Abstract: This study conducts a content analysis of 282 Chinese research papers published from 2012 to 2022 that use secondary analysis in the area of information management and information systems (IM&IS), aiming to reveal the distribution and trend of research methods, topics, and theory applications. The results show that the advantages of secondary analysis in data acquisition and causality identification are increasingly prominent, as reflected in the gradual diversity of data sources, rigorous empirical analysis on causality testing, richer mechanism analyses, and the emergence of mixed-method research. Four research topic trends have been identified, including macro digital development, enterprise digital transformation, information interaction between enterprise and market, and user online behavior. However, IM&IS theory development and the application of Chinese theories require further improvement. This study is novel in that it combines bibliometric analysis with machine learning methods (LDA and DTM) to reveal a multi-dimensional overview of the secondary analysis in IM&IS in China. The findings provide evidence and guidelines for further strengthening research norms, grasping research topic trends, developing and applying theories, as well as suggestions for disciplinary development and strategic research planning.

Key words: Information management and information systems, Secondary analysis, Research method, Causality testing, Mixed-method research