Learn about IACIS

Overview of IACIS

The International Association for Computer Information Systems (IACIS) is a nonprofit association founded in 1960 and dedicated to the improvement of information systems and the education of information systems and computer professionals. These goals are accomplished through various activities, recognition awards, and publications.

Each year IACIS sponsors an International Conference where technical, theoretical, scholarly, and applied papers are presented and discussed. The conference also provides a forum for participant interaction, round table discussions, and making new friends. Submitted manuscripts undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review prior to acceptance for conference presentation. The abstracts of accepted manuscript are published in a Conference Proceedings, and the full-paper version of high quality manuscripts recommended by the reviewers are published in Issues in Information Systems.

IACIS also publishes the Journal of Computer Information Systems (JCIS), a double-blind refereed journal published quarterly and rated as one of the top journals in the field. JCIS is distributed to all members of IACIS as well many academic libraries throughout the world; its full text is also indexed in the EBSCO electronic database of scholarly publications. JCIS contains articles of interest to both practicing computer professionals and information systems educators. Individuals need not be members of IACIS to submit manuscripts for consideration.

Each year IACIS recognizes a number of individuals that have made significant contributions to the information systems field through scholarship, research, publication, curriculum and program development, and service. Nominations are accepted from members and non-members, and a Committee of Directors makes selections each spring, with the awards being presented at the International Conference in the autumn.

IACIS is reaching out to the global community and includes membership from throughout the world. The Association encourages computer professionals and educators interested in contributing to the improvement of IS and IS education to become members of the Association, attend the annual conference, submit scholarly and applied manuscripts to the conference and JCIS, and to nominate candidates for the recognition awards sponsored by the Association.

IACIS also sponsors an occasional special International Conference, often with a co-sponsor. The most recent was IACIS Pacific 2005, Taipei, Taiwan, co-sponsored by the Taiwan Management Association. With more than 300 registered delegates from 17 countries, the conference provided a unique forum for the exchange of ideas and the sharing of research and business practices.

The International Association for Computer Information Systems

• Fosters an active partnership between leaders in business and education seeking to realize the potential of business information systems and computer technologies.
• Provides faculty an arena to present scholarly and applied research and papers related to business and computer systems, technology and telecommunications, and technical and computer education.
• Supports discussion and networking for faculty and computer professionals with the annual international conference.
• Recognizes superior scholarship by selecting for recognition outstanding papers for pedagogy and research at the annual conference.
• Provides an internationally recognized and refereed computer information systems journal for members and others.
• Provides a refereed serial publication for conference participants and others.
• Recognizes outstanding individuals through the Computer Educator of the Year award and the Ben Bauman Award for Excellence.

Enoch Haga, Ph.D. Founder

Enoch Haga was ahead of his time. After serving in the military in Korea, he pursued graduate education at Sacramento State. He completed a MA in 1958 with a thesis describing the impact of data processing on business education—perhaps the first formalized study on the topic ever done in the U.S. Shortly after accepting a teaching appointment at Stanislaus State University in 1960, Dr. Haga and Dr. E. Dana Gibson, a faculty member at San Diego State, collaborated to form the Society for Automation in Business Education (SABE). The purpose was “to promote the growth and development of knowledge and understanding of automation among business teachers and other interested parties.” Beginning with a handful of educators interested in automation, the organization took off with some good publicity from Computerworld and other publications. Through the organization, Professor Haga spearheaded solutions to four areas of need: 1) established the Certified Data Educator program to validate technical and other knowledge; 2) established a quarterly publication to share knowledge and research; 3) scheduled an annual conference; and 4) established the Data Educator of the Year Award. On November 23, 1960, the first issue of Data Processor, the official publication of SABE was delivered to members.

To broaden the appeal in the 1970s the organization changed its name to the Society of Data Educators. As the organization grew and prospered, members came forward to take leadership roles, and Dr. Haga slowly relinquished control and returned to his first love—writing and researching. He retired from a career in teaching and administration in 1992 and continues to write and revise his many books. As the environment and needs changed, the organization once again sought to more clearly identify its role and mission, changing the name to the International Association for Computer Information Systems.

History of IACIS

IACIS was formed in 1960 as the Society for Automation in Business Education. The primary purpose of the founding organization was to promote as understanding of the use of computers in training business students. In 1969 the organization incorporated and changed its name to the Society of Data Educators. As the focus of information technology changed from data processing to information systems, the Society saw the need for change as well. To reflect the changing times, the name was changed in 1987 to the Association for Computer Educators. To meet the needs of the membership, the organization became the International Association for Computer Information Systems in 1990. Through all the changes, the Association had maintained its service to its membership. The large body of members with more than 10 years of association with the organization attests to the way the Association has met their needs.

The main purpose of the organization always has been to promote the growth and development of knowledge and understanding of computer automation, including information systems, management sciences computer science and applied education technology. Even though technology continues to change, this mission remains central to all activities of the Association.

IACIS Resources

The Journal of Computer Information Systems

Published four times a year, the Journal of Computer Information Systems (JCIS) is the forum for IACIS members and other information systems and business professionals to present their research and ideas. Each issue provides a wealth of timely and informative articles, as well as thought-provoking commentaries. The editor and editorial review board are committed to providing members with the best quality articles in a timely manner, ensuring a journal that members will find useful as well as informative in their teaching and professional activities.

Issues in Information Systems

Issues in Information Systems (IIS) is the official publication of the IACIS Annual Conference. IIS is a refereed, serial publication of IACIS that is registered with the US Library of Congress (ISSN 1529-7314) and listed in the Eighth Edition of Cabell’s Directory of Publishing Opportunities in Management and Marketing. Volume I of IIS was published with the 2000 IACIS Annual Conference. All submissions to IIS are double-blind refereed.

The Annual Conference

The Annual Conference gives professors and other information systems professionals the opportunity to meet, discuss timely issues, and participate in the presentation and discussion of research, applications, and other technology-related topics. The conference also provides a forum for individuals from diverse geographical locations and varied working and teaching environments to come together and discuss educational and other important topics. Papers accepted for presentation at the conference are reviewed, and those selected are assembled in a refereed serial publication distributed to all conference participants and is also available for purchase by other interested individuals and organizations. Other presentations are published in the conference proceedings. Currently, IACIS schedules the Annual Conference at a site outside the United States every third year.

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