Robert van Wessel wins Aart Bosman Prize for Best IT research

On Friday 9 October, Prof. Henk Sol, chair of the jury and Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business announced the winner of the Aart Bosman Prize 2009: Dr Robert van Wessel. In his thesis, Van Wessel investigated the positive and negative effects in organizations of the use of IT standards.

The Aart Bosman Prize is the only prize in the Netherlands and Belgium awarded to theses in the field of information systems and IT applications. PhD students can compete for the prize of EUR 4,000 once every two years. The prize is named after Professor Aart Bosman, pioneer and founder of the field of Information Systems in the Netherlands.

Van Wessel’s research

The jury selected two finalists from all the candidates for the 2009 Bosman Prize. On 9 October they gave brief presentations of their PhD research during a festive meeting partly dedicated to important scientific developments in the field of Information Systems. Robert van Wessel (The Hague, 1965) was chosen by the jury as the winner. Van Wessel, currently a Business Architect for ABN/AMRO, conducted his research as an external PhD candidate. He was awarded a PhD by the University of Tilburg on 11 November 2008. His thesis, ‘Realizing Business Benefits from Company IT Standardization’, describes the unexplored field of the consequences of using IT norms in companies.

Jury report

What is striking in Robert van Wessel’s research is the comprehensive way it was conducted, according to the jury. The jury further admires the nuances in the research, which also highlighted the negative effects of standardization. The thesis is regarded as a major step forwards in the discussion around IT standards.

For more information: Prof. Henk Sol, chair of the jury and professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business, e-mail: h.g.sol rug.nl, tel. 050-363 3825.

View the presentation of Van Wessel