identifier:
unknown:
- 1529-3181
publication_status: published
publisher: AIS
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: 'Bridging Systems Theory and Information Systems: A Framework for Designing
Complex Information Systems'
type: journal_article
user_id: '83557'
year: '2026'
...
---
_id: '65476'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Service research has evolved into an interdisciplinary research field that
bridges diverse disciplines, including information systems (IS) and marketing.
Nearly two decades ago, the service system concept was introduced as a foundational
abstraction in service research, drawing on ideas from the service-dominant logic
(S-D logic) of marketing. Despite its widespread adoption in service research,
particularly in the IS discipline, the service system concept lacks a solid theoretical
foundation. This has resulted in conceptual ambiguity and overlap with related
constructs, such as service ecosystems. Moreover, it has largely remained a static
analytical lens, insufficiently capturing dynamic service phenomena, including
value co-creation and co-destruction, as well as the emergence of institutional
arrangements. To address these limitations, we propose Luhmann’s systems theory
(LST) as a robust framework for conceptualizing service systems as autopoietic
(self-creating) systems, in which communication serves as the fundamental mechanism
that drives value co-creation. We derive five theoretical propositions from this
re-conceptualization that clarify conceptual ambiguity and allow researchers to
explore dynamic service phenomena in greater depth. Given LST’s general approach,
our conceptualization provides a theoretically grounded, interdisciplinary foundation
for advancing service research.
article_number: '37'
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Daniel
full_name: Beverungen, Daniel
last_name: Beverungen
- first_name: Jens
full_name: Poeppelbuss, Jens
last_name: Poeppelbuss
- first_name: Simon
full_name: Hemmrich, Simon
last_name: Hemmrich
- first_name: Taskeen
full_name: Iqbal, Taskeen
last_name: Iqbal
citation:
ama: Beverungen D, Poeppelbuss J, Hemmrich S, Iqbal T. Service through communication—Conceptualizing
service systems with Luhmann’s systems theory. Electronic Markets. 2026;36(1).
doi:10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w
apa: Beverungen, D., Poeppelbuss, J., Hemmrich, S., & Iqbal, T. (2026). Service
through communication—Conceptualizing service systems with Luhmann’s systems theory.
Electronic Markets, 36(1), Article 37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w
bibtex: '@article{Beverungen_Poeppelbuss_Hemmrich_Iqbal_2026, title={Service through
communication—Conceptualizing service systems with Luhmann’s systems theory},
volume={36}, DOI={10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w},
number={137}, journal={Electronic Markets}, publisher={Springer Science and Business
Media LLC}, author={Beverungen, Daniel and Poeppelbuss, Jens and Hemmrich, Simon
and Iqbal, Taskeen}, year={2026} }'
chicago: Beverungen, Daniel, Jens Poeppelbuss, Simon Hemmrich, and Taskeen Iqbal.
“Service through Communication—Conceptualizing Service Systems with Luhmann’s
Systems Theory.” Electronic Markets 36, no. 1 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w.
ieee: 'D. Beverungen, J. Poeppelbuss, S. Hemmrich, and T. Iqbal, “Service through
communication—Conceptualizing service systems with Luhmann’s systems theory,”
Electronic Markets, vol. 36, no. 1, Art. no. 37, 2026, doi: 10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w.'
mla: Beverungen, Daniel, et al. “Service through Communication—Conceptualizing Service
Systems with Luhmann’s Systems Theory.” Electronic Markets, vol. 36, no.
1, 37, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2026, doi:10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w.
short: D. Beverungen, J. Poeppelbuss, S. Hemmrich, T. Iqbal, Electronic Markets
36 (2026).
date_created: 2026-04-21T13:13:02Z
date_updated: 2026-04-21T13:18:35Z
ddc:
- '380'
department:
- _id: '195'
- _id: '534'
doi: 10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w
file:
- access_level: closed
content_type: application/pdf
creator: dabe
date_created: 2026-04-21T13:14:30Z
date_updated: 2026-04-21T13:14:30Z
file_id: '65477'
file_name: Service is Communication - EM Paper.pdf
file_size: 2793039
relation: main_file
success: 1
file_date_updated: 2026-04-21T13:14:30Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: ' 36'
issue: '1'
jel:
- L80
keyword:
- Service system
- Service ecosystem
- Systems theory
- Service research
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w.pdf
oa: '1'
project:
- _id: '1250'
name: 'SHAPE : Gestaltung von Dienstleistungsentwicklungsprozessen und lnnovationspartnerschaften
mit Unternehmen'
publication: Electronic Markets
publication_identifier:
issn:
- 1019-6781
- 1422-8890
publication_status: published
publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: Service through communication—Conceptualizing service systems with Luhmann’s
systems theory
type: journal_article
user_id: '59677'
volume: 36
year: '2026'
...
---
_id: '65309'
author:
- first_name: Simon
full_name: Hemmrich, Simon
id: '83557'
last_name: Hemmrich
citation:
ama: 'Hemmrich S. A Design Theory for Blockchain-Based Reputation Systems : Trust
and Coordination in B2B Markets. Universität Paderborn; 2025. doi:https://doi.org/10.17619/UNIPB/1-2414'
apa: 'Hemmrich, S. (2025). A Design Theory for Blockchain-Based Reputation Systems :
Trust and Coordination in B2B Markets. Universität Paderborn. https://doi.org/10.17619/UNIPB/1-2414'
bibtex: '@book{Hemmrich_2025, place={Paderborn}, title={A Design Theory for Blockchain-Based
Reputation Systems : Trust and Coordination in B2B Markets}, DOI={https://doi.org/10.17619/UNIPB/1-2414},
publisher={Universität Paderborn}, author={Hemmrich, Simon}, year={2025} }'
chicago: 'Hemmrich, Simon. A Design Theory for Blockchain-Based Reputation Systems :
Trust and Coordination in B2B Markets. Paderborn: Universität Paderborn, 2025.
https://doi.org/10.17619/UNIPB/1-2414.'
ieee: 'S. Hemmrich, A Design Theory for Blockchain-Based Reputation Systems :
Trust and Coordination in B2B Markets. Paderborn: Universität Paderborn, 2025.'
mla: 'Hemmrich, Simon. A Design Theory for Blockchain-Based Reputation Systems :
Trust and Coordination in B2B Markets. Universität Paderborn, 2025, doi:https://doi.org/10.17619/UNIPB/1-2414.'
short: 'S. Hemmrich, A Design Theory for Blockchain-Based Reputation Systems : Trust
and Coordination in B2B Markets, Universität Paderborn, Paderborn, 2025.'
date_created: 2026-04-02T03:52:09Z
date_updated: 2026-04-02T04:31:57Z
department:
- _id: '195'
doi: https://doi.org/10.17619/UNIPB/1-2414
jel:
- D8
keyword:
- Reputation Systems
- Rating systems
- monetary ratings
- incentive mechanism
- systems theory
- Market coordination
- advanced review system
language:
- iso: eng
page: '347'
place: Paderborn
publication_status: published
publisher: Universität Paderborn
status: public
supervisor:
- first_name: Daniel
full_name: Beverungen, Daniel
last_name: Beverungen
- first_name: Dennis
full_name: Kundisch, Dennis
last_name: Kundisch
title: 'A Design Theory for Blockchain-Based Reputation Systems : Trust and Coordination
in B2B Markets'
type: dissertation
user_id: '83557'
year: '2025'
...
---
_id: '51368'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Dealing with opaque algorithms, the frequent overlap between transparency
and explainability produces seemingly unsolvable dilemmas, as the much-discussed
trade-off between model performance and model transparency. Referring to Niklas
Luhmann's notion of communication, the paper argues that explainability does not
necessarily require transparency and proposes an alternative approach. Explanations
as communicative processes do not imply any disclosure of thoughts or neural processes,
but only reformulations that provide the partners with additional elements and
enable them to understand (from their perspective) what has been done and why.
Recent computational approaches aiming at post-hoc explainability reproduce what
happens in communication, producing explanations of the working of algorithms
that can be different from the processes of the algorithms.
author:
- first_name: 'Elena '
full_name: 'Esposito, Elena '
last_name: Esposito
citation:
ama: Esposito E. Does Explainability Require Transparency? Sociologica. 2023;16(3):17-27.
doi:10.6092/ISSN.1971-8853/15804
apa: Esposito, E. (2023). Does Explainability Require Transparency? Sociologica,
16(3), 17–27. https://doi.org/10.6092/ISSN.1971-8853/15804
bibtex: '@article{Esposito_2023, title={Does Explainability Require Transparency?},
volume={16}, DOI={10.6092/ISSN.1971-8853/15804},
number={3}, journal={Sociologica}, author={Esposito, Elena }, year={2023}, pages={17–27}
}'
chicago: 'Esposito, Elena . “Does Explainability Require Transparency?” Sociologica
16, no. 3 (2023): 17–27. https://doi.org/10.6092/ISSN.1971-8853/15804.'
ieee: 'E. Esposito, “Does Explainability Require Transparency?,” Sociologica,
vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 17–27, 2023, doi: 10.6092/ISSN.1971-8853/15804.'
mla: Esposito, Elena. “Does Explainability Require Transparency?” Sociologica,
vol. 16, no. 3, 2023, pp. 17–27, doi:10.6092/ISSN.1971-8853/15804.
short: E. Esposito, Sociologica 16 (2023) 17–27.
date_created: 2024-02-18T10:16:43Z
date_updated: 2024-02-26T08:46:26Z
department:
- _id: '660'
doi: 10.6092/ISSN.1971-8853/15804
intvolume: ' 16'
issue: '3'
keyword:
- Explainable AI
- Transparency
- Explanation
- Communication
- Sociological systems theory
language:
- iso: eng
page: 17-27
project:
- _id: '121'
grant_number: '438445824'
name: 'TRR 318 - B01: TRR 318 - Ein dialogbasierter Ansatz zur Erklärung von Modellen
des maschinellen Lernens (Teilprojekt B01)'
publication: Sociologica
status: public
title: Does Explainability Require Transparency?
type: journal_article
user_id: '54779'
volume: 16
year: '2023'
...