Prof. Dr. Simon Trang

About Simon Trang

Dr. Simon Thanh-Nam Trang is (from April 2023) Professor of Information Systems, in particular Sustainability at the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Paderborn. At Göttingen University, he heads a research group on Information Security and Compliance.

The focus of his work is on the analysis of the positive and negative impact of information systems (so-called Dark & Bright Sides of IS) as well as issues of digital resilience (esp. information security management and informational self-determination). His research is primarily based on quantitative approaches, including laboratory and field experiments, structured surveys in longitudinal designs, and meta-analyses.

Mr. Trang publishes his research in leading outlets in Information Systems (Journal of the AIS, European Journal of Information Systems, Journal of Information Technology), Business Administration (Journal of Product Innovation Management), and Sustainability (Journal of Cleaner Production). As principal coordinator, he is responsible for a wide variety of cross-university research projects funded by renowned institutions (Volkswagenstiftung, BMBF, BMG, BMWk). With his research, he is among the top 10 percent of most research intensiv business researchers under 40 in the German-speaking area (WirtschaftsWoche ranking 2023).

In teaching, Mr. Trang focuses on sustainability, digital resilience, and information security. In these areas, he offers lectures, seminars and supervision of individual research projects and dissertations for Bachelor, Master and PhD students. Mr. Trang is actively engaged in the IS community as a program committee at German and international conferences, reviewer for renowned journals and editor. For example, he currently serves on the editorial board of Information & Management (IF 10,295) and Electronic Markets.

Prior to his appointment at the University of Paderborn, Simon Trang was Junior Professor for Information Security and Compliance at the University of Göttingen. In addition, he has several years of professional experience in the areas of IT strategy, information security management and enterprise architecture management (e.g., WINGAS, Roland Berger, IBM).

Shortcuts: CV - Qualifications, certifications and honors - Publications


Curriculum Vitae


Academic CV

  • Since April 2023 Professor, Chair of Information Systems and Sustainability, University of Paderborn
  • 2018 - 2023 Assistant Professor, Chair of Information Security and Compliance, University of Göttingen
  • 2016 - 2017 Guest Lecturer, Chair of Information Management, University of Göttingen
  • 2014 Visiting Scholar, Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia (link)
  • 2012 - 2015 Ph.D. candidate at DFG Research Training Group 1703 "Resource Efficiency in Corporate Networks", University of Göttingen (Dr. rer. pol., link, Florenz Sartorius Prize for outstanding dissertation)
  • 2011 - 2012 Semester abroad, Department of Economics and Business, Aarhus University, Denmark (link)
  • 2009 - 2010 Semester abroad, Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University, South Korea (link)
  • 2008 - 2011 Master Studies in Business Information Systems (Florenz Sartorius Preis, best graduate), University of Göttingen (M. Sc., link)
  • 2005 - 2008 Bachelor Studies in Business Information Systems (with honours), University of Göttingen (B. Sc., link)


Work experience

  • 2016 - 2018 IT Architect (as part of the Strategic IT Management), WINGAS GmbH
  • 2012 - 2015 Research associate at the Chair of Information Management, Göttingen University
  • 2011 Master thesis, in cooperation with Volkswagen AG Wolfsburg
  • 2011 Internship, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Munich (link)
  • 2009 - 2010 Working Student, COMIT-management consulting (link) and Chair of Information Management
  • 2008 Internship, IBM Germany Research and Development, Böblingen (link)
  • 2008 Bachelor thesis, in cooperation with Volkswagen AG Baunatal
  • 2007 - 2011 Student Assistent, Chair of Application Systems and E-Business (link)


Qualifications, certifications and honors


  • 2023 Prince 2 Foundation (link)
  • 2019 ISO 27001 Practitioner - Information Security Officer (link)
  • 2018 CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional (link)
  • 2017 ITIL Expert Certified: Certified in ITIL Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operations, Continual Service Improvement, Managing across the Lifecycle (link)
  • 2016 TOGAF 9 certification as IT Architect (link)
  • 2016 Winner of the Florenz Sartorius Prize 2016 (outstanding dissertation)
  • 2014 Invitation as Visiting Scholar at Macquarie University (link)
  • 2013 ITIL Foundation Examination (TÜV SÜD Akademie, link)
  • 2013 Scientific supervisor of the master thesis which won the David-Kopf-Hochschulpreis 2013 with prize money of 10 000 euro (link)
  • 2012 Winner of the Florenz Sartorius Preis 2012 (best graduates in Business, Economics, Business and Human Resource Education and Business Information Systems, link)
  • 2011 SAP Terp10-Certified (SAP University, link)
  • 2010 Certificate in Social- and Leadership Skills (ZESS Göttingen, link)
  • 2008 Winner of University Scholarship for outstanding study results (best graduates in Business, Economics, Business and Human Resource Education and Business Information Systems)


Selected Publications


  • Wolf, T.; Trang, S.; Weiger, W.; Trenz, M. (2023): The technology-behavioral compensation effect: Unintended consequences of health technology adoption, in Journal of Information Technology, (forthcoming, link) ,

    [VHB Jourqual 3: A]

  • Nastjuk, I.; Trang, S.; Grummeck-Braamt, J.; Adam, M.; Tarafdar, M. (2023): Integrating and Synthesizing Technostress Research: A Meta-Analysis on Technostress Creators, Outcomes, and Usage Contexts, European Journal of Information Systems (forthcoming, link)

    [VHB Jourqual 3: A]

  • Krämer, T., Weiger, W., Trang, S., Trenz, M. (2023): Deflected by the Tin Foil Hat? Word-of-Mouth, Conspiracy Beliefs, and the Adoption of Public Health Apps, Journal of Product Innovation Management (Vol. 40, Iss. 2, pp. 154-174, link)

    [VHB Jourqual 3: A, Impact Factor: 8.08]

  • Trang, S.; Mandrella, M., Marrone, M., Kolbe, L. (2022): Co-creating business value through IT-business operational alignment in inter-organisational relationships: Empirical evidence from regional networks, European Journal of Information Systems (Vol. 31, Issue 2, 166-187, link)

    [VHB Jourqual 3: A]

  • Trang, S.; Weiger, W. (2021): The perils of gamification: Does engaging with gamified services increase users' willingness to disclose personal information?, Computers in Human Behavior (Vol. 116, link )

    [Impact Factor: 9.79]

  • Trang, S.; Trenz, M.; Weiger, W.; Tarafdar, M.; Cheung, C. (2020): One app to trace them all? Examining app specifications for mass acceptance of contact-tracing apps, European Journal of Information Systems. (Vol. 29, Iss, 1, pp. 415-428, link)

    [VHB Jourqual 3: A]

  • Mandrella, M.; Trang, S., Kolbe, L. M. (2020): Synthesizing and Integrating Research on IT-Based Value Co-Creation: A Meta-Analysis, Journal of the Association for Information Systems. (Vol 21, Iss. 2, pp. 388-427, link)

    [VHB Jourqual 3: A]


  • Please find a full list here: All Publications

    Community services


    • Information and Management, since 2022, Associate Editor
    • Electronic Markets, since 2022, Editorial Board Member
    • ICIS 2021, 2022, 2023, Associate Editor
    • Electronic Markets 2021, SI Guest Editor "Smart Cities - Smart Governance Models for Future Cities"
    • AMCIS 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, Mini-Track Chair „IS Design for Sustainable Transportation Services”
    • Wirtschaftsinformatik Conference 2022, Associate Editor
    • Workshop “Current Compliance Issues in Information Systems Research (CIISR)” @ Wirtschaftsinformatik Conference 2021, 2022, 2023, Committee Member
    • Adhoc Reviewer: Information Systems Research, Information Systems Journal, Journal of the AIS, European Journal of Information Systems, The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, Information & Management, Journal of Cleaner Production, Wirtschaftsinformatik, Government Information Quarterly, PLOS ONE, Electronic Markets