@article{65311,
  abstract     = {{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.}},
  author       = {{Ibrahimli, Ulvi and Hemmrich, Simon and Winkelmann, Axel}},
  journal      = {{Communication of the Association for Information Systems}},
  keywords     = {{Information Systems Research, Systems Theory, System Complexity, System Design, Design Science}},
  publisher    = {{AIS}},
  title        = {{{Bridging Systems Theory and Information Systems: A Framework for Designing Complex Information Systems}}},
  doi          = {{https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}

@phdthesis{65309,
  author       = {{Hemmrich, Simon}},
  keywords     = {{Reputation Systems, Rating systems, monetary ratings, incentive mechanism, systems theory, Market coordination, advanced review system}},
  pages        = {{347}},
  publisher    = {{Universität 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}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}

@article{51368,
  abstract     = {{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       = {{Esposito, Elena }},
  journal      = {{Sociologica}},
  keywords     = {{Explainable AI, Transparency, Explanation, Communication, Sociological systems theory}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{17--27}},
  title        = {{{Does Explainability Require Transparency?}}},
  doi          = {{10.6092/ISSN.1971-8853/15804}},
  volume       = {{16}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}