Information Systems · Computational Social Science

Syed M. Usman Tayyab

Researching how organizations, digital platforms, and public discourse shape our society and business practices, using computational methods and digital trace data.

Incoming Lecturer · University College CorkMcGill University · Doctoral research
Portrait of Syed M. Usman Tayyab

About me

I am an information systems researcher with a background spanning engineering, public service and management research. I was a first generation university graduate and the first in my family to study abroad.

I studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, then joined the State Bank of Pakistan after a competitive national examination. A Chinese Government Scholarship supported a return to higher education. I subsequently pursued doctoral research in Management, concentrating in Information Systems, at McGill University's Desautels Faculty of Management.

My research examines corporate engagement with social and environmental issues on digital platforms, bringing together organizational theory, computational social science and digital trace methods.

Research interests

My work connects corporate communication, activism and sustainability with computational approaches to the study of digital public discourse.

Social MediaMachine and Deep LearningDigital Trace DataCorporate ActivismWikipediaCollective AttentionAlgorithm Supported InductionDigital ActivismCorporate Online CommunicationComputational Social NetworksCorporate Social AdvocacySustainabilityText as DataComputationally Intensive Theory Construction

Publications and proceedings

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2024Journal

The coping strategies in fitness apps: a three-stage analysis with findings from SEM and FsQCA

Xu, X.; Tayyab, S. M. U.; Jia, Q.; Wu, K.

Internet Research, 34(3), 1046–1076 · https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0554

2024Journal

Exploring the dual routes in influencing sales and adoption in augmented reality retailing: a mixed approach of SEM and FsQCA

Xu, X.; Jia, Q.; Tayyab, S. M. U.

Internet Research · https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-06-2023-0438

2024Journal

Exploring the stimulating role of augmented reality features in E-commerce: A three-staged hybrid approach

Xu, X. Y.; Jia, Q. D.; Tayyab, S. M. U.

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 77, 103682 · https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103682

2022Journal

Exploring the gamification affordances in online shopping with the heterogeneity examination through REBUS-PLS

Xu, X. Y.; Tayyab, S. M. U.; Jia, Q.; Wu, K.

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 18(1), 289–310 · https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer18010016

2024Journal

Investigating Social Streaming App Dependency: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

Xu, X. Y.; Tayyab, S. M. U.; Luo, X.; Leed, F. C.; Jia, Q.

Journal of Intellectual Capital, 26(2), 304–326 · https://doi.org/10.1108/JIC-04-2024-0113

2023Journal

The exploration of customization in augmented reality from the affordance lens: A three-stage hybrid approach

Xu, X. Y.; Jia, Q.; Tayyab, S. M. U.

Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 194, 122729 · https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2023.122729

2023Journal

A multi-model approach for the extension of the use and gratification theory in video game streaming

Xu, X. Y.; Tayyab, S. M. U.; Jia, Q.; Huang, A. H.

Information Technology & People, 38(1), 137–179 · https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-08-2021-0628

2021Journal

The Investigation of Mobile Health Stickiness: The Role of Social Support in a Sustainable Health Approach

Yin, M.; Tayyab, S. M. U.; Xu, X. Y.; Jia, S. W.; Wu, C. L.

Sustainability, 13(4), 1693 · https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041693

2021Journal

How the intensity of the immersive experience impels the extent of Social Streaming App dependency? An empirical assessment with mediation and moderation effects

Xu, X. Y.; Tayyab, S. M. U.

Telematics and Informatics, 63, 101661 · https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2021.101661

2021Journal

How the live streaming commerce viewers process the persuasive message: An ELM perspective and the moderating effect of mindfulness

Gao, X.; Xu, X. Y.; Tayyab, S. M. U.; Li, Q.

Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 49, 101087 · https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elerap.2021.101087

2020Journal

Hierarchical value-attainment paths of CBEC consumers: a means-end-chain perspective

Xu, X. Y.; Tayyab, S. M. U.; Chang, F. K.; Zhao, K.

Internet Research, 31, 699–736 · https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-10-2019-0397

2025Conference

Curating Communication, Organizing Opinions: The Role of Corporate Social Advocacy in Contentious Digital Public Discourse

Tayyab, S. M. U.; Vaast, E.

ICIS Proceedings 2025 · Submitted (status on original website)

2025Conference

From Attention to Activism: Demystifying Corporate Engagement in Digital Issue Arenas

Tayyab, S. M. U.; Vaast, E.

Academy of Management Proceedings 2025 · Accepted (status on original website)

2025Conference

Understanding Communication Interdependencies in Corporate Sustainability Discourse Contact

Tayyab, S. M. U.; Vaast, E.

AMCIS Proceedings 2025 · Accepted (status on original website)

2024Conference

Balancing on a Digital Rope: How Large Corporations Engage in Digital Framing to Navigate Hashtag Activism

Tayyab, S. M. U.; Vaast, E.

ICIS Proceedings 2024

View publication ↗

Media & Research Highlights

Featured video

Research paper discussion

A video discussing one of my research papers.

Watch on YouTube ↗

Teaching

Courses taught as course lecturer at the Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University.

Winter 2024 · Winter 2025 · Winter 2026

Technology and Innovation for Sustainability ↗

Undergraduate course covering technology and environmental footprints, sustainable innovation, digitization, recycling, sustainable design, smart grids and the benefits and hidden costs of emerging technologies.

Fall 2024

Managing and Organizing Digital Technology ↗

Undergraduate course on managing organizational information systems, including IT infrastructure, knowledge management, web technologies, security and the organizational implications of digital technology.

Awards and fellowships

2025
Best Paper Award

Montreal Symposium on IS Research

2024–2025
FRQ Doctoral Scholarship
2024–2025
Teaching Excellence Award

Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University

2021–2022 · 2022–2023 · 2024–2025
Graduate Excellence Award in Management
2024–2025
Greville Smith Fellowship
2021–2022
Rio Tinto Richard Evans Entrance Fellowship in Management
2021–2022
Hian Siang Chan Entrance Fellowship in Management
2018–2021
Chinese Government Scholarship
2015
Young Professional Induction Program

State Bank of Pakistan

2010
Dean’s Hall of Honor
2008–2012
Karwan-e-Ilm Foundation Scholarship

Let's connect.

For academic collaborations, research conversations and speaking opportunities, please get in touch.

McGill Desautels Faculty of Management, 1001 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Canada