The information systems field has contributed greatly to the rise of the information economy and the information society. Yet, after more than a quarter-century since its formation, it still is plagued by doubts about its identity and legitimacy. "Information Systems: The State of the Field" contains the reflections of leading IS scholars on the nature of the discipline, its core identity and the challenges of creating a strong and legitimate academic enterprise centred on information systems. It includes debates, reflections and commentaries from a group of leading information system scholars, and offers an overview of the state of the field at this time. This book is intended for all who are interested in the nature and direction of the information system field as it enters the 21st century.

"The sociologist Zygmund Bauman has defined a discipline which is constantly debating its credentials as a "flawed" discipline. This critique can certainly be applied to the IS discipline. The editors of this book must be congratulated on collecting together the principal writings reflecting the nature of the debate to provide a learned and fascinating account of where the field now stands and perhaps where it is going. It is essential reading for any student of IS."
--Frank Land, Emeritus Professor, Department of Information Systems, London School of Economics

"The struggle for identity, according to Alford North Whitehead entails a dialectic of "becoming." It evolves from coping with continuous change, a conflict of perspectives and always asking: "Who am I?," "Who are we?," "Who are we not?," "What do we inherit from our past?." In this imaginatively edited volume, King and Lyytinenrecount information systems' restless pursuit for identity. Anyone who is affected by the struggles, but more importantly everyone who wants to join it must read this book."
--Richard O. Mason, Carr P. Collins Distinguished Professor, Management Information Sciences, Edwin L. Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University

In this groundbreaking working, Jack L. King, Ph.D. provides the basis for an in-depth understanding of operational risk by focusing on its measurement and modelling. Using both theoretical and practical material, he lays out a foundation theory that can be applied and refined for application in the financial sector and beyond.
Operational Risk: Measurement and Modelling is a comprehensive source for understanding the effects of risk inherent in all operations. This book:

• Provides a set of assumptions, definitions, and methodology for quantifying operational risk
• Uses comprehensive step-by-step descriptions based on real-world examples to demonstrate the application and reinforce key ideas..
• Introduces Delta-EVTTM^TM, a new technique that allows firms to deal with losses resulting from routine errors, control breakdowns, and rare events.
• Relies on causality as the key for identifying operational risk that can be controlled and provides a basis for management action.
• Explains clearly the relation between the risk assessment, process engineering, and statistical loss models.
• Includes and explains in detail the formulas and procedures for calculating many common risk measures and building causal models using Bayesian networks.

Now in paperback, in the bestselling tradition of E. Lynn Harris, a gripping novel about a group of high-powered millionaires who each harbors a secret about their sexuality.
Juice is a music mogul with the midas touch, so it's no surprise that his fiancee is not just the queen of hip-hop--she is a multi-platinum-selling, six-time Grammy winner and also a fashion icon. Her father, a retired police officer, doesn't approve of their relationship. While perhaps a bit overprotective, he sees through the luxurious lifestyle and feels like something is not quite right with Juice. But his suspicions are not enough to stop their wedding, which is the music industry event of the year, held at Trump Tower in New York City, with all of hip-hop royalty attending. And while everyone is toasting the happy couple, what they don't know is that Juice is the leader of an underground world of the most powerful men in the country who are on the DL, or down low.
Just as King's bestselling book "On the Down Low "put the provocative topic of men who lie about their sexuality on the map, this new novel will have readers wondering if there is a real-life persona behind these fictional characters.

A bold expose of the controversial secret that has potentially dire consequences in many African American communities
Delivering the first frank and thorough investigation of life "on the down low" (the DL), J. L. King exposes a closeted culture of sex between black men who lead "straight" lives. King explores his own past as a DL man, and the path that led him to let go of the lies and bring forth a message that can promote emotional healing and open discussions about relationships, sex, sexuality, and health in the black community.
Providing a long-overdue wake-up call, J. L. King bravely puts the spotlight on a topic that has until now remained dangerously taboo. Drawn from hundreds of interviews, statistics, and the author's firsthand knowledge of DL behavior, "On the Down Low "reveals the warning signs African American women need to know. King also discusses the potential health consequences of having unprotected sex, as African American women represent an alarming 64 percent of new HIV infections. Volatile yet vital," On the Down Low "is sure to be one of the most talked-about books of the year.
"A survey by the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta found that nearly a quarter of black HIV-positive men who had sex with men consider themselves heterosexual."
--"Essence "