Unveiling Legitimacy in the unexpected events context : An Inquiry into Information System Consultancy companies and international organizations through Topic Modeling Analysis

TL;DR

This study investigates how IS consultancy firms and international organizations legitimize their actions during unexpected events by analyzing their communication strategies through topic modeling of relevant publications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of topic modeling to analyze legitimation strategies of key IS stakeholders in the context of unexpected events.

Findings

Identification of key themes in legitimation communication

Differences in strategies between consultancy firms and organizations

Insights into how stakeholders adapt to unexpected events

Abstract

In an increasingly dynamic and modern market, the recurrence of unexpected events necessitates proactive responses from information system (IS) stakeholders. Each IS actor strives to legitimize its actions and communicate its strategy. This study delves into the realm of IS legitimation, focusing on the communication of two key stakeholders: IS consultancy companies and international organizations, particularly in the context of unexpected events. To achieve this objective, we examined a diverse array of publications released by both actors. Employing a topic modeling methodology, we analyzed these documents to extract valuable insights regarding their methods of legitimation. Through this research, we aim to contribute to the legitimation discourse literature by offering an exploration of two key IS stakeholders responding to the challenges posed by unexpected events.