Education
- PhD (2012) The London School of Economics and Political Science (Information Systems)
- MS (2005) University of Helsinki (Sociology)
Research
I study data-based organizing and innovation using various methods. My publications have appeared in Management Science, Information Systems Research, MIS Quarterly, Journal of Management Information Systems. Also, I maintain the Data Studies Bibliography that is a scholarly resource for those who approach data as on object of research itself.
General Information
Before joining academia, I designed and built digital services for organizations such Nokia and CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation founded by Nobel Peace Laureate and former President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari. After completing my PhD at the London School of Economics and Political Science, I cofounded and helped to raise 1.7 million euros funding for an activity tracking app Moves. Apple chose Moves as the Best App of 2013 in the Fitness Revolution category, and the company was acquired by Facebook in April 2014.
Experience
Associate Professor, Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ, 2024–
Assistant Professor, Fox School of Business, Temple University, PA, 2018–2024
Assistant Professor, Warwick Business School, UK, 2014–2018
Assistant Professor, Fox School of Business, Temple University, PA, 2018–2024
Assistant Professor, Warwick Business School, UK, 2014–2018
Institutional Service
- Search Committee for TT Assistant Professor in Analytics 2024/25 Chair
Professional Service
- European Journal of Information Systems (EJIS) Associate Editor
- Journal of Information Technology (JIT) Editorial Board Member
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
In 2012, I cofounded of a startup company that developed Moves activity tracking app. The company was acquired by Facebook in 2014.
Selected Publications
Refereed Journal Articles
Mindel, V., Aaltonen, A., Mathiassen, L., Rai, A., & Jabr, W. (2024). Timely quality problem resolution in peer-production systems: The impact of bots, policy citations, and contributor experience. Information Systems Research, Articles in Advance. https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2020.0485
Shi, R., Aaltonen, A., Henfridsson, O., & Gopal, R. D. (2023). Comparing platform owners' early and late entry into complementary markets. MIS Quarterly, 47(4), 1727–1744. https://doi.org/10.25300/MISQ/2023/17413
Aaltonen, A., & Stelmaszak, M. (2023). The performative production of trace data in knowledge work. Information Systems Research, 35(3), 1448–1462. http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/isre.2019.0357
Aaltonen, A., Alaimo, C., & Kallinikos, J. (2021). The making of data commodities: Data analytics as an embedded process. Journal of Management Information Systems, 38(2), 401–429. https://doi.org/10.1080/07421222.2021.1912928
Aaltonen, A., & Seiler, S. (2016). Cumulative growth in user-generated content production: Evidence from Wikipedia. Management Science, 62(7), 2054–2069. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2015.2253
Aaltonen, A., & Lanzara, G. F. (2015). Building governance capability in online social production: Insights from Wikipedia. Organization Studies, 36(12), 1649–1673. https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840615584459
Aaltonen, A., & Tempini, N. (2014). Everything counts in large amounts – a critical realist case study on data-based production. Journal of Information Technology, 29(1), 97–110. https://doi.org/10.1057/jit.2013.29
Kallinikos, J., Aaltonen, A., & Marton, A. (2013). The ambivalent ontology of digital artifacts. MIS Quarterly, 37(2), 357–370. https://doi.org/10.25300/MISQ/2013/37.2.02
Kallinikos, J., Aaltonen, A., & Marton, A. (2010). A theory of digital objects. First Monday, 15(6–7). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v15i6.3033
Refereed Book Chapters
Alaimo, C., & Aaltonen, A. (2023). Strategizing with data: Data-based innovations and complementarities. In C. Cennamo, G. B. Dagnino & F. Zhu (Eds.), Research Handbook on Digital Strategy (pp. 239–254). Edward Elgar.
Alaimo, C., Kallinikos, J., & Aaltonen, A. (2020). Data and value. In S. Nambisan, K. Lyytinen & Y. Yoo (Eds.), Handbook of Digital Innovation (pp. 162–178). Edward Elgar.
Aaltonen, A., & Kallinikos, J. (2013). Coordination and learning in Wikipedia: Revisiting the dynamics of exploitation and exploration. Research in the Sociology of Organizations, 37, 161–192.
Non-refereed Articles in Academic Journals
Aaltonen, A., Alaimo, C., Parmiggiani, E., Stelmaszak, M., Jarvenpaa, S. L., Kallinikos, J. & Monteiro, E. (2023). What is missing from research on data in information systems? Insights from the inaugural workshop on data research. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 53, 475–490. https://doi.org/10.17705/1CAIS.05320
Mindel, V., Aaltonen, A., Mathiassen, L., Rai, A., & Jabr, W. (2024). Timely quality problem resolution in peer-production systems: The impact of bots, policy citations, and contributor experience. Information Systems Research, Articles in Advance. https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2020.0485
Shi, R., Aaltonen, A., Henfridsson, O., & Gopal, R. D. (2023). Comparing platform owners' early and late entry into complementary markets. MIS Quarterly, 47(4), 1727–1744. https://doi.org/10.25300/MISQ/2023/17413
Aaltonen, A., & Stelmaszak, M. (2023). The performative production of trace data in knowledge work. Information Systems Research, 35(3), 1448–1462. http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/isre.2019.0357
Aaltonen, A., Alaimo, C., & Kallinikos, J. (2021). The making of data commodities: Data analytics as an embedded process. Journal of Management Information Systems, 38(2), 401–429. https://doi.org/10.1080/07421222.2021.1912928
Aaltonen, A., & Seiler, S. (2016). Cumulative growth in user-generated content production: Evidence from Wikipedia. Management Science, 62(7), 2054–2069. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2015.2253
Aaltonen, A., & Lanzara, G. F. (2015). Building governance capability in online social production: Insights from Wikipedia. Organization Studies, 36(12), 1649–1673. https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840615584459
Aaltonen, A., & Tempini, N. (2014). Everything counts in large amounts – a critical realist case study on data-based production. Journal of Information Technology, 29(1), 97–110. https://doi.org/10.1057/jit.2013.29
Kallinikos, J., Aaltonen, A., & Marton, A. (2013). The ambivalent ontology of digital artifacts. MIS Quarterly, 37(2), 357–370. https://doi.org/10.25300/MISQ/2013/37.2.02
Kallinikos, J., Aaltonen, A., & Marton, A. (2010). A theory of digital objects. First Monday, 15(6–7). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v15i6.3033
Refereed Book Chapters
Alaimo, C., & Aaltonen, A. (2023). Strategizing with data: Data-based innovations and complementarities. In C. Cennamo, G. B. Dagnino & F. Zhu (Eds.), Research Handbook on Digital Strategy (pp. 239–254). Edward Elgar.
Alaimo, C., Kallinikos, J., & Aaltonen, A. (2020). Data and value. In S. Nambisan, K. Lyytinen & Y. Yoo (Eds.), Handbook of Digital Innovation (pp. 162–178). Edward Elgar.
Aaltonen, A., & Kallinikos, J. (2013). Coordination and learning in Wikipedia: Revisiting the dynamics of exploitation and exploration. Research in the Sociology of Organizations, 37, 161–192.
Non-refereed Articles in Academic Journals
Aaltonen, A., Alaimo, C., Parmiggiani, E., Stelmaszak, M., Jarvenpaa, S. L., Kallinikos, J. & Monteiro, E. (2023). What is missing from research on data in information systems? Insights from the inaugural workshop on data research. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 53, 475–490. https://doi.org/10.17705/1CAIS.05320
Courses
BT416 Business Process Management