PhD Seminar

Crafting High-Impact IS Publications for FT50 Journals

This half-day seminar will help doctoral students understand how to craft and position their research for publication in top-tier (FT50) journals. It blends conceptual insights on publication strategies with hands-on exercises, emphasizing the European doctoral student perspective and the practical realities of academic publishing.

Led by Professor Aleksi Aaltonen, the workshop will guide you through key aspects of publishing, how to develop strong theoretical contributions even when data are limited, and how to strategically select target journals. The session will also include dedicated time for Q&A, offering PhD’s the opportunity to discuss their challenges.

Aleksi Aaltonen has experience training PhDs in both European and US contexts, providing a unique perspective on how to navigate differing expectations and academic cultures.

 

Seminar program

13:30-15:00: Session 1 – What makes a high-impact IS paper?

  • Welcome and introductions (15 minutes)
  • Aleksi: The architecture of high-impact papers: Discussion on key characteristics of successful FT50 papers, theoretical contribution and rigor, how European PhDs can strategically position their work
  • Groupwork: Framing the paper: Small groups (3–4) discuss each participant’s positioning note/abstract


Break (15 minutes) with cake and coffee


15:00-17:00: Session 2 – How to craft scholarly publications?

  • Aleksi: Crafting publications: Discussion of developing a theoretical hook and practical routines for productive and sustained writing
  • Groupwork: Building the paper (storyline, theoretical framing, empirical foundation, and next steps)
  • Plenary reflection, Q&A and wrap-up

 

Preparation

Participants are asked to prepare a 150–200 word positioning note outlining research question, proposed contribution, possibly target journal

 

About the speaker

Prof. Aleksi Aaltonen
Associate Professor, Stevens Institute of Technology
Aleksi Aaltonen studies data and data-based innovation and organizing using both quantitative and qualitative methods. His research has appeared in Management Science, Information Systems Research, MIS Quarterly, and Journal of Management Information Systems. Since January 2025, he has served as Deputy Editor-in-Chief at the Journal of Information Technology and maintains the Data Studies Bibliography. Before joining Stevens in 2024, he was at the Fox School of Business (2018–2024) and Warwick Business School (2014–2018). He co-founded the award-winning Moves app, later acquired by Facebook, and has extensive experience in both private and nonprofit sectors.

 

Registration

Please email Sine Zambach at sz.digi@cbs.dk to register. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis. Organizer: data studies group.