What is Emerging Conceptualizations

The growth of the information management (IM) discipline and its importance in different socio-economic platforms cannot be over-emphasized. The current development of heterogeneous technologies shows that IM is the focal point of innovations such as blockchain, data science (big data, predictive analytics, etc.), artificial intelligence, automation, etc. This research was motivated by a desire to contribute towards establishing the intellectual identity of IM as a science and as a discipline. An exploration of the inventory of theories and conceptual frameworks enables us to have an understanding of the different methodologies currently being used and therefore define the level of development of the field as a discipline. This chapter aims to present the patterns and trends in theory conducted by different studies during the last 10 years (2009 – 2019). Using a bibliometric approach anchored on descriptive informetrics, the chapter explores the application of theory within the IM field.