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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) Paul Pavlou, an assistant professor of information systems at the University of California, Riverside has been named Management Information Systems Quarterly’s (MIS Quarterly) “2003 Reviewer of the Year,” an honor which recognizes his critiques’ role in helping organizations and businesses prosper through published articles that combine theoretical rigor and practical relevance.

MIS Quarterly editors based their choice on Pavlou’s numerous constructive reviews for manuscripts published last year.

“The honor is based on the quality of the reviews,” Pavlou said. “The editors judge whether the points are well made and constructive. The idea in the reviews is not to say a certain manuscript should be rejected, but rather to suggest ideas on how the authors can improve their work and take their work to a higher level.”

The process for those who conduct research in the area of IT and information systems is to establish a theory concerning how effective current or prospective systems are, collect empirical data, then prescribe improvements as needed.

MIS Quarterly publishes research concerning both the management of information technology and the use of IT for managerial and organizational purposes. Reviewers assess current information technology strategies and systems already in place for function, flow and potential long-term success, among other criteria.

“Organizations that are using information systems and strategies want to know how to better use them as a way to compete and prosper,” Pavlou said. “The basic idea of information systems study is to support and enable information technology so it can improve group, individual and organizational productivity. Information systems also influence our daily lives, in how we use the computer, and utilize the Internet for information.”

Pavlou’s research and teaching areas include information systems strategy and management.

“Much of my research and teaching involves how to build trust in electronic commerce,” Pavlou said. “Any online transaction involves a certain amount of trust, and my research aims to examine how institutional IT-enabled technologies can help build trust.”

Pavlou is now working with the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Navy on a project that will improve collaboration inside the military by better using collaborative technology.

“Better collaboration in information systems can lead to quicker and better exchanges of vital information, which can even help prevent terrorism,” Pavlou said. “For this to happen, the agencies and organizations involved must learn how to use information systems to communicate effectively.”

Pavlou says the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCR has a healthy number of undergraduate and graduate students interested in this ever-changing field.

“We had seen a decrease in interest of information systems studies after the dot-com bust, but the field is thriving again, as IT is becoming a critical element of organizations and electronic markets. Even if you are not sure you want to become an IT professional, you can still take a few classes in Information Systems and apply what you learn to finance, marketing — any type of function within an organization - because all of these functions require some kind of information systems.”

The school enjoys a joint agreement with the computer science program in UC Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering to offer a bachelor’s degree in Information Systems.

“That collaboration is critical because an interaction of technical and managerial skills is necessary for any organization,” Pavlou said.

The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment has exceeded 21,000 students. The campus opened a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion.

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