Invited Editorial: Preparing Students for a Spatially Driven Business World: Why Location Analytics Belongs in Every IS Curriculum

Location analytics is becoming increasingly important in business practice, yet it remains underdeveloped in many Information Systems (IS) curricula. In many programs, location is treated as a mapping exercise, a visualization feature, or a specialized GIS topic rather than as an important part of analytical thinking and decision-making. This commentary argues that spatial reasoning should be integrated more directly into IS education because business decisions are often shaped by proximity, scale, accessibility, interaction, and geographic context. We discuss how the current fragmented approach limits students’ ability to understand how location influences analytical outcomes and organizational decisions. To address this issue, we propose a layered curricular framework that connects IS foundations, spatial reasoning, and spatially informed business decision-making. We also discuss the role of problem-centered learning and ethical spatial thinking in preparing students for modern business environments, where understanding location is increasingly essential.