Abstract: This paper is an exploratory study of the implementation of Location Analytics (LA) in business curricula. Location analytics, fueled by geospatial technology, is increasingly being deployed by organizations worldwide for strategic, tactical, and operational purposes. Using a semi-structured interview approach, faculty adopters of LA in information systems (IS) and other business disciplines were interviewed from sixteen universities. The objectives were to gauge the extent of LA integration in IS and business curricula, the motivations and paradigms of integration, and the benefits and challenges. Three distinct paradigms of LA integration emerge from analysis of the data. They are discussed, compared, and contrasted with respect to several key attributes of LA implementation, including its maturity. Findings show that a majority of faculty are implementing LA in one or two courses across a spectrum of business disciplines including IS. While pedagogical approaches vary, faculty adopters agree that LA helps IS and business graduates situate core theories and concepts in real-world applications, sparks intellectual curiosity and entrepreneurial aspirations, and advances several critical competencies outlined in the IS2020 and MSIS2016 competency models, heightening their appeal to prospective employers. Faculty adopters caution that LA implementation is affected by limited awareness of the potential of LA and its attachment with geography, a social sciences discipline. Adopters also indicate that the lack of administrative support, insufficient resources, and rapid evolution of LA technology can challenge implementation efforts. Implications of these findings are discussed. Practical recommendations are provided to increase the implementation of LA in IS and business curricula.

Keywords: Geographic information system (GIS), Location analytics, Information systems education, Business analytics education, Curriculum design & development, Critical thinking, Employment skills

Download This Article: JISE2026v37n3pp413-435.pdf

Recommended Citation: Sarkar, A., & Kerski, J. J. (2026). Understanding How Location Analytics Is Implemented in Information Systems and Business Education. Journal of Information Systems Education, 37(3), 413-435. https://doi.org/10.62273/MOPZ1492