Space economy: a new frontier of information systems, analytics and digital commerce
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-05-2022-0316 |
| Published date | 22 November 2022 |
| Date | 22 November 2022 |
| Pages | 616-629 |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information systems,Data management systems,Knowledge management,Knowledge sharing,Management science & operations,Supply chain management,Supply chain information systems,Logistics,Quality management/systems |
| Author | Yang Lei,Yue Guo,Xiaotong Li,Zhe Jing |
Space economy: a new frontier of
information systems, analytics and
digital commerce
Yang Lei and Yue Guo
Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Xiaotong Li
The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama, USA, and
Zhe Jing
Department of Management and Marketing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,
Hong Kong, China and
Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Abstract
Purpose –The space industry has experienced rapid development over the last few years. Activities such as
building things in space, learning about our Earth and exploring outer space are satisfying people’s fantasies
and achieving humanity’s ambitions. Such activities have also generated many issues that belong to several
information systems (IS) research domains. In this article, the authors discuss the challenges and opportunities
associated with the space economy.
Design/methodology/approach –The authors discuss why the emerging space economy opens a new
frontier of e-commerce and data analytics. Linking three important IS research areas (i.e. digital commerce, data
analytics and information security) to the space economy, this study motivates scholars to pay close attention
to this promising new frontier for IS research.
Findings –The authors identify new research opportunities within several IS research contexts (digital
commerce, data analytics and information security). The authors highlight the potential for opening a robust,
interdisciplinary field in the IS domain that could provide valuable insights for practitioners and academics.
Originality/value –Because of the unique characteristics of the space economy, this article presents some
promising avenues, research opportunities and implications for several IS fields (digital commerce, data
analytics, decision science, information sharing and information security and new business models). Indeed,
many opportunities are interdisciplinary in scope, with overlaps occurring between IS and other disciplines.
Keywords Digital commerce, Information systems research, Space economy, Space industry
Paper type General review
1. Introduction
With the development of modern technologies, humans are rapidlyexpanding their activities
from Earth to outer space. For example, considering that the fossil resources on Earth are
depleting at a very high speed (estimated to be used up by 2050), many countries are trying to
explore appropriate alternative resources in outer space to replace fossil resources on Earth
(Babikeret al., 2008;Blount and Robison, 2016). Thanks to the rapidly declining costs of relevant
technologies, there exists a booming space industry that produces things going into outer space,
such as satellites and rockets (Wooten and Tang, 2018). As the various types of space activities
IMDS
123,2
616
Funding: Generous financial support was provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
[grant numbers 71872061] and the Key Program of NSFC-FRQSC Joint Project (NSFC No. 72061127002,
FRQSC No. 295837). This work is partially supported by Shenzhen Humanities and Social Sciences Key
Research Bases.
Conflicts of interest/competing interests: The authors certify that they have no affiliations with or
involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest or non-financial interest in the
subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/0263-5577.htm
Received 27 May 2022
Revised 15 October 2022
Accepted 3 November 2022
Industrial Management & Data
Systems
Vol. 123 No. 2, 2023
pp. 616-629
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0263-5577
DOI 10.1108/IMDS-05-2022-0316
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