I’m beyond grateful (and still a little speechless) that our paper “Different but the Same? An Event-driven Approach to Determine Probabilities of Data Duplication” is going to be published in MIS Quarterly. Here’s a personal take reflecting upon the process of co-authoring this paper.

Alongside research, traditional Taekwondo has been a passion of mine for many years and I’ve earned a 3rd-degree blackbelt in this sport. Both, research and Taekwondo, have shaped how I think, work, and grow over time. Reflecting on the process of writing this paper, I’ve come to realize how much it mirrors the philosophy of the “Do” (the way) in traditional Budo-sports like Taekwondo.

What publishing in MISQ and earning a blackbelt in Taekwondo have in common? More than I ever expected. Both take years. Both test your patience, your discipline, and your ability to grow from thorough (but fair) feedback. And both teach you that the real journey begins when you think you’ve “made it.”

Here’s what I learned while walking both paths—one in the dojang, one in research:


🥋 1. Pace, Structure, and Endurance – The Review Process as Hyong
The review rounds were long, with each revision phase consuming a significant part of my focus for about six months. The review packages from a top-tier journal like MISQ are huge and can feel intimidating at first.
What helped was approaching the process strategically: letting the feedback sink in, then working with the team to build a clear plan and execute it step-by-step. It’s a marathon, not a sprint—and each round genuinely pushed the paper to a higher level.
📏 Much like in traditional Taekwondo, where performing a Hyong—a formal pattern of movements—requires calm focus, structured repetition, and the patience to improve through every round and every repitition.

📂 2. Mind Your Basics – Transparency Starts on Day One
One key learning was that research transparency is absolutely essential—especially in a journal like MISQ. It builds trust and enables others to understand, reproduce, and build on your work.
A big difference for us was treating transparency not as a last step, but as a mindset from day one. Keeping our data, code, and experimental logic well-documented throughout made every later stage more efficient—and less stressful.
🎯 Just like in Taekwondo, where everything starts with clean basics taught from the very first lessons—without solid technique, nothing else holds up later.

🌀 3. Value Every Comment – Sparring Makes You Sharper
The quality and depth of the reviews at MISQ were deeply impressive. A key learning was to treat every reviewer comment as a valuable contribution—even if it meant a lot (!!) of work.
Some comments challenged us to go deeper into the mathematical model, strengthening our theoretical foundation. Others pushed us to better demonstrate the practical relevance—for example by creating the opportunity to include an applicability check with practitioners.
Together, this feedback helped the paper grow in different directions—while also sharpening its core.
🤝 Much like in Taekwondo sparring, the goal isn’t to dominate your partner, but to learn, adapt, and improve with every exchange.

🔍 4. Clarity over Complexity – Let the Technique Speak
Throughout the revision process, we often found ourselves simplifying, not expanding. Tightening arguments, improving structure, clarifying visuals—it all made the paper more readable, and ultimately more convincing. What really made the difference here, was learning to communicate our contribution with precision and focus.
🥋 Much like in Taekwondo, where a clean, well-balanced basic technique often has more power than a flashy but uncontrolled one.

📘 5. Learn from Masters – And Let Good Guidance Shape Your Approach
One thing that helped early on was finding the right kind of guidance. For example, I remember reading “The First Revision” by Arun Rai, then Editor-in-Chief at MISQ. Of course, the first revision sets the tone for everything that follows, but the guidance from this Editor’s Comment also applies to all following revisions. Having a clear approach to all revisions helped us focus, align as a team, and respond with more confidence.
🥋 Much like in Taekwondo, where progress depends not only on repetition, but on learning from outstanding (Grand)masters.

👥 6. The Dojang Spirit – Strong Research Is Built on Strong Teams
This paper would not exist without true collaboration of a great team. I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to work with Prof. Dr. Bernd Heinrich, Prof. Dr. Mathias Klier, and Dr. Alexander Schiller.
Each of us brought different strengths to the table—and great collaboration is what made the paper possible.
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Like in the dojang, it’s not just individual skill that matters—it’s the shared effort, respect, and collaboration that move you forward.


There were many stages along the way where the end wasn’t in sight yet. But with time, patience, and the right people, things gradually took shape.
Writing down these reflections was a joy in itself—and I hope they are enjoyable to read. Perhaps some of the thoughts resonate with you.