minitracks

This minitrack attracts and presents research on understanding and addressing the discrimination problems arising in the design, development and use of artificial intelligent systems. A technology is biased if it unfairly or systematically discriminates against certain individuals by denying them an opportunity or assigning them a different and undesirable outcome. As we delegate more and more decision-making tasks to computer autonomous systems and algorithms, such as using artificial intelligence for employee hiring and loan approval, digital discrimination is becoming a serious problem. In her New York Times best-seller book “Weapons of math destruction: How big data increases inequality and threatens democracy,” Cathy O’Neil refers to those math-powered applications as “Weapons of Math Destruction” and provides examples to show how such mathematical models encoded human prejudice, misunderstanding, and bias into the software systems that increasingly managed and harmed our lives.

Discrimination is defined as treating a person or particular group of people differently, especially in a worse way from the way in which you treat other people, because of their race, gender, sexuality, etc., according to Cambridge Dictionaries Online. Digital discrimination refers to discrimination between individuals or social groups due to lack of access to Internet-based resources or in relation to biased practices in data mining and inherited prejudices in a decision-making context. It is a form of discrimination where users are treated unfairly, unethically or just differently based on their personal data such as income, education, gender, age, ethnicity, religion, or even political affiliation during the process of automating decision making. Digital discrimination in AI refers to the systematic disadvantages that algorithms impose on certain groups due to biases emerging throughout the algorithm’s development lifecycle.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) decision making can cause discriminatory harm to many vulnerable groups. In a decision-making context, digital discrimination can emerge from inherited prejudices of prior decision makers, designers, engineers or reflect widespread societal biases. One approach to addressing digital discrimination is to increase transparency of AI systems. However, we need to be mindful of the user populations that transparency is being implemented for. In this regard, research has called for collaborations with disadvantaged groups whose viewpoints may lead to new insights into fairness and discrimination.

Another approach to mitigating digital discrimination in AI is algorithmic justice, which seeks to ensure fairness, equity, and accountability in AI-driven decision-making. Machine learning models often inherit biases from historical data, leading to unfair outcomes that disproportionately impact marginalized groups. Despite AI’s perceived neutrality, research has shown that it can reinforce and even amplify systemic biases, underscoring the need for governance frameworks that promote fairness, transparency, and accountability in AI deployment.

Potential ethical concerns also rise in the use of generative AI that builds on Large Language Models (LLM) such as ChatGPT, the virtual AI chatbot that debuted in November 2022 by the startup OpenAI and reached 100 million monthly active users just two months after its launch. Professor Christian Terwiesch at Wharton found that ChatGPT would pass a final exam in a typical Wharton MBA core curriculum class, which sparked a national conversation about ethical implications of using AI in education. While some educators and academics have sounded the alarm over the potential abuse of ChatGPT for cheating and plagiarism, industry practitioners from legal industry to travel industry are experimenting with ChatGPT and debating on the impact of the AI on the business and future of the work. In essence, a Large Language Model is a deep learning algorithm that trains on large volumes of text. The bias inherited in the data can lead to emerging instances of digital discrimination especially as various LLM based models are trained on data from different modalities (e.g. images, videos, etc.). Furthermore, the lack of oversight and regulations can also prove to be problematic. Given the rapid developments and penetration of AI chatbots, it is important for us to investigate the boundaries between ethical and unethical use of AI, as well as potential digital discrimination in the design, development and use of LLM applications.

Addressing the problem of digital discrimination in AI requires a cross-disciplinary effort. For example, researchers have outlined social, organizational, legal, and ethical perspectives of digital discrimination in AI . In particular, prior research has called for our attention to research the three key aspects: how discrimination arises in AI systems; how design in AI systems can mitigate such discrimination; and whether our existing laws are adequate to address discrimination in AI.

This minitrack welcomes papers in all formats, including empirical studies, design research, theoretical framework, case studies, etc. from scholars across disciplines, such as information systems, computer science, library science, sociology, law, etc. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• AI-based Assistants: Opportunities and Threats
• AI Explainability and Digital Discrimination
• Algorithmic justice
• AI Systems Design and Digital Discrimination
• AI Use Experience of Disadvantaged / Marginalized Groups
• Biases in AI Development and Use
• Digital Discrimination in Online Marketplaces
• Digital Discrimination and the Sharing Economy
• Digital Discrimination with Various AI Systems (LLM based AI, AI assistants, etc.)
• Effects of Digital Discrimination in AI Contexts
• Ethical Use/ Challenges/ Considerations and Applications of AI systems
• Erosion of Human Agency and Generative AI Dependency
• Generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) Use and Ethical Implications
• Organizational Perspective of Digital Discrimination
• Power Dynamics in Human-AI Collaboration
• Responsible AI Practices to Minimize Digital Discrimination
• Responsible AI Use Guideline and Policy
• Societal Values and Needs in AI Development and Use
• Sensitive Data and AI Algorithms
• Social Perspective of Digital Discrimination
• Trusted AI Applications and Digital Discrimination
• User Experience and Digital Discrimination

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Sara Moussawi (Primary Contact)
Carnegie Mellon University
sara7@cmu.edu

Jason Kuruzovich
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
kuruzj@rpi.edu

Minoo Modaresnezhad
University of North Carolina Wilmington
modaresm@uncw.edu

The ever-changing landscape of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and their increasing importance in life are widely recognized as integral to academic, economic, and civic advancement in society. However, the digital divide in ICT usage persists. The digital divide refers to the gap between those who have access to ICTs and those who do not. In recent years, while the first-level digital divide (physical access to ICTs) has been decreasing worldwide, the second-level digital divide (digital skills to use ICTs) and third-level digital divide (outcomes of ICT use) remain prevalent and require a more nuanced examination by researchers.

The digital divide has long been a topic of discussion in both scholarship and policy. A tradition of monotopical measurement and access-oriented thinking has shaped conversations around the digital divide since the 1990s. While access-oriented discussions—such as broadband accessibility—remain necessary, it is increasingly evident across diverse fields that meaningful participation in a digital society requires not just access but also digital literacy.

Digital literacy encompasses both the cognitive and technical abilities needed to use digital devices and to access, navigate, and utilize information from various online sources. Being able to apply digital literacy skills to achieve a desired outcome marks the final stage and the ultimate goal of advancing digital fairness in different digital environments. Even when advances have been made to reduce the second- and third-level digital divides, disparities in digital competence persist among aging individuals, people with disabilities, minorities, rural residents, veterans, and other marginalized populations. These divides have significant social, economic, and political implications and further widen barriers to participation in ICT.

This minitrack will explore the crucial role of digital literacy to empower and transform marginalized communities that face various challenges, including crises, poverty, discrimination, immigration struggles, illness, climate change, and other societal, technological, and political shifts. It will also examine the opportunities emerging from changes in the landscape of work, education, and social interaction, and how these changes impact the attainment of digital fairness and ethical futures.

Several critical areas demand a deeper investigation to enhance our understanding of digital technologies in promoting socially and ethically responsible practices. A key avenue for further exploration is how digital platforms, mobile applications, and online networks can serve as tools for social intermediation, effectively connecting marginalized populations with essential resources such as education, healthcare, and employment. Addressing barriers such as affordability, accessibility, and digital literacy is essential in leveraging technology to level the playing field and ensure full societal participation.

We seek contributions that discuss how digital literacy can drive meaningful change and resilience among marginalized groups and propel progress toward achieving digital fairness and ethical futures. The goal is to share research insights while acknowledging that these challenges vary across different regions of the world and that no universal solutions exist.

We welcome submissions from scholars in diverse disciplines—including information science, computing, agricultural technology (agtech), financial technology (fintech), human-computer interaction, education, public health, urban studies, rural studies, and other related fields—who conduct digital fairness research and engage with marginalized communities.

This call for papers invites original research papers, case studies, and review articles that investigate digital literacy and its impact on marginalized populations, as well as initiatives that address these vulnerabilities, moving towards digital fairness and ethical futures. We welcome submissions that align with this focus and offer the following examples of topics of interest, which are intended to be illustrative rather than exhaustive:

• Expanding, redefining, and critically examining digital literacy and digital fairness
• Digital literacy competencies for socially and ethically responsible practices
• AI Literacy and its role and connection to digital divide, fairness, and ethical futures
• Digital literacy and the future of work
• Digital trust, privacy, and cybersecurity
• Digital citizenship
• Digital infrastructures for advancing digital literacy and fairness
• Assessment frameworks for measuring digital literacy and fairness
• The evolving role of digital navigators in communities
• Navigating digital challenges through the mastery of digital literacy
• Digital fairness policies and strategies: best practices and lessons learned
• ICT adoption and use: barriers, opportunities, and challenges
• Unintended consequences as a result of ICT use or efforts to bridge the digital divide

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Mega Subramaniam (Primary Contact)
University of Maryland, College Park
mmsubram@umd.edu

Shanton Chang
University of Melbourne
shanton.chang@unimelb.edu.au

Revati Prasad
Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
revati@benton.org

Social media facilitate social interactions, collaboration, and communication between other individuals and/or technical systems. Social media include (among others) Twitter (X), Facebook, Reddit, blogs, social network services, and wikis. In today’s digital age, individuals use social media to attempt to combat loneliness or emotional distress, to form virtual social relationships, to collaborate with others (individuals or technical agents), to socialize, or to seek information. Spending time on social media is potentially a double-edged sword. Positively, social media connects individuals worldwide to facilitate learning, the spread of creative ideas, inclusivity, and access to resources. Negatively, however, social media marginalizes individuals and groups through manipulation, exclusion, and exploitation across all groups and demographics.

Marginalized contexts refer to any situation or context where certain individuals or groups are treated differently based on (among many others) their genders, political ideologies, belief systems, religion, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities. It is any situation with an unequal power dynamic among members of different groups. Academic research addressing social media in marginalized contexts is needed to help information systems research be an agent for social change. In this space, there are many important, yet unanswered, research questions. We invite papers on all types of social media, investigating their positive and negative aspects in marginalized contexts.

The goal of our mini-track is to combine social media and marginalized contexts. We invite papers on all types of social media platforms and different marginalized contexts. We strive to have an intellectual conversation about the positive and negative aspects of social media in marginalized contexts. We aim to facilitate a scholarly discussion of social media to identify problems and innovative solutions to maintain safe and productive social media environments. We welcome empirical, theoretical, or position papers incorporating broad definitions of both social media and marginalized contexts. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Entrepreneurs experiencing biases when discussing ideas on social media
• Unfairness associated with rating systems on social commerce platforms
• Spread of hatred and racism on social media
• Biases associated with de-platforming and re-platforming on social media
• Generative artificial agents responding differentially on social media
• How social media may be used to promote or stifle sustainable initiatives through (un)civil discourse
• Spear phishing attacks and other security threats targeted towards vulnerable groups based on their social media activity
• The use of analytics on social media to hinder or facilitate digital (in)equity and social (in)justice
• The negative unintended consequences of using artificial intelligence on social media
• Social media use that facilitates or inhibits the spread of human trafficking
• Cyberbullying on social media and defense mechanisms
• The spread of gender inequities and gender equality on social media
• How social media provides emotional support for marginalized groups
• How perceived inequities in the judicial systems are communicated and discussed on social media
• Ethical, legal issues, and freedom of speech issues on social media
• How social media might spread social (in)justice
• Impact that social media has on law enforcement or other government agencies, which may be both positive and negative
• The role that social media plays in the dissemination of fake news, disinformation, and conspiracy theories
• Crowdfunding for marginalized groups and differential patterns of lending
• The role that social media plays in promoting or inhibiting the cancel culture
• How social media facilitates or inhibits different types of social movements
• The differential role that social media plays in depression, isolationism, and disconnectedness for under-represented groups

The above list of suggested topics is not an all-inclusive list. We encourage authors to define digital equity, social justice, and marginalized contexts broadly. We welcome all theoretical and methodological approaches.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Jie Ren (Primary Contact)
Fordham University
jren11@fordham.edu

Tom Mattson
University of Richmond
tmattson@richmond.edu

Qin Weng
Baylor University
qin_weng@baylor.edu

Across the work force new developments in collaboration tools, digital labor platforms and artificial intelligence are changing the nature of work. Large-scale remote work activities have spread widely during the COVID pandemic and are likely to remain an integral part of how many companies manage work. Additionally, ongoing economic uncertainty and crises have accelerated adoption of a wide range of tools and practices that are altering how workers engage with stakeholders. The changing nature of work presents both challenges and opportunities to building fairer labor markets.

On the one hand, the changing nature of work allows a variety of tasks to be completed remotely, expanding access to work opportunities by individuals who may face limited opportunities due to  distance, access to reliable transportation or care responsibilities. In this manner broader adoption of collaborative tools and digital platforms may enable meaningful employment opportunities to individuals who would otherwise be excluded from the digital workforce. On the other hand, underlying obstacles in labor markets, derived from factors such as differing wage rates, lack of access to education, differences in power among stakeholders, varying digital infrastructure across geography or regulatory variability, may be amplified and codified as work processes evolve. Further technology development, such as AI or robotics, may also automate tasks disrupting the number and nature of opportunities for future employment.

This minitrack is focused on issues relating to how the changing nature may become a mechanism for enabling fairer work practices. This objective takes many forms, both in examining the socio-technical factors that enable fair employment as well as the factors that create barriers to the digital workforce. We welcome submissions examining factors at any level of analysis, spanning from global or national level factors influencing labor markets, to individual or team level factors influencing work practices. Increasing popular concerns regarding the changing nature of work are centering these topics in our global understanding of labor markets. Increasing oversight by regulatory bodies demonstrate the import for both academia and policy makers to not only understand emerging work conditions but to also articulate the impact of proposed interventions to the changing nature of work on labor markets.

As discussed above, technology is changing labor markets and work practices. While technology may enable greater employment access, it also may foster environments of power asymmetry: new technology may privilege the platform owners who have the power to control the digital work environments (such as the sourcing models, compensation models, and work policies) but disadvantage workers. Thus, we call for research that critically examines current work conditions and policies on the changing nature of work and propose new work processes, platform designs and polices to enhance the digital work environments and foster fair workforce access.

Finally, it’s important for both academia and industry to better understand the impact of the post pandemic transformation on changing nature of work. In the long term, technological developments at the intersection of remote work platforms and AI can potentially shape work at different levels. Research on the future of work and the essential skills and abilities of future workforce will update our knowledge and broaden our visions about the next generation of workforce.

Potential issues and topics on the changing nature of work and inclusive labor markets and work practices include, but are not limited to:

• Employment relations in distributed digital organizations
• Ethical and regulatory issues in the labor relations in changing work environments
• The changing nature of work in developing economies
• Algorithmic based discrimination in technology centered work environments
• AI impact work labor markets and career pathing
• Wanted/unwanted consequences of AI and ML on Work, i.e., work displacement; skill degradation
• AI complementarities/substitution
• Algorithmic Management
• Changing work conditions
• Impacts of the digital divide on labor markets
• The changing nature of collective bargaining in a global workforce
• Worker identity and engagement in the changing nature of work
• Psychological aspects of emerging work environments on workers (e.g., Technostress, Well-being)

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Joseph Taylor (Primary Contact)
California State University, Sacramento
joseph.taylor@csus.edu

Lauri Wessel
European University Viadrina Frankfurt
wessel@europa-uni.de

Phoebe Pahng
California State University, Sacramento
phoebe.pahng@csus.edu

Across technology, design, and engineering fields, recent focus on justice, equity, and fairness in political discourse has galvanized critical interrogations of established (and often uncontested) methods and frameworks that reify harmful power structures. This minitrack will provide a platform for researchers, designers, and engineers engaging with critical design theory and methods to influence (1) the design of our modern technology systems, (2) the education of future designers in this space, and (3) to interrogate the very structures within which these technology systems operate. This mini-track will focus on issues of equity, ethics, and justice in research in the fields of Engineering Design, Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), and Information Systems (IS). While work across these areas has the ability to influence the design of our modern technology systems, ambiguity remains about how to develop, measure, and enact just systems, limiting progress in this space. This minitrack will bring together researchers from Engineering Design, CSCW, and IS to explore and bridge conceptual, empirical, and practical barriers in assessing just designs and just design processes in engineering and computing.

This minitrack will create a space for the formalization of concepts and intellectual discourse surrounding design justice and values in design for those working in related fields, including but limited to 1) Engineering design researchers who develop theories, methods, and tools for increasing the effectiveness of engineering design processes, 2) Social science and philosophy researchers who study the application of ethical theories and frameworks to modern human endeavors, 3) Practitioners from engineering and computing industry who use next-generation design tools, and 4) those who use Research through Design (RtD) and other speculative frameworks (such as AfroFuturism and Posthumanism) to challenge injustices.

Papers that include design justice, ethics, and equity as the focal point of inquiry from across the engineering, computing, and information systems application areas are welcome. Papers in all formats, using a breadth of intellectual traditions, methods, and epistemologies are encouraged, including empirical studies, design research, theoretical frameworks, case studies, ethnography, and research through design. In addition, all accepted papers to this mini-track will be considered for expedited review at the Journal of Mechanical Design as a special issue in the Design Theory and Methodology topic area. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Theories of design justice
• Methods for addressing design justice throughout all phases of research
• Operationalization of justice and equity in design outcomes, processes, designers, or pedagogy
• Insights about Design Justice coming from practice and lived experiences
• Frameworks such as Values in Design, Values Sensitive Design, and other values-driven approaches to the design of technology
• Community-collaborative approaches such as Community Engaged Participatory Research and Action Research, among others
• Challenges and opportunities for participatory and collaborative design approaches to contribute to Design Justice

All accepted papers to this minitrack will be considered for expedited review at the Journal of Mechanical Design as a special issue in the Design Theory and Methodology topic area.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Christine Toh (Primary Contact)
James Madison University
wdcmt8@jmu.edu

Jaime Snyder
University of Washington
jas1208@uw.edu

Andrea Grover
University of Nebraska at Omaha
andreagrover@unomaha.edu

Sita Syal
University of Michigan
syalsm@umich.edu

Julia Kramer
University of Michigan
kramerju@umich.edu

The increasing relevance of digital platforms in political and societal processes has created both new challenges and opportunities for fostering democratic engagement and social cohesion. While digital technologies were initially envisioned as tools for open discourse, they have also contributed to the fragmentation of public debate, the spread of disinformation, and rising polarization. The growing impact of algorithmic recommendation systems and generative content, online social network structures, and platform-driven interactions raises concerns about their influence on political decision-making, societal trust, and institutional integrity.

At the same time, digital platforms have the potential to facilitate civic engagement, provide access to diverse perspectives, and strengthen participatory democracy. Notably, technology and digital platforms play a dual role: on the bright side, they empower citizens to engage in democratic processes, supports transparency, and fosters accountability. On the dark side, it can also enable corruption, institutional decay, political instability, and the abuse of power through mechanisms such as algorithmic manipulation, echo chambers, and disinformation campaigns. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for shaping a democratic digital future where technology becomes a tool for resilience rather than decay.

Thus, we are interested in research that examines how digital platforms influence democracy, both positively and negatively, and how social cohesion and civic engagement can be fostered in digital environments.

• How do digital platforms influence political discourse, trust in institutions, and democratic participation?
• What mechanisms drive polarization in digital spaces, and how can they be mitigated?
• How can design interventions improve democratic deliberation and civic engagement on digital platforms?
• How do AI-driven recommendation systems shape public opinion, and what regulatory frameworks are needed?
• What role do social media platforms play in political activism, civic engagement, and election processes?
• How do misinformation and disinformation campaigns impact democratic resilience, and what countermeasures exist?
• How can digital technologies both contribute to and prevent corruption, institutional decay, and political instability?
• How can governments leverage digital tools to enhance citizen participation and inclusive decision-making?
• What are the ethical considerations and societal implications of platform governance in democracy?
• How can interdisciplinary approaches improve our understanding of digital democracy and social cohesion?

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Jonas Fegert (Primary Contact)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
fegert@fzi.de

Olga Slivko
Erasmus University Rotterdam
slivko@rsm.nl

Stefan Stieglitz
University of Potsdam
stefan.stieglitz@uni-potsdam.de

Christof Weinhardt
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
weinhardt@kit.edu

STEM fields offer numerous exciting and lucrative career opportunities, but unfortunately, these fields are often characterized by a lack of diversity and inclusivity. Educational institutions have encountered challenges in promoting STEM education among underserved populations. More recently, the research funding uncertainty in countries such as the United States has placed some STEM PhD programs at risk. This minitrack will focus on addressing barriers to equity and social justice in STEM education and careers, with a particular emphasis on underserved populations.

At the same time, the ‘half-life’ of knowledge is getting shorter with the current accelerated rate of technological advancement. STEM education needs to extend and expand beyond college education into supporting lifelong learning among working adults to keep pace with technological advancement and keep ahead of digital disruption.

The minitrack will explore new angles and approaches to promoting equity and social justice in STEM education and workforce development, including but not limited to the following topics:

• Cultivating interest in and fostering access to high-quality STEM education (student and/or workforce motivation, K-12 and lifelong STEM initiatives, innovative programs, etc.)
• Implementing inclusive and innovative curricula and practices in STEM education (culturally responsive pedagogy, high-impact practice, project-based learning, learner empowerment, psychological safety etc.)
• Addressing systemic barriers to underserved populations in STEM education across different demographic groups (barriers, strategies, policy change, community outreach, mentorship programs, etc.)
• Examining STEM career choices and interests and development of students and working adults (internship and apprenticeship programs, career development workshops, STEM career trajectory, digital reskilling and upskilling, industry partnership, professional development programme, etc.)
• Assessing and sustaining effective STEM programs (data and assessment:, accountability, best practices in STEM education, interventions, framework and models, etc.)
• Broadening STEM education in the age of AI (AI literacy, AI skill divide, individual adaptability in an AI-integrated workplace, lifelong learning)
• Adapting STEM PhD Education under research funding uncertainty (shrinking federal funds, institutional strategies to address budget constraints, individual resilience, etc)

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Nancy Deng (Primary Contact)
California State University, Dominguez Hills
ndeng@csudh.edu

Calvin M.L. Chan
Singapore University of Social Sciences
calvinchanml@suss.edu.sg

The interplay between gender and technology is a critical lens through which we can examine the structural and systemic factors that either empower or marginalize individuals in the technology space. Achieving gender balance in technology is not merely a matter of diversity—it is a pressing social justice issue. As information technology continues to shape every facet of our lives, those who design, build, and control technology ultimately define the future of work, society, and human interaction. Gender balance in the technology space is therefore imperative to ensure that the future of work and life is not decided for individuals who are not well represented in this space.

This minitrack is dedicated to fostering discourse and advancing research on gender and technology. It seeks to amplify scholarship that conceptualizes, theorizes, and operationalizes the gender construct as a social identity and not just as a biological sex with a dichotomous category. In addition, we encourage research that leverages gender-based theories—such as the Individual Differences Theory of Gender and IT and Gender Role Theory— to articulate the conceptualization of gender and provide nuanced insights into the complexities of gender in the technology ecosystem. This minitrack invites gender-focused analysis of societal, organizational, and individual factors that not only advance our understanding of how gender shapes the technology milieu but also reveal interventions that can help attenuate gender inequities and imbalance. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Applying the Intersectionality perspective to advance gender analysis in IT research
• Designing “Gender-free” technology
• Feminist perspectives on gender and technology
• Gender analysis of the history of technology
• Gender analysis of the use and consumption of technology
• Gender analysis of design and construction of technology
• Gender attitudes toward technology
• Gender biases and stereotypes in the technology industry
• Gender, identity, and technology use
• Gender imbalance in the technology field
• Gender pay gap in the technology field
• Gender role congruity and technology career pathways
• Gendered nature of technology leadership
• Gendered opportunities and risks of new technologies
• Gendered patterns in the use of new technologies
• Hegemonic masculinity in the technology industry
• Imposter syndrome and women in technology
• New approaches to conceptualizing and operationalizing gender and technology
• Role of power in creating gender equity within the technology fields
• Work-life balance in technology field
• Understanding and removing barriers to STEM careers for women
• Gendered roles and digital entrepreneurship
• Care ethics, gender, and technology

Papers accepted to this minitrack will be published in a special Issue of the Information Systems Management Journal.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Regina Connolly (Primary Contact)
Dublin City University
regina.connolly@dcu.ie

Mina Jafarijoo
Stockton University
Mina.Jafarijoo@stockton.edu

Cliona McParland
Dublin City University
Cliona.McParland@dcu.ie

Social justice is the belief that everyone deserves fair and equal treatment and serves as a theoretical grounding for burgeoning research related to the oppressive and dehumanizing nature of modern ICT. Such technologies are developed and deployed based on the mass acquisition and curation of human-centric data, in some cases without consent from individuals, which serve as an affront to human dignity and very essence of being humans in a just society. Thus, ICT and Social justice research refer to studies about actions that promote equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal treatment between individuals, organizations, and the technologies themselves, as well as studies that highlight the use of ICT to uncover social injustice.

The guiding principles of social justice are human rights, access to basic elements such as food, water, shelter, safety, education, and opportunities, equal participation in decision-making, and equity to reduce systemic barriers to ensure every individual is treated fairly and equitably.

So why is social justice part of our remit as IS researchers? ICTs are involved in the way that we as individuals carry out our work and leisure activities, in the way that we organize ourselves in groups, in the forms that our organizations take, in the types of societies we create, and thus in the future of the world. ICTs are therefore deeply implicated in social justice, as IS inscribe our understanding of the world, and our attendant prejudices. Emergent ICT such as biometrics and modern AI systems are often, by design, developed through the collection and extraction of increasing amounts of human data, and in turn can unilaterally shape our perceptions of the world, and thus pose imminent and existential threats to social justice and humanity.

This minitrack invites submissions of original work concerning the intersection of IS research with social justice. Studies about the uses of ICT to uncover inequalities and injustice, and to promote justice at all levels (i.e. racial, climate, age, etc.) and equality and equity for those with fewer privileges such as people of color (POC), refugees and asylum seekers, unhoused, and people with disabilities. We also welcome critical approaches to these topics. Our goal is to spur discussion through research explorations that can enhance understanding and enliven new opportunities to derive novel ways of preserving and improving individual and societal well-being. The relevant topics for the mini-track include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

• ICT and social inclusion
• ICT and racial injustice
• ICT and equality and equity
• ICT and climate justice
• ICT and voting rights.
• ICT and income gap
• ICT and ageism
• ICT and individuality, humanness, and human dignity
• Feminist perspectives in data justice

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Andrew Park (Primary Contact)
University of Victoria
apark1@uvic.ca

Jan Kietzmann
University of Victoria
jkietzma@uvic.ca

Jayson Killoran
Queen’s University and Oregon State University
j.killoran@queensu.ca

In recent years, the rapid evolution of information and communication technologies (ICT), and particularly the advent of cutting-edge AI technologies, has transformed not only the modus operandi of illicit actors but also the strategies employed by those seeking to interdict illegal or exploitative activities. ICT innovations have spurred new business models and practices that expand the markets for illicit behavior, escalating both the risk and the scope of victimization. At the same time, these technologies provide avenues for illicit actors to reach and exploit marginalized groups, who are already vulnerable to various forms of exploitation.
Law enforcement agencies and governments are reacting to these developments by attempting to update or reform outdated laws and policies, which often struggle to keep pace with both technological advances and the evolving nature of criminal conduct. Moreover, many legitimate organizations are exploring opportunities to deploy ICT to identify and mitigate the misuse of their products and services by criminal networks, thereby protecting their stakeholders and the broader community from harm.

Furthermore, the role of ICT in the administration of justice has traditionally been secondary and limited. However, the transformative impact of new AI tools is reshaping the legal landscape, with profound implications for the administration of justice. On one hand, AI-driven systems hold promise for enhancing judicial decision-making, streamlining legal processes, and expanding access to justice—particularly for underserved and marginalized populations. On the other hand, there is an urgent need to examine the potential risks associated with these technologies, including biases, discriminatory practices, and privacy infringements that may disproportionately affect vulnerable communities.

This minitrack is dedicated to exploring the intersection of ICT, criminal activities, and the administration of justice, with a particular focus on research that addresses:

• The Dual-Edged Impact of ICT and AI Technologies: Investigations into how ICT and AI technologies can both improve efficiency, accessibility, and fairness in legal processes, and simultaneously introduce challenges such as bias, discrimination, or privacy violations, particularly among marginalized populations.
• Evolving Criminal Behavior: Studies on how the integration of ICT and AI has enabled and altered criminal behavior, including how cybercriminals enter and explore cybercrime “careers” and how illicit actors exploit technological platforms to expand their networks and target vulnerable groups.
• Law Enforcement and Policy Responses: Analyses of how criminal justice institutions, law enforcement agencies, NGOs, and businesses leverage ICT and AI to detect, disrupt, or dismantle illicit networks, and the implications of these interventions for the rights and protection of suspects, convicted individuals, and victims.
• Legal and Institutional Reforms: Research that critically examines the adequacy of current legal frameworks and policies in the face of rapid technological change, with a focus on the role of ICT and new AI technologies in ensuring the protection of rights and access to justice for vulnerable populations.
• Victim Support and Access to Justice: Investigations into how ICT and AI can serve to support victims of crime and exploitation, ensuring that marginalized groups receive the legal assistance and protection they require. Criminal activity and the administration of justice, as an umbrella term, encompasses the laws, procedures, institutions, and policies active before, during, and after the commission of a crime. Central to the concept of criminal justice is the protection of the rights of all individuals involved—suspects, convicted individuals, and victims alike.

This minitrack invites contributions that offer conceptual, theoretical, empirical, and methodological insights into how ICT and AI are reshaping these domains, with the goal of advancing both our understanding and practical implementation of a just and equitable system. We welcome submissions from a diverse range of perspectives and methodological approaches, aiming to foster a rich dialogue on the potential and challenges of integrating ICT into the realm of criminal justice and the broader administration of justice. Join us in exploring how emerging technologies can help secure a safer and more equitable society while addressing the risks associated with their deployment.

This minitrack invites submissions of original work concerning the intersection of information systems research with criminal activities and the administration of justice. The relevant topics for the mini-track include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

• ICT and gun violence
• ICT and cyber-bullying, -stalking, and -harassment
• The application of datafication and AI in criminal activities
• Cybercriminals and cybercriminal “careers”
• Recognizing and rehabilitating cybercriminals and illicit actors
• AI and predictive policing
• Big data and risk assessment
• Facial recognition in criminal justice
• Dataveillance, security, and privacy
• Datafication and AI applications in border control
• Generative AI-related scams and phishing attacks
• Generated online hate for large-scale “hate-raids”
• Social engineering attacks, such as using Generative AI voice models
• AI-generated attacks on honourability/ reputation. (e.g., Deepfakes)
• Jail-breaking Generative AI to elicit harmful responses/escalate privileges
• Generative AI biases against marginalized groups and/or specific groups (e.g., ethnicity and political)
• Generative AI errors that exploit marginalized groups (e.g., hallucination reliance)
• Generative AI use to exacerbate polarization (e.g., synthetic media)
• Illegal content generation (e.g., CSAM and NCII)
• Attacks against Generative AI
• AI in Judicial Decision-Making
• ICT-Enabled Access to Justice for marginalized communities
• Digital Evidence and Data Integrity
• Legal and Policy Reforms for ICT and AI
• Cybersecurity in Justice Systems
• ICT in Disrupting Illicit Networks
• Balancing Surveillance and Privacy
• Ethical Implications of AI in Criminal Investigations
• Legal Frameworks for ICT and AI
• ICT-Supported Victim Assistance

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Carlos Torres (Primary Contact)
Baylor University
carlos_torres@baylor.edu

Michael Dinger
Baylor University
michael_dinger@baylor.edu

Christine Dugoin-Clement
Sorbonne Business School
christine.dugoin-clement@iae.pantheonsorbonne.fr

The world is facing a multitude of challenges. One of these is the developments in connection with AI and their consequences. An increasing gap can be observed between those who have access to different AI tools and solutions and can benefit from the potential advantages and those who are increasingly being left behind. This mainly includes people who belong to marginalized groups. For example, AI tools and solutions tend not to allow different voices and perspectives to be heard or included. A focus on inclusive AI offers a promising framework to address this; an approach based on inclusion, respect, appreciation, and collaboration.

This minitrack focuses on the role and importance of inclusive AI and the directions and opportunities based on it. We welcome all types of contributions – theoretical, conceptual and empirical – that use various methods and methodologies as well as different perspectives and worldviews to present forward-looking thoughts and ideas that make inclusive AI feasible in different types of contexts and groups of people. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Strategies for inclusive AI at different levels
• Tools and solutions for inclusive AI
• Empowerment of marginalized groups through AI
• Accessibility of marginalized in various societal and economic initiatives through AI
• Development of inclusive AI skills and competences
• Factors influencing inclusive AI
• Training and further education in the field of inclusive AI
• Inclusive AI-based work environments
• Inclusive entrepreneurship and AI
• Cultural dynamics in the context of AI developments
• AI in the context of circular economy
• The role of AI in sustainable development
• Participatory approaches to inclusive AI Development
• Research showcasing decolonial perspectives using local epistemologies
• Highlight of decolonial approaches to technology and society

Authors of selected high-quality papers will be encouraged to submit their papers for the regular issue after thorough revision and improvement according to the requirements and guidelines of The Bottom Line. The papers will undergo the traditional double-anonymous peer review process. The Bottom Line journal does not offer a fast track.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Susanne Durst (Primary Contact)
Reykjavik University
susanned@ru.is

Jacques Yana Mbena
Society for Inclusive and Collaborative Entrepreneurship
yanajacques@yahoo.fr

Tarlan Ahmadov
Tallinn University of Technology
tarlan.ahmadov@taltech.ee

Machines are learning—but are we? As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly advances, it is reshaping human learning, cognitive and skill development, ways of thinking and communicating in profound ways. Generative AI (GenAI), a subset of AI based on large language models (LLMs), has unleashed new, human-like capabilities. These models can generate seemingly novel, meaningful content—text, images, and audio—based on training data. Platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, and Scribe for text, as well as DALL-E and Midjourney for images, are becoming integral to work and education. However, with their widespread adoption comes growing concern over the implications for human intelligence, creativity, and knowledge production.

This minitrack explores the growing divide between and within human and machine learning, examining how AI advancements impact the future of human learning. As AI systems evolve, disparities in access to learning and language representation widen, raising concerns about who benefits from these technologies and who is left behind. Scholars across multiple disciplines have highlighted the risks of AI-driven deskilling, the erosion of critical thinking, and the normalization of AI-generated mediocrity. A philosophy faculty member has even warned that AI presents an immediate threat to human creativity and decision-making.

This mini-track also examines the unintended consequences of AI—particularly GenAI and agentic AI—on human learning, cognition, and skill development. Exploring the ‘dark side’ of AI is crucial to addressing the complex, often adverse, societal impacts of AI. The emergence and proliferation of GenAI and agentic AI necessitate both the adaptation of existing theories and the development of new frameworks that reflect their distinctive characteristics. These technologies are not merely tools but transformative forces that alter how knowledge is produced, evaluated, and internalized.

Beyond education, AI is also reshaping global communication. AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) influence how language is represented, understood, and used, yet their development often amplifies linguistic inequities. Current NLP models frequently underperform for marginalized languages, erase dialectal variations, and reinforce harmful linguistic profiling and biases. At the same time, AI holds emancipatory potential: when designed with linguistic justice in mind, it can empower marginalized communities, support language preservation, and create more inclusive digital spaces.

This minitrack welcomes interdisciplinary perspectives that critically examine how AI can be designed, developed, and governed to empower diverse linguistic communities rather than privileged dominant ones. By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, we aim to push the boundaries of AI research and advocate for technologies that equitably serve all language communities. We welcome submissions on topics including but not limited to:

• AI-driven deskilling and disempowerment of individuals
• Challenges to human creativity and critical thinking in the era of AI-driven pattern generation
• AI and mediocrity as a new norm and the struggle for excellence
• Cognitive enhancement, deterioration, and dependence in GenAI-mediated environments
• Machine learning and human learning
• AI bias in multilingual and dialectal NLP models
• Ethical frameworks for linguistic justice in AI development
• Underrepresentation of marginalized languages in training data
• The role of AI in language preservation and revitalization
• Linguistic profiling and discrimination in automated decision-making
• Policy and regulatory approaches to linguistic equity in AI
• Community-driven NLP solutions and participatory AI design

By addressing these challenges and opportunities, this minitrack seeks to foster a critical and constructive discussion on AI’s role in shaping human learning and linguistic equity in the digital age.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

K.D. Joshi (Primary Contact)
University of North Carolina Wilmington
joshik@uncw.edu

Nancy Deng
California State University, Dominguez Hills
ndeng@csudh.edu

This minitrack highlights experiential pluralism, the recognition that human engagement with the world – through cognition, affect, sensory processing, and social interaction—is inherently diverse. Neurodiversity encompasses natural variations in neurological functioning that influence perception, communication, and behavior. This includes, but is not limited to, autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and other neurodevelopmental variations, as well as cognitive, affective, sensory, and social processing styles that do not necessarily align with specific diagnoses.

Digitalized workplaces, technology-mediated services, and AI-driven decision-making processes are often built on unspoken assumptions about how individuals think, communicate, and process information. Yet, human experiences are fundamentally diverse – no two individuals perceive, process, or interact with the world in the same way, and digitalized environments should reflect this diversity. This minitrack invites research that places neurodiversity at the core of discussions on the evolution of digital services, AI, digitalized workplaces, and online platforms across various domains. We encourage contributions that investigate:

• Neurodiversity in digitalized environments: How do digital workspaces, health services, educational platforms, and online communities include or exclude diverse cognitive, affective, sensory, and social styles? What roles do organizational structures and digital tools play in shaping neuro-inclusive experiences?
• AI, automation, and neurodiversity: How do AI-driven systems (e.g., hiring algorithms, content recommendations, automation tools) reflect or fail to reflect experiential pluralism, and how can they be adapted?
• Time, attention, and cognitive rhythms in digital interactions: How do different cognitive, affective, sensory, and social styles interact with expectations around synchronicity, responsiveness, and multitasking in digital environments?
• Beyond accessibility: rethinking digital system design through experiential pluralism: How can digital platforms, from dating apps to healthcare portals, be designed from inception with neurodiverse participation rather than merely adapted for inclusivity?Submission Guidelines

This minitrack welcomes both empirical and conceptual studies, including research on socio-technical systems, human-computer interaction, AI ethics, digital platforms, and information systems. We invite contributions using diverse methodologies such as literature reviews, theoretical explorations, design science, case studies, quantitative analyses, and interdisciplinary research approaches.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Maylis Saigot (Primary Contact)
University of Queensland
m.saigot@uq.edu.au

Rob Gleasure
Copenhagen Business School
rg.digi@cbs.dk

Elizabeth White Baker
Virginia Commonwealth University
bakerew@vcu.edu

Oyebisi Oladeji
Kennesaw State University
ooladej3@kennesaw.edu

Introduced in 2008 by Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin marked the beginning of the first peer-to-peer currency, igniting a recent wave of interest in Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech. Despite significant interest in Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech, more than a decade after their emergence, they have yet to become everyday technologies for consumers. These technologies still face numerous technical challenges, including scalability, security, privacy, interoperability, and energy consumption (Vasiljeva et al., 2016), along with challenges in business adoption, social trust, ethical, environmental, and regulatory controversies, and the potential for illicit activities.

For marginalized contexts, such as in developing economies, the challenges of integrating Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech are also substantial. Issues such as the digital divide, lack of infrastructure, regulatory uncertainties, and the need for education and digital literacy can impede the adoption and effective utilization of these technologies.

This minitrack welcomes researchers from all disciplines, ranging from the ‘hard sciences’ such as engineering and computer science, to social sciences, finance, management, and beyond. We invite submissions that employ a variety of methodologies, including but not limited to algorithm/system design, experiments, simulation, theoretical analysis, empirical research, surveys, design science, development of theoretical frameworks, qualitative inquiries, and case studies. Our goal is to cultivate a vibrant dialogue across a wide range of methodological perspectives, thereby advancing understanding and fostering innovation in this field. Our scope of interest spans a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to:

1. Technical Aspects
   • The responsible applications of AI and Machine Learning in Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech
   • Development of responsible Algorithms, Protocols, and Consensus Mechanisms
   • Scalability, Security, Decentralization, Interoperability, Transparency, Accountability, and Standardization in Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech
   • Quantum Computing and Cryptography in Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech
   • Open-source Development in Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech
2. Social Aspects
   • Responsible implementation of Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech in marginalized contexts and developing economies
   • Bridging the Digital Divide and promoting Financial Inclusion and Social Justice through Blockchain
3. Cryptocurrency, and FinTech
   • Enhancing Education and Financial Literacy within these domains
   • Supporting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) with Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech
   • The Future of Work in the era of Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech
4. Business and Economic Aspects
   • The adoption of Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech
   • Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs)
   • Microfinance and Crowdfunding through Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech
   • Regulation and Governance in the Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech sectors
   • The Geopolitical Landscape and Cross-border Applications of Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech
5. Environmental and Ethical Aspects
   • Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech
   • Combating Illicit Activities with Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech
   • Ethics and Data Privacy in Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and FinTech

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Yibai Li (Primary Contact)
University of Scranton
yibai.li@scranton.edu

Kaiguo Zhou
Capital University of Economics and Business
zhoukg@cueb.edu.cn

Wanli Liu
Guangzhou Xinhua University
liuwlariel@xhsysu.edu.cn

In today’s knowledge-intensive world, efficient information management and utilization are paramount for organizational (and sometimes personal) success. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful tool for knowledge management, offering solutions that streamline processes, enhance decision-making support, and facilitate collaboration. This minitrack focuses on the intersection of AI assistants (including chatbots, text-based and voice-based assistants) and generative AI techniques in the realm of organizational and personal knowledge management.

We invite submissions from researchers and practitioners that explore innovative approaches, design science and design theory, case studies, theoretical insights, and practical applications of AI-driven solutions in knowledge management for both organizational and personal life settings. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

1. AI-powered knowledge retrieval focusing on techniques and systems for efficient retrieval of relevant information from large knowledge bases using AI assistants, both for personal and organizational-level knowledge (including their issues and limitations).
2. Use of generative AI for content creation, including applications of generative AI models such as GPT, BERT, and transformers for generating and summarizing knowledge content (including their issues and limitations).
3. Personalized knowledge delivery with AI-driven methods for tailoring knowledge delivery to individual users’ preferences and needs, both in personal and work life
4. Collaborative knowledge sharing, including platforms and tools leveraging AI to facilitate collaborative knowledge sharing and collective intelligence within organizations.
5. Diversity, ethical aspects, risks, and challenges of designing and appropriating knowledge with AI assistants and other AI systems (e.g. information overload, ‘operator hand-off’ problems, technostress, and protection of information assets).
6. Changing organizational cultures and structures by integrating AI assistants, generative AI and other AI systems for knowledge management.
7. Design, evaluation, and/or use of knowledge management and AI systems and processes to facilitate knowledge creation and sharing as well as quick problem solving.
8. Technology-in-practice outcomes and processes across both technology-centric and socio-centric approaches to generative AI and AI systems design (as related to, but not limited to, various affordance and agency/agential frameworks, computer-supported cooperative work).

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Alina Bockshecker (Primary Contact)
University of Hagen
alina.bockshecker@fernuni-hagen.de

Pierre Hadaya
Université du Québec à Montréal
hadaya.pierre@uqam.ca

Stefan Smolnik
University of Hagen
stefan.smolnik@fernuni-hagen.de

Computing Education (CE), also known as Computer Science Education, is best known as the field leading the conversation about what, how, and for whom Computer Science should be taught. Computational thinking has been a theme emphasized by educators and researchers in the field, but CE addresses the broader impact of computing in society. In recent years, the teaching of computing has moved from being the exclusive domain of higher and graduate education to becoming a subject of primary education. In some countries it is taught as a specific subject and in others it is taught in an interdisciplinary way.

To keep advancing the literature on CE, this minitrack encourages submissions from any disciplinary background reporting different kinds of studies: e.g., empirical studies, case studies, methods and techniques, conceptual frameworks, and literature reviews. Beyond the title of the minitrack, the minitrack covers research and practice framed as related to neighboring concepts such as: computing educators, instructional designers, teacher, school administrators, policymakers, and other actors involved with CE:

1. People: e.g., studies on the impact of different technologies (digital or not) on the use of computing, student and teacher experience, behavior, performance, etc.
2. Educational science: e.g., educational theories behind CE and their application.
3. Pedagogy: pedagogical aspects (e.g., collaborative learning, blended learning, cognitive processes, intellectual skills, edutainment, and others) in CE.
4. Learning analytics: e.g., tools for measuring skills behind computing, adaptivity and personalization in CE.
5. Teaching strategies: e.g., unplugged computing, robotics, visual languages, innovative didactic materials/techniques, new courses, metacognition, etc.
6. Theories/concepts/methods: e.g., contributions to the science of CE.
7. Digital world: e.g., ethics, equity, and civil rights and their implications concerning the interaction with digital media, socio-cultural relations related to CE, anthropology, civic potentials of being in the digital world, bodies, gender, identity, poetics, and politics in CE.
8. Computational Thinking: e.g., general aspects of computational thinking.
9. Curricula: e.g., CE for K2-K12, multidisciplinary, connected, and interdisciplinary approaches involving CE, international curricula.

Authors of accepted papers have the option to fast-track extended versions of their HICSS papers to Smart Learning Environments.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Wilk Oliveira (Primary Contact)
Tampere University
wilk.oliveira@tuni.fi

Pasqueline Dantas Scaico
Federal University of Paraíba
pasqueline@dcx.ufpb.br

Mirka Saarela
University of Jyväskylä
mirka.saarela@jyu.fi

Today’s classrooms have moved beyond just desktop computers that were once the norm and are now tech-infused with tablets, interactive online courses and even robots that can take notes and record lectures for students who are ill.

This influx of edtech tools are changing classrooms in a variety of ways: AI based edtech robots, machine learning based classroom models, usage of conversational AI based chatbots, are making it easy for students to stay engaged through fun forms of learning; IoT devices, that are not only providing resources over a variety of platforms, but are encouraging an ecosystem driven by the need of connectivity, are being hailed for their ability to create digital classrooms for students, whether they’re physically in school, on the bus or at home; even machine learning and blockchain tools are assisting teachers with grading tests and holding students accountable for homework.

The potential for scalable individualized learning goes beyond a classroom and has ushered an integrated environment that is seamless. It has played an important role in edtech’s ascendance. The way we learn, how we interact with classmates and teachers, and our overall enthusiasm for the same subjects is not a one-size-fits-all situation. Everyone learns at their own pace and in their own style. Edtech tools make it easier for teachers to create individualized lesson plans and learning experiences that foster a sense of inclusivity and boost the learning capabilities of all students, no matter their age or learning abilities.

This minitrack is developed to address and serve the purpose of:

1. Connecting people – Businesses, communities, government and entities who can use advancement in frameworks of education to cultivate a change for a better future.
2. Solving problems – Some of the major problems that requires methods to share knowledge and give a platform to the audience to be able to equip themselves with the right education. The minitrack helps bring partners that can find creative solutions, with the help of education, provisioned in the right possible ways.
3. Developing champions – The minitrack aims to find methods to develop the champions and leaders that shall tackle the best problems. The results should not only solve the problems we face, but also inspire others to seek educational ways to resort to solutions.
4. Creating Institutions/Entities – the societal impact we seek cannot be created using temporary solutions. We need to cultivate them over a period of time and help stay relevant to the needs to the society. These long terms entities shall provide the resources and leadership to have a purpose driven solution to our problems. This minitrack shall help bring those ideas and frameworks together that can create a lasting impact.

The value that we seek in our societies cannot be created on a one-way street. In fact the value that we seek cannot be created, but co-created. Edtech has the power of unifying these different elements in the society to create those long term and meaningful solutions through the use of technology. ‘Education beyond borders’, ‘Education for All’ are some schools of thought that have limitless benefits and the advancements in edtech can help us explore creative ways to make it a possibility. At the end of the day, the number one goal of education is to be that positive influence that helps brings solutions together. In the world of technology, edtech is that vehicle to make this happen.

This minitrack welcomes papers in all formats including empirical studies, design, theory, theoretical framework, case studies, and etc. The minitrack encourages submission of any studies from an implementation standpoint of a technical or economical model, which engages emerging technologies in the area of edtech. The submissions include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

1. Theories used in edtech
2. Virtual and distributed edtech models and technologies
3. Management of frameworks used in edtech
4. Knowledge networks and the future of edtech
5. Edtech implementation methodologies
6. Human networks in Edtech
7. Quality Metrics to measure the effectiveness of Edtech platforms
8. Best practices in edtech
9. Management and implementation frameworks and standards
10. Automation in edtech
11. Knowledge sharing and management in edtech using novel technologies
12. Repurposing current methodologies into edtech
13. Governance models in edtech
14. Software and eservices in edtech
15. Role of corporates/governments in edtech

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Gaurav Shekhar (Primary Contact)
University of Texas at Dallas
gaurav.shekhar@utdallas.edu

Deepak Khazanchi
University of Nebraska at Omaha
khazanchi@unomaha.edu

Entrepreneurs identify and pursue opportunities to create value under conditions of uncertainty. The growth of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and quantum computing in entrepreneurship has begun. For example, advances in AI bring new opportunities for value creation, enabling fewer individuals to accomplish more than ever. From entirely new business opportunities to increased efficiency and automation within business processes. Meanwhile, blockchain and Web 3.0 enables different business models creating an opportunity to put users at the center of the system and upend centralized corporate control. Finally, opportunities to leverage quantum computing are just emerging given the extreme levels of investment required. It is largely unknown how entrepreneurs will extend and apply the capabilities in more mainstream markets. This minitrack centers on understanding how these emerging technologies influence entrepreneurship at the micro, meso, and macro levels.

At the micro level, this could include perceptions of AI and individual differences that influence if and how an organization leverages AI capabilities. Are the skills and resources required to grow an entrepreneurial venture evolving in light of these technologies, and if so, how are they developed? Do users really value regaining control of their data and the value associated with it? How should individuals interact with AI, and how do those interactions influence the individuals? What potential risks are associated with using AI for startups and customers? How will AI influence our decision-making processes?

At the meso level, this includes new businesses built on the technologies along with the new business models they enable. Frameworks that understand and guide the various ways entrepreneurs can effectively leverage these technologies are needed. Blockchain relies on expansive network effects which can create a challenge to achieve initial scale. Quantum computing likely requires large investments only achievable for large corporations, government entities, and extremely well capitalized startups. Alternatively, AI enables smaller groups of individuals to expand their impact and grow larger firms, yet the influence on organizational structure, organizational culture, and fundraising remains largely unknown.

At the macro level, what is the entrepreneurial ecosystem’s role, and how can the ecosystem provide the training and infrastructure required for entrepreneurs to adopt the technology successfully? Is there a risk of too much AI adoption, especially in the ecosystem coordination process? Can ecosystems help facilitate the network scaling needed for successful blockchain businesses? Additionally, AI is already being integrated into deal vetting processes. Can AI develop intuition, which is currently viewed as essential in assessing investment opportunities? Do the cost and barriers to scale inhibit the opportunity for small startups to innovate and drive creative destruction? Will this motivate more collaboration between startups and large corporations? If so, who will have access to these opportunities, or will these technologies result in even more exclusion of historically underrepresented groups?

We encourage the submission of both theoretical and empirical papers, and all types of methods (qualitative or quantitative) are welcome. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Strategies for Implementing AI in Entrepreneurship
2. Technology – Task Fit
3. Factors Influencing Technology Adoption
4. Entrepreneurial Training and Emerging Technologies
5. Emerging Technologies and Equity Outcomes
6. Ethics and Risks Associated with Entrepreneurial AI Application
7. AI Influence on Organizational Structure
8. Emerging Technology Influence on Business Models
9. Opportunity Identification Through AI
10. Entrepreneurial Ecosystems & Emerging Technologies
11. Quantum Computing Infrastructure for Entrepreneurs
12. Technology Influence on Diversity and Inclusivity in Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship remains the core strategy for economic development and innovation, and artificial intelligence stands to influence all aspects of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurial ecosystems may play a critical role in facilitating the adoption of AI. Nascent research on this intersection underscores the importance of theoretical development and empirical analysis.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

John Sebesta (Primary Contact)
University of Denver
john.sebesta@du.edu

Hope Jensen Schau
University of California Irvine
schauh@uci.edu

Melissa Akaka
University of Denver
melissa.akaka@du.edu

Martin Key
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
tmkey@uccs.edu

In an era defined by digital transformation and rapidly evolving knowledge landscapes, traditional approaches to Knowledge Management (KM) are increasingly challenged by emerging opportunities and new requirements. The integration of future-oriented methods such as Futuring or Learning from the Future alongside innovative practices like Design Thinking offers a unique opportunity to not only adapt KM practices to current needs but also to proactively shape the future. Technological advancements—such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and collaborative digital platforms—are reshaping the ways in which knowledge is created, shared, and utilized. Traditional KM models are reaching their limits in this dynamic environment. By combining (new) methods for shaping the future with creative, user-centered design approaches, organizations can reinvent their KM systems and/or rethink their understanding of knowledge and knowledge management as such, to better meet the demands of the digital era.

This minitrack provides a platform to scientifically ground this paradigm shift while delivering actionable insights for practice. To achieve this, this minitrack aims to foster interdisciplinary discussions, explore innovative concepts, and critically examine methods that could define the future trajectory of KM.
We welcome submissions for this minitrack adopting different theoretical lenses and worldviews, using a variety of research methods and conceptual ideas, and exploring the topic with a visionary mindset. We are also very looking for contributions that break with well-trodden empirical and conceptual conventions to help academic and practice build novel concepts, instruments and designs by focusing on (digital) future(s). Topics covered include (but are not limited to):

1. Futuring as (future) core topic of KM?
   • How can futuring and/or design methodologies be integrated as a component of Knowledge Management (systems) to enhance organizational strategic innovation and resilience?
   • What role can the different approaches of Learning from the Future play in Knowledge Management?
   • What are the critical success factors and barriers for incorporating futuring and/or design techniques within traditional Knowledge Management frameworks?
   • In what ways do futuring and/or design practices enable organizations to effectively respond to disruptive trends impacting knowledge-intensive environments?
   • How can the synergy between futuring and Knowledge Management drive innovation, and which metrics can best capture its impact on organizational performance?
   • What cultural and structural capabilities are necessary to embed futuring as a core element in Knowledge Management systems?
   • In what ways does integrating futuring into Knowledge Management reshape strategic decision-making and risk assessment processes at various organizational levels?
   • What synergies can be achieved by combining qualitative and quantitative and “non-state-of-the-art” futuring methodologies within KM, and how do these synergies enhance long-term organizational learning and adaptability?
2. The future role of KM in Artificial Intelligence
   • KM as the foundation for Artificial Intelligence – or Artificial Intelligence as enabler for KM, or both directions?
   • How should we integrate AI-based systems into KM initiatives as they possess increasing processing capabilities and degrees of agency?
   • How much knowledge is in digital representations of knowledge, such as knowledge graphs?
   • What is the role of human knowledge, competence and expertise in hybrid work systems including AI?
   • What is the role of wisdom in AI?
   • How does AI enable new forms of learning processes between humans?
   • How do training data sets for AI-based systems imply organizational biases and thus influence future learning processes?
3. The further development of new approaches and ideas currently emerging in KM
   • How can new approaches to KM, such as Responsible KM, be realized by means of concrete tools, techniques, and methods?
   • KM and Spirituality – what is their link? What role could Spiritual KM play in the future of KM?
   • What are epistemological alternatives to the prevailing paradigm of instrumental-calculative rationality, i.e., to the reliance on rational knowledge and thinking?
   • How to enable the knowledge flow of non-rational knowledge for individuals and/or in organizations?
   • What is the role of practical wisdom (i.e., phronesis) in managing organizations?
   • How can the realization of an organization’s purpose and KM be connected?
   • How can KM support topics such as Organizational Becoming or Organizational Self-Enactment?
   • What is the role of tacit knowledge and how can the use of tacit knowledge be further improved in organizations and at the individual level?
   • What is the role of unlearning in envisioning as well as adopting new KM practices?
4. The future role of KM in society
   • What role does/will KM play in future organizations? And (why) should organizations still invest in KM issues?
   • In what ways do new digital technologies change how people and organizations communicate and collaborate, and how does this change KM?
   • How and to what extent should we expand established KM frameworks to account for new digital technologies?
   • How can insights from KM research and practice enable remote work?
   • What role should KM play in an increasingly connected world and how to ensure that role is realized?
   • How can KM research tackle and contribute to solving the grand challenges of our times?
   • What role does KM play in the transformation towards sustainable business?
   • Business Ethics and KM – what can KM contribute to doing well by doing good?

This minitrack welcomes all types of contributions, both conceptual and empirical, using a variety of methods to provide new insights for the future of KM as well as futuring as an important part of KM. Therefore, papers in this minitrack can and should explicitly provide the basis for more speculative future-leaning conceptualizations of phenomena within the discipline of KM.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Alexander Kaiser (Primary Contact)
Vienna University of Economics and Business
alexander.kaiser@wu.ac.at

Ernst Wageneder
Vienna University of Economics and Business and Archdiocese Salzburg
Ernst.wageneder@eds.at

Florian Kragulj
Vienna University of Economics and Business
florian.kragulj@wu.ac.at

Game-Based Learning (GBL) is an evolving field that integrates game elements, mechanics, and principles into education and training to enhance students’ experience and learning outcomes. As digital learning landscapes rapidly expand, GBL continues to evolve, incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), extended reality (XR), and adaptive learning systems. This minitrack explores the latest advancements in GBL and its intersections with emerging fields, fostering discussions on the future of learning through play, interactivity, and immersive experiences.

This minitrack invites interdisciplinary contributions that explore empirical research, theoretical advancements, design methodologies, and applications of GBL in diverse contexts. We encourage submissions addressing both foundational and forward-thinking aspects of GBL, including but not limited to:

1. Artificial Intelligence & Learning Analytics: AI-driven adaptive learning in GBL, predictive analytics, dynamic game-mechanics adjustments based on learner data, and ethical considerations in AI-driven game-based learning.
2. Computational & Technological Developments: Procedural content generation, AI-powered NPCs for dynamic learning interactions, multi-agent simulations, blockchain applications in GBL, and cloud-based GBL platforms.
3. Cultural & Social Dimensions: Socio-cultural perspectives on GBL, inclusive design, accessibility, diversity in game narratives, gamification of social learning, and ethical concerns in game-based educational interventions.
4. Ethical & Societal Implications: Addressing privacy, bias, fairness, and the responsible use of gamification and game-based approaches in education and training.
5. Health & Wellbeing: GBL for mental health, physical rehabilitation, behavior change interventions, mindfulness training, and exergaming applications.
6. Human Factors & Learner Experience: Studies on user engagement, motivation, cognitive load, player typologies, adaptive learning pathways, and personalized learning experiences in GBL.
7. Immersive & Emerging Technologies: Applications of XR (VR/AR/MR), the metaverse, spatial computing, and haptic technologies in GBL; implications of generative AI in content creation and adaptive learning.
8. Pedagogical Innovation: Integration of GBL with instructional strategies, intelligent tutoring systems, competency-based education, and immersive storytelling for deeper learning.

This minitrack welcomes diverse research methodologies, including experimental studies, longitudinal research, mixed-methods approaches, case studies, design-based research, and systematic literature reviews. We seek to push the boundaries of GBL and explore how emerging technologies, interdisciplinary frameworks, and novel pedagogical models can shape the future of learning through games.

The Game-based learning minitrack is part of the Gamification Publication Track aimed at persistent development of gamification research. Authors of accepted papers have the option to fast-track extended versions of their HICSS papers to Smart Learning Environments.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Wilk Oliveira (Primary Contact)
Tampere University
wilk.oliveira@tuni.fi

Samuli Laato
University of Turku
samuli.laato@utu.fi

Juho Hamari
Tampere University
juho.hamari@tuni.fi

The higher education sector must constantly evolve to keep up with technological advances. In particular, the rapid deployment of new tools based on Gen AI has reawakened the challenge of adopting new tools. Investigating and understanding the implications of Gen AI in higher education is critical, as well as exploring how to adapt the educational environment to ensure that the next generation of students can benefit from Gen AI while limiting its negative consequences.

Our minitrack includes, but is not limited to, a discussion of the experience and consequences of using Gen AI in curriculum and course implementation and its impact on institutions, instructors, and students. Another important aspect concerns formulating new proposals to create a pathway for standard regulation of disruptive technologies such as Gen AI. Examples of potential topics are:

1. The institutional levels:
   • Case studies on Gen AI policy and practice within and across institutions
   • Innovations in Gen AI from higher education institutions
   • AI literacy and digital skills
2. The program/curriculum level:
   • Gen AI’s effect on assessment and accreditation
   • Implementing Gen AI into a college curriculum across disciplines
3. The course level focus:
   • Using Gen AI in classrooms, assignments, and assessments.
   • Different disciplines (Art, Mathematics, Computer Science, etc.) and Gen AI
   • Learning process and outcomes and Gen AI
4. The instructor-level focus:
   • Integrating Gen AI in the classroom activities and assignments
   • Tech skills and Gen AI
   • Pedagogy and Gen AI
5. Student-level focus:
   • Use of Gen AI and ethics
   • Case studies on student behavior with Gen AI
   • The expectations of Gen AI use in college classroom
6. Multiple stakeholders’ perspectives
   • Ethical use of Gen AI in higher education
   • Inclusivity and equality in the context of Gen AI in higher education
   • Gen AI in shaping learning and teaching
   • Aligning interests among multiple stakeholders in the use of Gen AI (Industry/Employers, University Staff, Students)

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Minna Rollins (Primary Contact)
University of West Georgia
mrollins@westga.edu

Xin Zhao
University of Manchester
skye.zhao@manchester.ac.uk

Marco Carratù
University of Salerno
mcarratu@unisa.it

Irida Shallari
Mid Sweden University
irida.shallari@miun.se

This minitrack investigates the current state of research in measuring knowledge systems impact and knowledge-based initiatives. As artificial Intelligence (AI) and associated systems are designed to augment and replace human actors, it is becoming increasingly important to identify and explore how knowledge artifacts contribute to the successful implementations of these systems as well as how such systems impact both knowledge-based initiatives and organizational performance.

This minitrack encourages paper submissions from researchers and practitioners exploring value, performance and success measurement aspects of knowledge and AI systems. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

1. Impact of knowledge management strategy, organization, systems, culture, and other issues on knowledge management success
2. Frameworks and models for assessing knowledge management systems
3. The role of knowledge artifacts in AI and augmented reality systems
4. The role of knowledge applications for digital transformation
5. Methodologies and processes for measuring knowledge and AI system success and performance
6. Organizational effectiveness/efficiency due to knowledge management/organizational memory/organizational learning, knowledge and organizational memory use
7. The development of metrics and key performance indicators for evaluating knowledge systems
8. Benchmarking of knowledge-based initiatives
9. Case studies of knowledge and AI system success and performance measurements
10. Measuring knowledge management performance in global organizations and globally dispersed communities
11. Effectiveness and/or efficiency of knowledge and AI systems
12. Modeling and measuring the impact of social software on knowledge management performance
13. Anecdotes and user stories and their theoretical basis to facilitate the value of knowledge-based initiatives
14. Developing grounded theory approaches to valuing knowledge-based initiatives
15. Understanding knowledge-based initiatives’ activities and output as service offerings and exploring their productivity
16. Usage, adoption and success of knowledge management methods

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Stefan Smolnik (Primary Contact)
University of Hagen
Stefan.Smolnik@FernUni-Hagen.de

David Croasdell
University of Nevada, Reno
davec@unr.edu

Murray Jennex
West Texas A&M University
mjennex@wtamu.edu

This minitrack aims to explore the complex journey from innovation to market success. This minitrack emphasizes the critical role of information systems and knowledge management in aiding entrepreneurs and promoting innovation. By examining theoretical foundations and practical applications, we seek to understand how information collection, interpretation, and management advancements can drive innovation and entrepreneurial success.

This minitrack invites research integrating theoretical insights with empirical evidence, highlighting the impact of emerging technologies such as sensors, IoT, decision systems, deep learning, and generative artificial intelligence. Additionally, we welcome studies focused on the education of entrepreneurship students and practitioners, emphasizing the importance of knowledge management and information system technology in their training, and on innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems and policy. Topics relevant to the minitrack include the following:

1. Knowledge creation and management in innovation and entrepreneurship
2. Information systems and knowledge management in:
   • Digital entrepreneurship
   • Intrapreneurship (corporate entrepreneurship)
   • Research translation (academia)
   • Social entrepreneurship
3. Knowledge management and ideation, opportunity discovery, and design thinking
4. Artificial intelligence in innovation and entrepreneurship: technology and policy
5. Knowledge management and innovation in entrepreneurial ecosystems
6. Open, collaborative, and visualization systems in entrepreneurship
7. Digital entrepreneurship: digital products, services, tools and business models
8. Successes and failures: cases and lessons learned
9. Innovation and entrepreneurship education in the classroom and the field
10. Incubators, accelerators, and maker spaces as hubs for knowledge creation
11. Regulating the risks of innovation and entrepreneurship
12. Emerging trends:
    • Sustainability in innovation and entrepreneurship
    • The role of data analytics in entrepreneurial decision-making
    • Generative AI and the process of invention

This minitrack offers fast track opportunities in the Journal of Small Business Management and in the Journal of the International Council for Small Business.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Sadan Kulturel-Konak (Primary Contact)
Pennsylvania State University – Berks
sxk70@psu.edu

Cesar Bandera
New Jersey Institute of Technology
cesar.bandera@njit.edu

Katia Passerini
Gonzaga University
pkatia@gmail.com

Michael Bartolacci
Pennsylvania State University – Berks
mrb24@psu.edu

We bring together academicians, researcher, practitioners, and scientists who work in the areas of intelligent agents and its applications in academia, industry and the real world. This minitrack intends to provide an opportunity for researchers to meet and discuss latest discoveries, solutions, results, and methods in design and architecture in intelligent agents and its real-world applications.

We invite papers that explores the transformative role of intelligent agents, particularly chatbots, in enhancing human-computer interaction. Submissions are especially invited for insights into the latest advancements in natural language processing, machine learning, and AI that enable chatbots to perform complex tasks and deliver personalized experiences for training and learning.

Special focus may be on practical applications across industries, successful integration strategies, and the ethical considerations in deploying these technologies. Case studies are also invited to discuss the harnessing of the potential of intelligent agents to improve learner engagement, streamline operations, and foster innovative education solutions.

Minitrack Chair:

Sang Suh
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Sang.Suh@tamuc.edu

This minitrack examines the nature and role of knowledge flows across people, organizations, places and times from technical, managerial, behavioral, organizational, and economic perspectives. As the nature of knowledge flows changes due to digitalization, consumerization of information technology (IT), and the integration of artificial agents into daily routines, it is increasingly important to understand the changes required in how knowledge workers conduct work, share knowledge and information, and learn. Knowledge management (KM) activities in organizations are no longer supported only by traditional information and communications technologies (ICTs; e.g., databases, data warehouses, information repositories, websites, email streams), but are also enabled through new forms of ICTs including artificial intelligence (AI; e.g., agents, robotic process automation bots, learning algorithms), social software, Web 4.0 technologies and Internet of Things (IoT). The ubiquitous and pervasive nature of these new forms of ICTs are creating flexible KM sharing environments that need to be researched more systematically.

Technical, managerial, behavioral, organizational and economic perspectives on knowledge flows will be accepted and presented in this minitrack, and both qualitative and quantitative research methods are welcome. Potential topics that this minitrack will address include:

1. Technical, managerial, behavioral, organizational and economic challenges and perspectives on knowledge flows
2. The effects on knowledge flows of the consumerization of IT (CoIT)
3. Internet of things (IoT)
4. Social media, social computing, social networks and communities, communities of practice (CoPs); information and computer technologies (ICTs)
5. Knowledge reuse; organizations
6. Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and robotics, Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
7. Neuroscience, brain-computer interfaces, artificial humans and other computer-based entities
8. Knowledge system analysis, design, test, evaluation, implementation, maintenance and redesign
9. Harnessing, analyzing, visualizing and measuring knowledge flows for creativity, innovation, competitive advantage

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Clare Morton (Primary Contact)
Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific
Clare.e.morton.civ@us.navy.mil

Paul Shigley
Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific
Paul.r.shigley.civ@us.navy.mil

Mika Yasouka
Roskilde University
mikaj@ruc.dk

The integration of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) into research offers compelling advantages. Either independently or in conjunction with human researchers, it has the potential to enhance scientific productivity and improve objectivity. AI is already being adopted by some researchers. For example, academics use AI to conduct literature reviews during the study design, gather synthetic data generated by AI in the data collection phase, or identify complex relationships with AI during data analysis. AI based conversational agents or virtual avatars might also support researchers in generating new ideas or guide them. Besides the compelling advantages AI brings the risks of epistemic fallacies and also raises ethical concerns.

This minitrack is open to researchers who aim to explore new AI applications in research, guide the ethical use of AI in research, or offer theoretical insights into the impact of AI on research. The focus is on both methodological, theoretical or applied contributions. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):

1. (Generative) AI applications in research
2. Human-AI collaboration in research
3. Application of virtual avatars in academia
4. Reevaluating scientific philosophies for AI driven research
5. Ethical guidance for AI use in research
6. Guidance to avoid epistemic risks of AI

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Stefan Stieglitz (Primary Contact)
University of Potsdam
stefan.stieglitz@uni-potsdam.de

Shahper Richter
University of Auckland
shahper.richter@auckland.ac.nz

Alexander Richter
Victoria University of Wellington
alex.richter@vuw.ac.nz

Till Schirrmeister
University of Potsdam
till.schirrmeister@uni-potsdam.de

In a world that is exposed to constant crises and adversities and is increasingly confronted with incorrect or incomplete knowledge, responsible management and use of knowledge (rKM) is of utmost importance for organizational (and individual) success. The concept of resilience offers an interesting framework to guide organizations in their challenging efforts to implement responsible KM (rKM) in their organizations, an approach that is based on inclusion, respect, appreciation, and cooperation. This track focuses on the role and importance of resilience and its underlying notions, directions and perceptions for rKM.

This minitrack welcomes all types of contributions – theoretical, conceptual and empirical – that use a variety of methods and methodologies as well as different perspectives and worldviews to present new thoughts and ideas that make responsible KM realizable framed around a resilience perspective. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Strategies for implementing rKM in different types of organizations
2. Factors influencing the implementation of rKM
3. Training for rKM
4. Resilience capabilities and processes for rKM implementation
5. Demonstration of resilience framed rKM
6. Risks related to rKM
7. Dark sides of resilience and its consequences

Authors of selected high quality papers will be encouraged to submit their papers for the regular issue after thorough revision and improvement according to the requirements and guidelines of The Bottom Line. The papers will undergo the traditional double-anonymous peer review process. The Bottom Line journal does not offer a fast track.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Susanne Durst (Primary Contact)
LUT University and Reykjavik University
susanned@ru.is

Aino Kianto
LUT University
Aino.Kianto@lut.fi

Ilona Toth
LUT University
Ilona.Toth@lut.fi

Maral Amanova
LUT University
Maral.Amanova@lut.fi

This minitrack recognizes the multifaceted nature of artificial intelligence and advocates for a holistic understanding of its impact. We welcome submissions that examine cutting-edge AI methodologies or analyze their societal, economic, and ethical consequences, including workforce displacement, algorithmic bias, and the responsible development and deployment of AI systems.

Our goal is to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and encourage research that bridges the gap between technical advancements and real-world impact, ultimately promoting a more nuanced and responsible approach to AI development and governance. We welcome researchers from all disciplines, ranging from the hard sciences, such as engineering and computer science, to social sciences, economics, finance, management, and beyond. Our scope of interest spans a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to:

1. AI governance
2. AI economics
3. AI agents
4. LLM architectures
5. AI and cognitive science
6. AI psychometrics
7. Scalability and efficiency of AI
8. AI-human interaction
9. Accountability of AI
10. Explainable AI
11. Evaluation of AI and LLMs
12. AI security
13. Decentralized AI
14. Ethical issues of AI
15. Trust in AI
16. Users’ fear of AI
17. AI bias
18. Responsible development of AI

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Yibai Li (Primary Contact)
University of Scranton
yibai.li@scranton.edu

Zhenghui Sha
University of Texas at Austin
zsha@austin.utexas.edu

Zhiye Jin
Marywood University and millionminds.co
zjin@m.marywood.edu

Authors of selected papers will be invited to submit a revised version of their conference paper to the Electronic Markets journal – The International Journal on Networked Business after presentation at the conference.

Minitrack Co-chairs:

Rainer Schmidt (Primary Contact)
Munich University of Applied Sciences
Rainer.Schmidt@hm.edu

Rainer Alt
Leipzig University
rainer.alt@uni‐leipzig.de

Alfred Zimmermann
Reutlingen University
alfred.zimmermann@reutlingen-university.de

AI-enabled technologies have been permeating human lives and societies at a growing rate over the last three decades. They started at the mechanical task levels (e.g., manufacturing robots) and slowly made their way into analytical tasks (e.g., personal assistants, traders, schedulers, etc.). However, these technologies are still finding their way into the realm of human emotion and empathy. This next wave (known under various banners, including feeling AI, empathic AI, emotional AI, and empathetic AI) is expected to be the next frontier in AI development and deployment, making it a growing research area within AI research. Additionally, these developments are tainted by the lack of explainability of the AI system decision-making process. As a result, the relationship between AI explainability and human emotions has been under-studied.

This forward-looking minitrack welcomes all kinds of theoretical and empirical research at the intersection of human cognition, emotions, empathy, and AI. Possible topics and research questions of interest include but are not limited to:

1. How does AI explainability influence human emotions?
   • What is the relationship between AI explainability levels and desired emotions in humans (trust, joyfulness, satisfaction, etc.)?
   • What would be the desired level of explanation for different individuals or user groups?
   • What would be the desired level of explanation for different kinds of decisions?
2. Emotional AI Impact on Businesses and Organizations
   • How emotionally capable AI will impact business processes, business models, and outcomes?
   • How would an emotional generative AI impact employee and user satisfaction?
   •  How can organizations harness the existing generative AI emotional capabilities to gain competitive advantages?
   •  How would emotional and emphatic AI impact government and public agency procedures and policies?
3. Human and AI interactions
   •  How is an AI capable of understanding and appropriately responding to human emotions going to impact existing theories of human-technology interactions?
   •  How AI can become empathic and emotional, and how such changes are going to impact human-AI interactions (Novel theories).
   •  How might AI-evoked emotions in humans be different than those emotions evoked by other humans and living beings?
4. Emotional AI and Socio-Economical Systems
   •  What would be the legal and ethical implications of emotional and empathic AI for human societies and socio-economical systems?
   •  What are the potential advantages and risks associated with the development and deployment of emotional and empathic AI systems?
   •  What would be the role of AI explainability in this area?
5. AI Algorithms and Emotion Detection and Prediction
   •  How can AI and ML algorithms be better trained to detect and respond to human emotions appropriately?
   •  How does generative AI detect and affect user emotions? And how can it be improved?
   •  How people react emotionally to explanations provided by generative AI?

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Reza Vaezi (Primary Contact)
Kennesaw State University
svaezi@kennesaw.edu

Maryam Ghasemaghaei
McMaster University
ghasemm@mcmaster.ca

Mohsen Jozani
San Diego State University
mjozani@sdsu.edu

This minitrack explores the design, innovation, and impacts of collaborative platforms in crowdfunding, gig economies, and online communities. It emphasizes algorithmic fairness, user engagement, and sustainability, offering new insights into platform economics and socio-technical challenges. Key trends identified in recent papers are listed below.

1. Integration of AI (e.g., generative AI in reviews, crowdfunding algorithms)
2. Examination of gig economies and decentralized systems.
3. Exploration of social influence (e.g., equity, diversity, and herding behavior).
4. Emerging focus on fairness, governance, and sustainability in platform design.

Selected outstanding manuscripts from this minitrack may be recommended to the editors of Data and Information Management to be fast-tracked for the review process.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Ni Nina Huang (Primary Contact)
University of Miami
nhuang@miami.edu

Bin Gu
Boston University
bgu@bu.edu

Pei-yu Chen
Arizona State University
peiyu.chen@asu.edu

Kevin (Yili) Hong
University of Miami
khong@miami.edu

Data – recognized as the new oil – are increasingly becoming a critical resource for business success. Companies must ensure leveraging data to optimize internal business processes and create new business opportunities. That applies to traditional incumbents and digital natives alike. The former must ensure to stay competitive and avoid losing touch with the changing market, for example, by using data from physical assets (e.g., machines) to offer new digital services. The latter can leverage the green-field advantage and generate completely novel solutions from scratch, such as establishing data ecosystems that enable different actors (e.g., public institutions, companies, and academia) to share data for reciprocal benefit. With this comes a set of challenges. For example, unlike physical assets, data are reproducible at almost zero marginal cost and technical effort.

This minitrack focuses on exploring the fundamentals of data ecosystems from multiple perspectives, including studies that discover the meaning of data sharing in ecosystems for its stakeholders (e.g., data producers, providers, or consumers) or the classification of ecosystems. We expect contributions examining issues relating to the business value of data ecosystems within different domains (e.g., mobility, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics) and the use of various underpinning technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence or blockchain). Complementarily, we invite contributions exploring data sharing as well as the associated rules and governance mechanisms. Lastly, we like to encourage submission tackling socially relevant challenges by means of data ecosystems, such as sustainability(17 Sustainable Development Goals), security, and privacy.

This minitrack invites papers investigating the field of data ecosystems both empirically and theoretically, such as but not limited to:

1. Classifications of data ecosystems and data sharing mechanisms
2. Generative AI for data generation and sharing
3. Paradigmatic differences between data ecosystems and traditional business networks
4. Economic, ecological, and social sustainability of data ecosystems
5. Analysis of domain-specific characteristics of data ecosystems
6. Analysis of technology-specific characteristics of data ecosystems
7. Design and modeling of data ecosystems
8. Business models in data ecosystems
9. Impact of data ecosystems on stakeholders
10. Data sharing fundamentals
11. Data sovereignty and usage control policies in data ecosystems
12. Generative AI in data ecosystems

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Frederik Möller (Primary Contact)
TU Braunschweig
frederik.moeller@tu-braunschweig.de

Ilka Jussen-Lengersdorf
Fraunhofer ISST
ilka.jussen-lengersdorf@isst.fraunhofer.de

Thorsten Schoormann
Roskilde University
tschoormann@ruc.dk

Gero Strobel 
University of Duisburg-Essen
Gero.Strobel@paluno.uni-due.de

The business environment in which companies must compete today is changing more than ever. Increasingly dynamic customer demands, external disruptions and shocks, more frequent material shortages and the worsening effects of climate change are putting additional pressure on global supply chains. Increasing flexibility and agility and improving the responsiveness and resilience of established supply chains are necessary to remain competitive. In the long term, the only way to address the increasing scarcity of materials for a variety of reasons is to transform today’s “take, make, waste” supply chains into much more sustainable circular systems.

Digitalization is undoubtedly a key enabler for the implementation and management of resilient and sustainable supply chains. This minitrack explores the transformative role of digital technologies, including IoT, AI, digital twins, blockchains, and digital platforms in developing, planning, executing, and controlling resilient and sustainable supply chains. It addresses challenges such as increasing supply chain volatility, resource scarcity and climate change by highlighting data-driven innovations, optimization, and new business models. Therefore, we welcome research papers including but not limited to the following aspects:

1. Contribution of digital technologies to supply chain resilience, sustainability and circularity
2. Increasing supply chain visibility based on IoT technologies
3. AI methods supporting forecasting, planning, decision making and optimization
4. Division of labour and interactions between humans and machines in AI-supported SCs
5. Virtualization and simulation of supply chains based on digital twins
6. Blockchain and smart contracts in logistics and supply chain management
7. The role of digital platforms in supply chain management
8. Effects of smart product-service-systems on supply chains and supply chain management
9. Federated data ecosystems enabling new data-driven supply chain strategies
10. Models, methods and tools for the digitalization of supply chains
11. Barriers and challenges hindering the digitalization of supply chains
12. Data security and cyber security challenges in digital supply chain structures
13. Governance structures and legal aspects within the digital supply chain

Selected minitrack authors of accepted conference papers will be invited to submit a significantly extended version of their paper for consideration to the Electronic Markets Journal. Submitted papers will be fast-tracked through the review process.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Alexander Pflaum (Primary Contact)
Otto-Friedrich University Bamberg
alexander.pflaum@uni-bamberg.de

Günter Prockl
Copenhagen Business School
gp.digi@cbs.dk

Freimut Bodendorf
University of Erlangen-Nürnberg
freimut.bodendorf@fau.de

Haozhe Chen
Iowa State University
hzchen@iastate.edu

Esports is a rapidly growing area of research, presenting both opportunities and challenges. Despite significant progress, esports research offers numerous occasions for academics and industry professionals to examine electronic games and their impact on people and societies worldwide. Over the last few decades, esports has grown into a multi-billion dollar sector within the larger video gaming industry. The number of esports players, games, organized events, both online and in-person viewership, and the growing professionalization of the industry continues to grow, despite facing numerous challenges to its business, the growth and changing nature of technology, and the time players are able to allocate to play. Esports momentum as a popular mainstream competitive recreational activity, career, and entertainment has grown through collaboration with movies, singers and rappers, as well as sports and its athletes. And while analogue sports continue to draw large numbers of viewers and generate substantial revenue, digital sports are on the rise, merging videogame and esports’ technical and networked know-how with sports.

Furthermore, as electronic gaming technology (e.g., augmented reality, virtual reality, the “metaverse”) continues to develop at a rapid pace, there is substantial potential for esports development as a dominant and technically advanced sports world globally. All fields of esports and electronic games research need to keep pace with esports advancement, recognizing the global reach of this play-based activity across layers of society. Moreover, there are abundant opportunities for collaboration with related fields such as technology development, game development, internet policy, gamification, and tools for connectivity and the digital economy.

This minitrack aims to provide insight into all areas of esports’ theoretical development and practical understanding, without excluding any methodological approach or scientific disciplines. Conceptual, theoretical, empirical, and methodological contributions that enrich our understanding of esports are welcome. Given the diverse goals of this minitrack, possible topics include, but are not limited to:

1. Business, e.g. discovering esports consumers’ motivations; designing effective marketing tools; understanding players’/esports’ networks and organizations; gamers/fans as consumers.
2. Cognitive Science/Psychology, e.g. studying factors influencing athletes’ performance; their abilities and skills; cognitive and behavioral differences between athletes.
3. IT and Computer Science, e.g. using game telemetry, biometrics, user-generated data, or text mining to study esports, e.g. team dynamics, interactions of players; in-game performance.
4. Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality, e.g., developing AI-powered game analytics; creating inteligent training systems for players.; machine learning; VR technology for immersive spectator experiences and player training simulations.
5. Law, e.g. copyright issues, IT solutions for anti-corruption and integrity
6. Sociology and Anthropolgy, e.g. governance, online ethics, gamers’ and athletes’ interactions, experiences, and identities; live events and streaming dynamics; gender issues (gender gap).
7. Media Studies, e.g. relations between esports, traditional sports, and the media; offline spaces versus live-streaming, understanding esports in terms of virtual versus real; how technology mediates gaming, and how esports’ communities fit here.
8. Sport Science, e.g., comparing esports and ‘traditional’ sports; esports as ‘real’, ‘genuine’ sports or new quality.

Accepted research will be considered for publication in a special issue of the Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports (JEGE).

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Piotr Siuda (Primary Contact)
Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz
piotr.siuda@ukw.edu.pl

David Hedlund
St. John’s University
hedlundd@stjohns.edu

Emma Witkowski
RMIT University
Emma.witkowski@rmit.edu.au

Lindsey Darvin
Syracuse University
ledarvin@syr.edu

In modern sociotechnical systems, digital commons, as the co-production of data or knowledge and community via networked systems, are increasingly prevalent and visible. Along with the people and digital resources produced, governance regarding participation, access, and use of data and knowledge is necessary to foster engagement. Such commons governance is polycentric, with many centers of decision-making, addressing both dilemmas associated with underlying knowledge resources and dilemmas associated with shared communication and coordination strategies needed to produce effective governance itself.

From platforms dedicated to crowd-sourcing and online creation communities—including MTurk, Upwork, Wikipedia, and FoldIt—to emergent subcommunities dedicated to everything from social movements to niche hobbies, via Facebook Groups or specific Toks, modern networked interactions produce significant information resources as digital commons. This minitrack will explore community governance of innovation and creativity, immaterial resources long associated with intellectual property from an interdisciplinary perspective. Case studies across a broad range of social, cultural, and economic contexts are invited; empirical documentation of knowledge commons governance, dilemmas, and shared resource management in communities may be informed by institutional theory, such as the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) or Governing Knowledge Commons (GKC) frameworks. The minitrack also welcomes critiques and theorization regarding data and knowledge commons in the digital economy. Potential governance topics include:

1. Collective action problems in the modern digital economy
2. Community management of deepfakes, misinformation, and online manipulation
3. Crowd sourcing
4. Data governance and protection
5. Digital ownership
6. Knowledge commons
7. Online collaboration and creation communities
8. Peer production
9. Social norm formation, such as around privacy, security, or community expectations
10. Subcommunities on online platforms

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Madelyn Rose Sanfilippo (Primary Contact)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
madelyns@illinois.edu

Brett M Frischmann
Villanova University
brett.frischmann@law.villanova.edu

Michael J Madison
University of Pittsburgh
madison@pitt.edu

Katherine J Strandburg
New York University
katherine.strandburg@nyu.edu

Digitalization has heavily disrupted how the hospitality and tourism industry delivers and markets its services, how work processes are organized, and how offerings are consumed. By adopting, adapting, or developing Information Systems (IS), hospitality and tourism organizations and their use of technology continually undergo a substantial transformation, often referred to as “digital transformation”. The tourism and hospitality industry are volatile, and constantly changing which have resulted in disrupted business models, the need to understand and embrace emerging platforms, and new technology use by consumers.

As we have moved into a post-pandemic phase, the hospitality and tourism industry is facing a new era where the conditions for the hospitality and tourism industry are reshaped through new realities like labor shortages, new work models (digital nomadism, work-from-home), inflation, political uncertainties, new leisure and travel patterns, and increasing tourism phobia among local residents. Furthermore, the ongoing debate on sustainability and climate change are also creating challenges for the industry. Also, the increased use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is starting to gain a great deal of attention in the hospitality and tourism industry. The challenges and concerns are related to service robots, tourism models, augmented reality, virtual reality, and biometrics. Like other industries, there are also challenges with AI related to the interaction between both employees and customers. Thus, there is a need to develop practical and conceptual knowledge on the role of digital transformation in meeting these challenges and developing an industry that is resilient and sustainable.

For this minitrack, we seek to attract research contributions that extend existing research by focusing on socio-technical, organizational, managerial and/ or individual challenges of digital disruption and digital transformation in the hospitality and tourism industry. We welcome conceptual, empirical, and design- oriented contributions on macro, meso and micro levels of analysis for this mini- track. Potential topics include:

1. Digital business strategy
   
2. Digital business model development
   
3. Big data analysis for strategic decision making
   
4. Platform economy
   
5. Smart tourism development
   
6. Quality management and reputation management strategies
   
7. Social media and online reviews
   
8. Digital change management for the future of the tourism and hospitality industry
   
9. Strategic digital innovation for the tourism and hospitality industry
   
10. Digital communication and guest decision making
11. Role of technology in regenerative tourism
12. Responsible technology for tourism and hospitality
13. Metaverse tourism
14. Automation in tourism and hospitality, from innovation, marketing and service delivery to service recovery
15. Digital transformation and organizational resilience in tourism and hospitality
16. Technology-free tourism
17. Crisis recovery and digitalization in tourism and hospitality
18. Other related topics

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Karin Högberg (Primary Contact)
University West and Griffith University
Karin.hogberg@hv.se

Ulrike Gretzel
University of Southern California
ugretzel@gmail.com

This minitrack investigates the evolving landscape of HCI, emphasizing usability, user trust, and design in diverse digital ecosystems. Topics include innovative interface designs, user behavior analytics, the role of AI in interactions, and HCI’s impact on organizational and societal contexts. Given the diverse goals of this mini-track, potential topics include, but are not limited to:

1. Guidelines and standards for interface design
2. Interface design for generative AI and prompt engineering
3. Interface design of collaboration systems (group HCI)
4. Design and evaluation issues for mobile devices and m-Commerce
5. Interface design for FinTech applications
6. Design issues related to the elderly, the young, and special needs populations
7. Interface issues in the design and development of innovative interaction technologies
8. Behavioral, neurophysiological, and design aspects of human-computer interaction and user behavior analytics
9. Neuroscientific approaches to human-computer interaction
10. Using information and sensors to detect user states (e.g., emotion, cognitive conflict) and create more intelligent interfaces
11. The impact of interfaces on attitudes, emotion, perception, behavior, productivity, and performance
12. Factors influencing usability (i.e., friction reduction), ease-of-use and the overall user experience
13. Information systems usability engineering
14. Design of online choice architectures
15. Web-based user interface design and evaluation
16. Impact of digital nudges on online judgment and decision-making
17. Impact of behavioral economics principles and website design implementation on privacy and trust
18. Website designs/elements that encourage rational thinking and/or nudge users into certain behaviors
19. Novel forms of authentication and authorization (e.g., using mousing or typing dynamics)
20. Issues related to teaching HCI courses
21. Ethical issues related to the capture of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), behavioral biometric data, and nudging

There are opportunities for best papers of this minitrack to be fast-tracked to AIS Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Christoph Schneider (Primary Contact)
Washington State University
schneiderc@wsu.edu

Joe Valacich
University of Arizona
valacich@arizona.edu

Jeffrey Jenkins
Brigham Young University
jeffrey_jenkins@byu.edu

Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah
Singapore Management University
fionanah@smu.edu.sg

This minitrack serves as a place for researchers and practitioners from diverse background to share their research and ideas. There are a variety of important issues and topics of importance, such as new technology and visual design advancements to digital humans, the behavioral, emotional, and even physical responses of the users while interacting with digital humans, the underlying cognitive processes underlying the interactions, the impact of digital humans on the firm level or industry level, and ethical issues and societal considerations of the application of digital humans. Research could be wide-ranging, such as rich descriptive statistics, theories, emergent and innovative topics, models and frameworks related to technologies and their impact on marketing, case studies, methods, qualitative research, etc. The topics include but are not limited to:

1. Visualization technology to advance digital humans
2. Challenges and problems with creating digital humans or scanning and sampling users.
3. Human-computer interactions, instilled with digital humans, including affective computing issues.
4. Design of digital humans by combining human and computer cognitive power.
5. Use of GANs and VAEs to infer digital human faces, including approaches building on ‘Deep Fakes’ technology.
6. Analysis of machine learning, big data, data mining, and other underlying technologies and algorithms of digital humans
7. Taxonomy of digital humans
8. Virtual influencers and YouTube digital celebrities
9. Impact of digital humans on the individual level (decision-making, problem-solving, negotiation, and creativity/innovation)
10. Psychological and emotional effects of interacting with realistic digital humans
11. Biases in interacting with digital humans and biases in the digital humans deployed
12. The use of digital humans beyond individuals and its consequences in organizations
13. Management of deployment (e.g., corporate governance, data management)
14. Case studies on industry adoption of digital humans
15. Use and economic implications of digital humans in e-commerce, social media, and the combinations of multiple industries involving e-commerce and social media.
16. Social impact and ethics related to digital humans and their use
17. Philosophical questions surrounding the idea of ‘using’ digital humans

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Lingyao Yuan (Primary Contact)
Iowa State University
lyuan@iastate.edu

Mike Seymour
University of Sydney
mike.seymour@sydney.edu.au

A. Benedikt Brendel
Indiana University
alfbrend@iu.edu

This minitrack explores the adoption, diffusion, and impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) across sectors. It focuses on societal, organizational, and technological transformation driven by emerging technologies, such as blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), and AI. This minitrack highlights diverse applications, adoption dynamics, and the socio-economic consequences of ICTs and AI. Recent studies emphasize the pivotal role of ICTs in addressing societal challenges, including digital inclusion, sustainability, and the interplay of digital transformation with traditional practices. They highlight diverse applications of AI, IoT, and blockchain in areas such as healthcare, education, and governance, reflecting the transformative societal impact of technology adoption and diffusion​​. Organizations are also adopting, using and diffusing various ICTs including blockchain, IoT, Generative AI.

Therefore, this minitrack seeks papers that employ diverse research approaches, such as case studies, experiments, literature reviews, empirical, comparative and applied research related to the use, adoption, impacts and diffusion of ICTs and AI, which are emerging and evolving rapidly. The minitrack aims to provide a platform for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to share their insights, experiences, and perspectives on the transformative potential of ICTs and AI, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing our understanding of the societal, organizational, and technological implications of these technologies. Topics and research areas included are, but are not limited to:

1. The adoption, use, impact and diffusion of ICTs including broadband internet, mobile smart devices, electronic commerce, wearables, online social networks, and other technologies by households, organizations, communities, or society
2. The adoption, use, impact and diffusion of any novel, innovative and emerging ICT applications including social commerce, cloud services, AI, Generative AI, machine learning, deep learning, blockchain, cryptocurrency, virtual reality, augmented reality or IoT within large enterprises, small-and-medium sized enterprises (SMEs), communities, and society
3. The adoption, use, impact and diffusion of ICTs that enable organizations and government to enhance their environmental and social impacts
4. Evaluation of the technological and non-technological aspects of the adoption, use impacts and diffusion of ICTs
5. Application of theories to explore, describe, explain and predict the adoption, use, impacts and diffusion of ICTs
6. Human Computer Interaction issues associated with adoption, use, and impact factors in the context of ICTs
7. Economics of the adoption, use or diffusion of ICTs in society and in households
8. Working practices and their association with adoption, use and diffusion within organizations
9. Resistance to change related to ICT adoption, use and diffusion within society and organizations
10. Policies related to adoption, use and diffusion of broadband and emerging ICTs
11. Conceptual or empirical studies of how a particular ICT is adopted, used and diffused in developing countries or within a specific community
12. Comparative studies of ICT adoption, use, impact and diffusion between demographic groups, countries or regions
13. Luminal innovation, assimilation, resistance and changes to working practices that will duly inform the research community
14. Studies of the digital divide that include disadvantaged groups such as disabled and lower income families.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Jyoti Choudrie (Primary Contact)
University of Hertfordshire
j.choudrie@herts.ac.uk

Sherah Kurnia
University of Melbourne
sherahk@unimelb.edu.au

David Sundaram
University of Auckland
d.sundaram@auckland.ac.nz

This minitrack explores the interplay between information systems (IS) and evolving regulatory frameworks. Submissions may explore how organizations navigate and comply with regulations (e.g., in IS design), the relationship between innovation and regulation, but also the role of the IS discipline in influencing existing and emerging regulations. In this regard, regulatory frameworks (e.g., European AI Act, California Consumer Privacy Act, European General Data Protection Regulation, Digital Markets Act, Digital Services Act) or specific normative aims (e.g., privacy, fairness, transparency, or accountability) may be valuable for inquiry. This minitrack welcomes all conceptual, empirical, and theoretical studies that examine this interdisciplinary topic.Possible relevant topics for this minitrack might include, but are not limited to:

1. Reciprocal influence of IS on regulation (e.g., regarding data protection)
2. Increasing focus on AI regulations (e.g., European AI Act)
3. Regulatory compliance in IS design
4. Impact of regulation on organizations (e.g., ecosystems, enterprise architectures, AI systems)
5. Studies at the intersection of IS and law (e.g., novel interdisciplinary approaches)
6. Comparative analysis of global regulatory frameworks
7. Governance strategies and practices for lawful IS
8. Privacy implications of distributed data processing among multiple actors
9. Utilizing AI for compliance with legal requirements
10. Detrimental effects from legal frameworks (e.g., on innovation)

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Christian Kurtz (Primary Contact)
Universität Hamburg
christian.kurtz@uni-hamburg.de

Fabian Burmeister
Universität Hamburg
fabian.burmeister@uni-hamburg.de

Tobias Mast
Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institut
t.mast@leibniz-hbi.de

Niva Elkin-Koren
Tel Aviv University
elkiniva@tauex.tau.ac.il

This minitrack investigates behavioral aspects of IS security and privacy, focusing on human-centric risks, decision-making processes, and strategies to mitigate internal and external threats. Topics include compliance, threat responses, and the influence of emerging technologies like AI and generative tools.

The focus is on internal and external threats influenced by human behavior. This includes research on fear appeals and motivation in security compliance, generative AI’s role in mitigating threats, cognitive heuristics and decision-making in phishing and cyber resilience, and behavioral (cognitive or affective) biases affecting IS security. Topics include, but are not limited to:

1. Creative rigorous investigations of actual user security behavior, both positive and negative
2. Detecting and mitigating insider threats
3. The impact of AI on personal data privacy and regulatory responses
4. Security policy compliance research – motivations, antecedents, levers of influence
5. Research contrasting policy compliance with actual secure behaviors
6. Analysis of known and unknown modes and vectors of internal and external attack
7. Explorations of the impact of generative AI and ML/LLM on security outcomes, for all stakeholders, including employees, citizens and organizations.
8. SETA (security education, training, and awareness) programs
9. Frameworks for assessing the effectiveness of interventions that intend to reduce organizational vulnerability to attacks
10. Cyber security professionals harnessing AI to enhance defense
11. Modeling of security and privacy behavioral phenomena and relationships
12. Studies examining privacy-related behaviors from a “privacy paradox” perspective
13. Merging methodological topics related to addressing research strategies in IS security
14. Translational science perspectives and strategies for IS security/privacy research
15. Theory development, theory building, and theory testing in information security
16. Neurosecurity (NeuroIS) investigations of information security behavior
17. Explorations of emerging issues related to the privacy and security of the “Internet of Things” (ioT)
18. Role of AI in facilitating cybersecurity defenses
19. Consumer perceptions of privacy and trust in digital platforms

This mintrack will provide IS/IT researchers a collaborative forum to share their research approaches. We hope to attract the skills and insights of scholars from a wide set of disciplines, presenting a mix of theoretical and applied papers on threats and mitigation. Areas of research may include the following.

1. Research related to insider threats to information security and privacy represent the first and most important thread for the minitrack. Insider threats include activities ranging from non-malicious and non-volitional behaviors (accidents and oversights) to volitional, but not malicious, actions to malicious actions such as theft, fraud, blackmail, sabotage, and embezzlement.
2. External vectors of attack by individuals and organizations outside the security perimeter represent the second thread for this minitrack. Specific topics of interest include hacker behaviors, cyber-warfare, identity theft (and electronic deception), and cyber-espionage, including most offensive and defensive methods of prevention, detection, and remediation. Other external parties are motivated to use IT to damage or steal trade secrets, national security information, sensitive account information, or other valuable assets.
3. A third thread revolves around security policy compliance, both at the individual and organizational level of analysis. Compliance is not merely a binary concept – it is a continuum. Individuals may minimally comply with formal security and privacy policies and procedures, or they may exhibit extra-role or stewardship behaviors that go above and beyond official compliance. Similarly, individuals may carelessly violate organizational security policies and procedures without malicious intent or they may attempt to cause maximum damage or loss. In some cases, compliant behavior may not be secure and truly secure behavior may constitute policy violation behavior, so more nuanced research designs are needed.
4. Modeling and theory building in the context of IS security and privacy represents yet another interesting area. Theoretical development in information systems security and privacy research is immature relative to other areas of study in the information systems discipline. This sub-discipline of information systems continues to suffer from a limited theoretical base, restricting our collective ability to properly interpret reality, to apply appropriate methodological approaches, and to substantiate conclusions. Adaptation of theories from applied social psychology and criminology are particularly fertile areas for expanding our knowledge base in this domain. Theories from the disciplines of management, education, and others may also inform our understanding of the phenomena of interest.
5. Finally, we have a particular interest in emerging, rigorous research methods for investigating these phenomena. Organizational-level research can be improved, but studies conducted at the individual level, in particular, can benefit from new experimental designs and new data collection methods. Examples include neurophysiological (NeuroIS) methods such as EEG or fMRI, the factorial survey method, mixed-methods designs, and simulations.
6. The era of Artificial Intelligence is upon us, and it will change the cybersecurity landscape in significant ways. Organizations are likely to harness it to improve their detection mechanisms. On the other hand, cyber criminals are already using these tools to generate novel attacks, challenging all existing employee-focused training mechanisms and mandating a re-evaluation of these.

Select papers from this minitrack will be fast tracked by the minitrack chairs to the Journal of Intellectual Capital (Emerald Publishing)

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Merrill Warkentin (Primary Contact)
Mississippi State University
m.warkentin@msstate.edu

Karen Renaud
Strathclyde University
karen.renaud@strath.ac.uk

Allen Johnston
University of Alabama
ajohnston@cba.ua.edu

Anthony Vance
Virginia Tech
Anthony@Vance.name

This minitrack focuses on understanding effective strategies for attracting customers, increasing their purchases, satisfaction and loyalty, as well as the responses and behavior of customers to various online marketing vehicles and consumer generated media.

We aim to provide a forum for open and vibrant discussion of innovative strategies and tools in digital marketing to shape consumer behavior, enhance engagement, and drive sustainable practices in B2B and B2C contexts. It focuses on personalization, persuasive design, and consumer trust in evolving digital landscapes. Some topics participants might consider (note this is not an exhaustive list):

1. Green and sustainable marketing gaining traction in e-commerce.
2. Visual product aesthetics influencing impulsive buying behaviors.
3. Generative design elements enhancing digital engagement.
4. Personalized strategies boosting consumer satisfaction and loyalty.
5. Innovative approaches to building consumer trust and engagement.

Recent papers explore the intersection of AI, sustainability, and consumer behavior, including generative AI applications, eco-conscious purchasing, and personalization in digital marketing. Studies also emphasize emotional engagement, referral programs, and platform design to influence buyer behavior, reflecting innovation in both B2B and B2C contexts.

We invite submissions from academics, practitioners, policy makers, and independent thinkers. We welcome submissions that are theoretical, bibliometric, or empirical, i.e., experimental, field studies, case studies, models and modeling, ethnographic, netnographic, natural language processing (NPL), machine learning, or survey based. Each submission must reflect clarity, rigor, and novelty. The best submissions have the potential to spark stimulating discussion and encourage new research agendas. Bring your insights, your energy, and your desire to enrich the HICSS community and beyond!

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Hope Jensen Schau (Primary Contact)
University of California Irvine
schauh@uci.edu

Melissa Akaka
University of Denver
Melissa.Akaka@du.edu

Martin Key
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
tmkey@uccs.edu

Advancements in computing technologies and algorithms are driving a new wave of innovation. In recent years, generative AI (Gen AI) and machine learning (ML) have achieved remarkable breakthroughs in areas such as chatbots, software development, autonomous driving, speech and facial recognition, and image and video generation.

As AI continues to evolve, businesses across industries are eager to harness its potential to improve operations, create value, and gain a competitive edge. However, successful AI adoption requires more than technical expertise—it also demands business insight and ethical responsibility. Since AI’s performance relies on the data it learns from, ensuring transparency and fairness is crucial. Moreover, as AI becomes deeply embedded in economic activities, its broader impact needs to be carefully assessed. How will automation reshape jobs, skills, wages, and labor markets? How will personalized recommendations influence business models and consumer behavior? What risks and challenges does AI pose for decision-making and society at large? These questions demand careful study in the years ahead to ensure AI benefits both businesses and society.

This minitrack examines the socio-economic impacts of AI and algorithmic systems, with a focus on business value, fairness, transparency, user behavior, and applications in operations, finance, healthcare, and digital platforms. It addresses human-AI interaction and systemic challenges in adopting AI technologies. While submissions employing ML algorithms are highly encouraged, they must also explore the broader impacts and implications of these technologies. We welcome both research-in-progress and practical studies that have the potential to make meaningful contributions to the business community. Relevant topics for this minitrack include, but are not limited to:

1. User behavior, response, and reaction to algorithm fairness, bias, and aversion
2. Economic and societal impacts/implications of AI and ML algorithms
3. Digital platform and market design driven by algorithms
4. The algorithmic economy
5. AI agent
6. Human-algorithm interaction and its implications
7. Explainability, interpretability, and accountability in AI and ML
8. Theory-driven development and evaluation of AI and ML algorithms
9. AL and ML applications in fintech, operations, cybersecurity, healthcare, accounting

High quality and relevant papers from this minitrack will be selected for fast-tracked development towards Information Technology and Management. Selected papers will need to expand in content and length in line with the requirements for standard research articles published in the journal. Although the minitrack co-chairs are committed to guiding the selected papers towards final publication, further reviews may be needed before a final publication decision can be made.

Minitrack Chair:

Zhongju John Zhang
Arizona State University
Zhongju.Zhang@asu.edu

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in government introduces both opportunities and challenges for the public sector. AI adoption is being driven, on the one side, by technical advances in a number of areas such as machine learning, neural nets, and deep learning and, on the other, by economic forces as governments strive to provide more services with fewer resources and respond to calls for innovation. AI offers potential to boost efficiency and improve decision-making by processing large amounts of data and information that can help to, for example, identify welfare beneficiaries, combat fraud, and not only deliver better public services but also reduce the cost of delivering personalized and customized services to citizens. However, along with benefits, AI poses risks to individuals, organizations, and society as a whole. For example, machines lack accountability, and there are opaque and proprietary software tools working outside the scope of meaningful scrutiny and accountability (the so-called “black boxes”) already being used to make decisions that can have fundamental effects on the lives of ordinary citizens. While many government agencies identify AI as a priority, the successful diffusion of this innovation has not been fully realized on a large scale.

This minitrack explores both current and potential uses of AI in government and factors related to its use. We invite contributions on the adoption and implementation of AI in public organizations, its benefits and risks, as well as on the control, regulation, and governance of this technology. While we envisage papers in this minitrack being on the use of AI primarily in public administration, we will also welcome papers in areas and on topics within the wider public sector, including policing and health (although we will not consider papers related to AI in national security and the military). We welcome submissions with diverse views and methodologies. The goal of this minitrack is to promote critical discussion on the current status and future trajectory of AI in government. Among the dimensions of AI in government that might be addressed are:

1. The implementation and management of AI systems as a public management task
2. The ethics and risk governance of AI and algorithms in public management implementation
3. Linking AI implementation, evaluation and the political agenda
4. The behavioral impacts of AI – e.g. on motivation, trust, decisions, etc.
5. The impact of AI on policy development and strategic planning
6. Comparative studies across different public service fields
7. The role of organizational and/or institutional factors in the implementation of AI
8. Transparency, accountability, and other harm-mitigation strategies
9. The effects of algorithmic decisions used in frontline service delivery on street-level bureaucrat discretion and oversight
10. Governance of AI
11. Determinants of AI adoption
12. Challenges of AI implementation – e.g. legitimacy concerns, worker up-skilling
13. AI and digital government design
14. The integration of AI with existing information systems in the public sector
15. AI and sustainable public management
16. Interoperability of AI systems within and across government agencies
17. Algorithmic justice

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Laura Hand (Primary Contact)
University of North Dakota
laura.hand@und.edu

Lemuria Carter
University of Sydney
Lemuria.Carter@sydney.edu.au

Dapeng Liu
Baylor University
dapeng_liu@baylor.edu

The cybersecurity aspects of government and critical infrastructures have become a hot topic for countries all across the globe. Information Technology has become pervasive in all aspects of our lives. The minitrack examines aspects associated with the security of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) used by governments and critical infrastructures and explores ways that IT can enhance the ability of governments to ensure the safety and security of its citizens. Of special interest are systems such as industrial control systems, SCADA, and process control networks which control infrastructures that include electricity (Smartgrid), pipelines, chemical plants, manufacturing, traffic control and more.

Governments have also embraced IT to interface with citizens in a more efficient manner. Security issues have risen to the forefront as a result of data disclosures and identity theft incidents discussed in mainstream media. Other issues include intellectual property theft and criminal acts involving computers. Recently, the issue of cybersecurity information sharing has also risen in importance and much has been written and debated on this subject.

This mintrack explores research into pressing issues surrounding the intersection of cybersecurity and government spheres of influence. Whether technical or policy, from information sharing to new analytical methods of detection of insider threats, this minitrack casts a wide net to bring cross disciplinary thinking to problems with far-reaching implications.

This is a wide focus minitrack, if your research involves security associated with IT or OT, and has a government component, then this is its home. Topics include, but are not limited to:

1. Systems for governments to respond to security events
2. Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP)
3. Cyber physical systems security
4. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and control systems
5. Election Security
6. Cybersecurity issues during a crisis such as a pandemic
7. Information assurance and trusted Computing
8. Information sharing
9. Information security economics
10. Information warfare
11. Incident response
12. New threats, including insider and nation states
13. Digital forensics
14. Privacy and freedom of information
15. Security management
16. Laws and regulation of IT security
17. Security concerns of new technologies
18. Cybersecurity in government disaster recovery and business continuity
19. Case reports related to security experiences within government”

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Philip Menard (Primary Contact)
University of Texas at San Antonio
philip.menard@utsa.edu

Keith  Harrison
University of Texas at San Antonio
keith.harrison@utsa.edu

Greta Nasi
Bocconi University
greta.nasi@unibocconi.it

This minitrack aims to provide an opportunity and an open forum for discussion of different technological, socio-political, institutional, legal, and organizational strategies that inform the design, implementation, and management of digital reforms in the public sector. Specifically, this track seeks papers that discuss theories and/or present cases and empirical studies useful to better understand how different digital government policies and/or strategies can lead to successful digital government deployments, or, on the other hand, how different factors may lead to the failure of such projects. Papers which examine or discuss external or contextual factors that affect or influence digital government, such as the political state; organizational culture; institutional factors or normative arrangements are also invited. By digital government action, we mean both macro-level institutional design and micro-level collaboration and competition between diverse stakeholders.

Contributions to literature cover different areas and topics. New and emerging technologies, not to mention new thinking about public administration and government itself, often demand new ways of thinking and innovative approaches to frame these deployments. In the current global society, these new demands become increasingly important. Digital technologies provide in fact new opportunities and challenges for adaptive and agile governance, yet they have also impacted the way by which public administration’s processes and activities are structured and executed. Papers which address these challenges are particularly welcomed this year.

In addition, the minitrack welcomes contributions exploring the issues associated with the design, implementation, and management of policies and strategies that change the nature of the interactions between government and citizens, private sector organizations, and NGOs. Moreover, papers that discuss the political, institutional, regulatory, and organizational implication of the deployment of emerging and disruptive technologies are particularly welcomed. We invite papers on the following topics, but not limited to:

1. Best practices for design, implementation, and management of digital innovation in the public sector.
2. Cases of digital government platforms design, implementation, and management
3. Design, implementation, and management of interoperability policies: legal, organizational, semantic, and technical layers
4. Design, implementation, and management of ICT for development strategies
5. Design, implementation, and management of ICT related outsourcing and insourcing in the public sector
6. Design, implementation, and management of digital strategies
7. Design, implementation, and management of digital transformation in policymaking
8. Design, implementation, and management of E-Procurement policies and strategies
9. Design, implementation, and management of ICT mediated co-creation and co-production
10. Design, implementation, and management of ICT transparency, and accountability
11. Design, implementation, and management of privacy and data protection policies and strategies
12. Digital by default and its implications
13. E-justice and ethics of emerging technologies
14. ICT for efficiency and effectiveness in government action
15. Regulatory challenges associated with ICTs deployments
16. Public health versus privacy concerns
17. Public policy issues in digital government
18. Quantitative and qualitative analyse of the impact of digital government policies and strategies
19. Socio-political, institutional, organisational, and ethical impacts of disruptive technologies
20. Strategies to design, implement, and manage innovative technologies
21. Examine the impact of digital technologies on the structure and execution of public administration processes and activities
22. Discuss how the external and internal context in public administration and government is shaping digital strategies and deployments
23. Impact on the digital mindset on governmental strategies and policies
24. Narratives, tensions and Identification in digital government transformation processes and among policymakers

We are looking for high-quality conference papers that adopt a wide range of approaches on content, case studies, or practical and theoretical models to advance the knowledge related to the design, implementation, and management of strategies and policies in the digital government context. The papers submitted to this minitrack must be new and unpublished.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Kristina Lemmer (Primary Contact)
City University of Applied Sciences Bremen
kristina.lemmer@hs-bremen.de

Antonio Cordella
London School of Economics and Political Science
a.cordella@lse.ac.uk

Francesco Gualdi
Regent’s University London
francesco.gualdi@regents.ac.uk

The main objective of this minitrack is to focus on how technologies, information management, data sciences and artificial intelligence can contribute to support the role of government in emergency management. This topic stems from the following considerations.

The evolution and progress of our civilizations have brought our world into a state of hyper-connection, hyper-density and hyper-concentration which has, little by little, completely erased all the spaces of physical, organizational or structural absorption. Yet, these spaces were likely to limit the expansion of critical situations, thus preventing the number, the amplitude and the repercussions of crises. This statement of fact and the responsibility it highlights, not necessarily for humans but at least for the development of the human species, with respect to the frequency, gravity and propagation of the crises that affect our planet, reciprocally underlines the need for our species to take charge of managing these crises. It is therefore fundamentally on all the questions relating to the handling of these missions by the governance structures (whether they are global, continental, national, regional or local) that this DIRECT minitrack wishes to address: The serious challenges facing government in cities, regions and nations of the world relate to acute shocks (e.g. forest fires, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, pandemics and terrorist attacks) and chronic stresses (e.g. high unemployment, religious extremism, inefficient public transport, endemic violence, chronic shortages of food and water).

Information is among the key life-supporting essentials in a disaster response, as well as water and basic foods which are vital to sustain lives. Above all, the recent pandemics, environmental changes, geopolitical tensions have shown how information (about contamination, about root causes, about trust, about stocks, about science and progress) could be at the heart of the crisis management. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has, and will continue to profoundly change, disaster management in years to come. This, coupled with the impressive recent advances in artificial intelligence, offers huge potential for better management of crisis situations. Data and information management also guides us to build a disaster-resilient community which can adapt the society to those unexpected events. These issues should be tackled at each level of the governance (international, national, regional, local, etc.), and with regards to all relevant dimensions (social, technological, interoperability, agility, etc.).
We invite papers that deal with any aspect of the analysis, design, development, deployment, implementation, integration, operation, use or evaluation of ICT for crisis management, and resilient communities, especially in the perspective of discussing the roles of government and governance structures.

Papers may address any phase in the disaster management cycle: Prevention and mitigation; preparedness; alert; response; recovery; and post disaster. In addition, we support innovative and break-through visions regarding these topics. Topics of Interests include:

1. Government’s disaster preparedness – disaster management plan, business continuity plan
2. Role, evolution and perspectives of governance structures for better crisis management
3. Crisis management for all stages – preparation, prevention, response and recovery
4. Early warning systems and situational awareness among key stakeholders
5. Social media and Citizen/Volunteers engagement to disaster responses
6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) based content management, disaster mapping and Crisis informatics
7. Real-time data analysis for government’s decision making
8. Vertical management of information (from very local to the highest governmental level)
9. International disaster response collaborations including government organizations
10. Disaster communications with government organizations
11. Disaster data recovery regarding public information
12. Functional and technological expectations for crisis management inside governmental organizations
13. Government’s role in resilient communities
14. Human Centered Sensing for collaboration and communication
15. Privacy, security and ethical issues in crisis and emergency management
16. Pattern recognition, triage and prioritization of assistance
17. Case studies; theory and practice
18. Advances in crisis management methods and practice
19. Security and safety models for emergency management systems
20. eHealth for disasters and emergencies
21. Drones for disaster response and management and Disaster robotics
22. Computational simulation of crisis situations
23. Mobile ad-hoc networks for emergencies
24. Ground security / homeland security
25. Antifragility of systems and territories
26. Decision making in uncertain and instable environments
27. Standardization and interoperability issues in disaster management from an eGov perspective
28. Resilience of socio-technic systems, critical infrastructure and network of infrastructures
29. Emerging paradigms for disaster management
30. Disinformation, misinformation, and fake news in (social) media and institutions

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Terje Gjøsæter (Primary Contact)
University of Agder
terje.gjosater@uia.no

Elsa Negre
Paris-Dauphine University
elsa.negre@dauphine.fr

Jaziar Radianti
University of Agder
jaziar.radianti@uia.no

The traditional contours of democracy are being reshaped by digital innovations, where citizen engagement becomes a dynamic force, and where the very act of voting undergoes a transformative evolution. While different solutions for facilitating citizen engagement are being adopted at very different levels of administration, academia aims to stand at the forefront of this democratic revolution by delving into the nuances of e-democracy and technologically mediated citizen participation with an analytical lens.

Researchers have been focusing already for some time on the adoption and implementation processes of different digital democracy tools, as well as to its impacts on democratic principles and potential for an inclusive participation. Even that, given the evolving nature of technology and the numerous ongoing democratic processes where it is being implemented, the field offers a large number of challenges that are still not covered. Transparency, accountability, security, ethics or trust management represent a shortlist of them. Moreover, the field of digital democracy involves many stakeholders that might influence the outcomes of its digitization process: malicious actors spreading misinformation, decision-makers in need of evidence-based knowledge, activists demanding different forms of political engagement or citizens expecting convenient forms of participation. As a result, this research field has great potential given the amount of open research avenues available and the different theoretical frameworks to tackle.

The governance of digital democracy, hence, appears as one of the hot challenges of our current days and, as the digital threads weave through the fabric of democracy, it is imperative that academics collaborate to address the sociotechnical and ethical considerations that continuously arise. This minitrack aims to provide the necessary room for those debates to happen, paying particular attention to the challenges arising from the different forms in which digital democratic processes are occurring, e.g. social participation and elections. Areas of focus and interest include, but are not limited, to the following topics:

1. User experience in e-democracy platforms
2. Diffusion of e-democracy
3. Information accessibility and inclusivity
4. (Dis)Information management and consumption in e-democracy
5. Digital literacy and citizen empowerment
6. Impact of social media on political participation
7. Trust and distrust in e-Democracy systems
8. Emerging technologies use in e-Democracy (AI, XR, Blockchain, …)
9. Human-Computer Interaction in civic engagement
10. Cross-cultural studies in e-Democracy adoption
11. Impact of information campaigns on political behavior
12. Evaluating digital deliberation platforms
13. Technological transformation of democracy models
14. Collaborative governance in E-Democracy
15. Governance of e-democracy
16. Policy-makers’ use of e-democracy and impact on policy-making
17. Novel uses of e-petitioning
18. Relations between transparency systems and e-democracy
19. Dark side of e-democracy and critical uses

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Uwe Serdült (Primary Contact)
Ritsumeikan University and University of Zurich
serdult@fc.ritsumei.ac.jp

David Duenas-Cid
Kozminski University
dduenas@kozminski.edu.pl

Anthony Simonofski
University of Namur
anthony.simonofski@unamur.be

The Digital Government Emerging Topics Minitrack provides a home for incubating new topics and emergent technologies in Digital Government research. Digital Government as an academic field has evolved and matured over more than two decades. While many subjects have become foundational, the field is also substantially shaped by ever evolving new directions of research and practice. The developments take place at the crossroads of different academic disciplines and in close connection to the practices in governments around the globe. This minitrack invites papers positioned in relation to the foundations of Digital Government and contributing to the evolution of the field, to clarifications and conceptualizations, or to addressing novel issues, innovative trends, and emerging technologies.

Submissions must specifically tackle the emerging nature of a technology or a specific topic and how the research presented builds new understanding. Submitted research needs also to relate to the central developments in the field of Digital Government. Topics and research areas include, but are not limited, to:

1. Emergent technologies and Digital Government
2. Digital transformation and agile government practices
3. Digital identity ecosystems in Digital Government
4. Digital Twins and other computational models in Government decision-making
5. Large Language Models (LLM) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) in Digital Government
6. Metaverse in Digital Government
7. Design Science in Digital Government
8. Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) in Digital Government: applications, legislation, benefits and risks
9. Internet of Things (IoT) in the public sector: applications, regulation, social impact, security and data analytics
10. Cross-border Digital Government / Interoperable Digital Government
11. Business Process Management (BPM) and Rapid Process Automation (RPA) in Digital Government
12. Ethics of Digital Government from theoretical and practical views, privacy concerns, and the right to know
13. Participatory approaches in government such as co-creation, co-production, and crowdsourcing
14. Potential threats from technology-enabled government and ways to be protected
15. Legal implications towards Next Generation Digital Government
16. Digital Government skills and competences
17. Data sharing within the Public Sector, and beyond, including Private Sector and Civil Society
18. Conceptual and practice-based boundaries and foundations of the field of Digital Government
19. Other topics as appropriate to the purposes of the mini-track

The papers submitted to this minitrack must be new and unpublished. We welcome papers from different settings and sectors in digital government and look more for innovative and creative analyses than best practices. We also give precedence to strong conceptual and empirical analysis (both qualitative and quantitative) over descriptive cases or opinion pieces.

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

J. Ramon Gil-Garcia (Primary Contact)
University at Albany, State University of New York
jgil-garcia@albany.edu

Maria Wimmer
University of Koblenz
wimmer@uni-koblenz.de

Andriana Prentza 
University of Piraeus
aprentza@unipi.gr

One of the tenets in digital government research is the recognition that digital government is not an isolated technological artifact but an act of putting technology in the institutional, social, economic and political context and transforming both – the technology and the context – in the process. The context conveys the research problem or question, provides the data to address/answer them, and helps validate the proposed solution/answer.

While the national or sub-national contexts dominate, focusing on country-, state- or city-level policies, services, institutions and citizens, international and comparative studies are taking up. The reasons include: globalization and anti-globalization of technology, the influence of international organizations and international standards, problems/questions are shared and call for coordinated solutions/answers between countries, problems/questions concern relationships between countries, solutions/answers are transferred between countries, etc. Additionally, as countries face the challenge and risk of implementing their digital policies using highly dynamic and disruptive technologies, and managing the resulting social, economic and political change, their look to learn from each other to avoid making mistakes or even skipping early development stages altogether. They also seek to coordinate their responses to the growing international influence of BigTech on the national sovereignty and the rights of countries’ citizens and businesses. International and comparative digital government research is a tool in such learning and coordination.

This minitrack calls for the submissions of research work covering international and comparative aspects of digital government. We welcome exploratory, theoretical, empirical or applied research, originating in social, economic, political or multidisciplinary discourses. The topics include but are not limited to:

1. Comparative analysis of digital government across countries
2. Cybersecurity strategies in international relations
3. Digital authoritarianism versus democratic governance
4. Digital diplomacy and global governance frameworks
5. Digital diplomacy and international negotiations
6. Digital government and state capacity in the digital age
7. Digital government in democratic vs autocratic or authoritarian countries
8. Digital government in developing vs developed countries
9. Digital government in different socio-political cultures and environments
10. Digital government responses to climate change and other global challenges
11. Digital government responding to democratic breakup
12. Digital identity and national branding
13. Digital solutions to leverage international and humanitarian aid
14. Digital sovereignty and national control over data
15. Evaluation of cross-border digital government initiatives
16. Evaluation of cross-border digital service delivery models
17. Geopolitics of digital government
18. Impact assessment of international collaboration on digital government
19. Implementation of international digital identity systems
20. International case studies on digital government
21. International coordination on AI regulation and safety
22. International digital services to migrants and migrant communities
23. International standards for AI in government and society
24. International cloud provision enabling public sector innovation
25. International data sharing frameworks in public administration
26. International digital government measurement and benchmarking
27. International organizations shaping digital government policies
28. International standards for digital infrastructure
29. National factors influencing digital government service adoption
30. Open data policies for international collaboration
31. Political economy of digital government
32. Public diplomacy and digital storytelling

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Tomasz Janowski (Primary Contact)
Gdańsk University of Technology
tomasz.janowski@pg.edu.pl

Elsa Estevez
National University of the South
ecestevez@gmail.com

Beth Noveck
Northeastern University
noveck@thegovlab.org

Adegboyega Ojo
Carleton University
adegboyega.ojo@carleton.ca

Governments at all levels continue to promote, grow, and augment their digital engagement with citizens and other stakeholders. Through social media, mobile applications, online services, and other forms of smart services, governments are increasingly expecting the individuals to interact with them through a range of digital media and technologies. This includes areas like public services (e.g. information, security), policymaking (e.g., e-governance), government operations (e.g. emergency management, infrastructure development), and importantly also citizen engagement (e.g. transparency, decision-making).

As governments promote digital pathways for service and resource provision, as well as engagement, it is critical they ensure that all citizens can realize their needs through accessible, user-friendly, and secure digital solutions.

However, digital solution efforts are often hindered by significant societal differences in terms of access, know-how and infrastructure. There is a growing group of smart citizens benefiting from full access to the internet and opportunities to fully participate in digitalizing society. However, the digital revolution can easily leave behind people with no means or skills to benefit from technological progress. This creates a divide that must be addressed by government, to ensure opportunities for citizen engagement with government and associated resources and services. The divide also relates to different forms of citizen organizations and coalitions that remain important platforms for civic and socio-political engagement. While civil society actors can have an important role in bridging digital gaps, they often take longer to embrace technological innovations, hindering the grassroot capacity to fully participate in digital governance processes.

Crises, such as the pandemic, have highlighted the disparities and challenges that various populations and governments face in achieving a vision of digital engagement for all. The challenge now is to reflect on strategies to overcome barriers and identify opportunities to achieve digital engagement, while bridging digital and societal divides. Therefore, we invite authors to engage in critical discussion on citizens’ role, position and potential to engage in digital governance, as well as existing challenges and opportunities to achieving higher engagement. The minitrack includes (but is not limited to) topics such as:

1. Supporting digital efforts to engage underserved populations;
2. The development of inclusive digital government;
3. The role of digital literacy in use/non-use of online government services;
4. Concept of smart citizen
5. Digital strategies and capabilities of civil society actors in the context of digital governance
6. Accessibility of digital government for people with perceptual, motor, or cognitive disabilities;
7. The role of government in the development of international standards for digital accessibility;
8. The role of community-based organizations or anchor institutions (e.g., public libraries, non-government organizations) in fostering digital engagement;
9. Development and/or implementation of statutes, regulations or policies related to digital engagement;
10. Developments in case law and policy related to digital engagement;
11. Trends in comparative or international law related to digital inclusion;
12. The relationship between trust of institutions and use of digital government by diverse populations;
13. How digital-based voting impacts involvement of citizens in elections
14. Usability evaluation methods for testing digital government services with diverse user populations;
15. Understanding barriers to the adoption of digital government services; and,
16. Inclusive design methods to involve diverse populations in the development of digital government services

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Elizabeth Vitullo (Primary Contact)
West Virginia University
eavitullo@mail.wvu.edu

Stephen Thorpe
Auckland University of Technology
stephen.thorpe@aut.ac.nz

Anna Domaradzka
University of Warsaw
anna.domaradzka@uw.edu.pl

Digital transformation has emerged as a paramount priority for many cities and communities, with the objective of enhancing citizen well-being and the efficacy of public administration and communities, but it also poses significant challenges at the complex intersection of technology and society. Despite the extensive body of literature dedicated to smart cities and communities, the concept remains fuzzy due to its multidimensional and multifaceted nature that extends beyond the mere use of technology and infrastructure. In this regard, technology is a necessary condition for becoming a smart city or smart community, but it is not the only aspect considered when analyzing digital developments in our living environment. It should be integrated with the natural and built environments to enable and empower citizens, through individual and/or communal quests for wellbeing.

In recent years, emerging technologies have undoubtedly provided many possibilities for developing smart cities and communities and also brought opportunities to solve urban and community challenges. An increased number of studies indicate that emerging technologies significantly influence social life, catalyzing new needs of citizens and transforming how they are addressed, influencing people’s ability to exercise their “right to the city/community” and affecting social sustainability. While Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) implementation have traditionally dominated the discourse on smart cities and communities, significant challenges remain regarding the governance, digital inclusion, strategic planning, resilience, and social and cultural sustainability of these technological contexts. Issues such as city and community governance, information integration, data quality, privacy and security, institutional arrangements, resilience, inclusion, sustainability, and citizen participation require greater attention to plan human-centered smart solutions and monitor the social consequences of their implementation. The growing popularity of technologies such as artificial intelligence, metaverse, chatbots, open data, big data, blockchain, and so on, have opened new avenues for addressing these issues in the urban and communities’ contexts, but they have also brought some other challenges such as ethical issues or a new wave of digital divide and/or inclusion of citizens with low-tech skills, which requires continuous research in this area.

This minitrack aims to explore the aforementioned topics, with a particular focus on the social challenges faced during the implementation of smart solutions as well as on the impact these initiatives have on the community, to understand how new technologies can shape the decision-making processes, resilience, sustainability, and livability of local communities and, as a result, the wellbeing of their residents. Areas of focus and interest to this minitrack include, but are not limited, to the following topics:

1. Typologies of smart cities and communities
2. Impact of smart technologies on citizens and local communities
3. Theory and practice of smart citizenship – technological competencies vs. user experience
4. Emerging technologies in smart cities and communities (artificial intelligence, big data, open data, social media and networks, digital twins, metaverse, chatbots, etc.)
5. Elements, prerequisites, and principles of smart governance as the foundation for creating smart urban and regional spaces
6. Impact of smart governance models on urban resilience and quality of life
7. Smart cities and smart government – focal areas, current practices, cases, and potential pitfalls
8. Cases, rankings, comparisons, and critical success factors for smart cities, communities, and regions
9. Governance models of smart cities and communities for disaster risk mitigation
10. The role of digital technologies in both increasing community livability and improving social sustainability and inequalities
11. Smart services
12. Urban-rural gaps in smart communities
13. Strategic planning patterns in implementing ICTs for enhancing resilience and sustainability capacities in smart cities and communities
14. Implementing ICTs to build social and cultural capacities of urban resilience and sustainability in smart cities
15. Building knowledge societies for smart cities and communities
16. Smart cities and communities and their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
17. Local contextual conditions that impact smart cities and communities’ initiatives
18. The role of metropolitan areas in the development of smart cities and communities
19. The role of community-rooted institutions in the development of smart cities and communities
20. Digital inequalities and the challenge of inclusion in the smart cities and community’s contexts
21. Emerging technologies impact on digital divide for socially sustainable and inclusive smart cities
22. The inclusion of people with disabilities in the smart cities and smart communities’ context

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Manuel Pedro Rodríguez Bolívar (Primary Contact)
University of Granada, Spain
manuelp@ugr.es

Gabriela Viale Pereira
University for Continuing Education Krems
gabriela.viale-pereira@donau-uni.ac.at

Erico Przeybilovicz
Center for Technology in Government, University at Albany, State University of New York
eprzeybilovicz@albany.edu

In response to the evolving complexities and opportunities in the use of technology for public sector goals, there is a critical need for innovative and updated theoretical and methodological frameworks. As new technologies and stakeholders emerge, traditional Digital Government boundaries are being surpassed. In addition, Agenda 2030 and the development goals must be addressed throughout digital government policies and practices. Consequently, we need enhanced frameworks to grasp, integrate and facilitate research methods and theories on sustainable digital government.

This minitrack promotes academic engagement in testing and modifying existing theories and methodologies to capture rapidly changing reality. As an emergent research field that incorporates approaches from several disciplinary study domain as public administration, information systems, information science, and political science, there is a need to focus on theory and methods. In the multi-, cross- and even inter-disciplinary studies of digital government, theories and methods make up a key for valid and reliable studies that can guide sustainable and democratic use of digital government in policies and practices. These fresh perspectives are crucial for comprehending and examining the changing practices linked to the integration of ICT in the public sector.

New theoretical frameworks are imperative for introducing novel concepts, processes, and perspectives to thoroughly understand the intricate nature of digital government. Research methodologies are indispensable for ensuring the integrity and credibility of digital government studies, while also adapting to the burgeoning complexity of the field.

Innovative theories are essential for scrutinizing the organizational, technological, social, and institutional interdependencies inherent in digital government. Furthermore, advanced methodological approaches, such as computational methods, digital ethnography, and data science techniques, will establish new theoretical underpinnings, facilitating the design and implementation of efficacious digital government strategies.

Digital government research benefits significantly from the incorporation of theories from various fields, including information systems, political science, public administration, and computer science. Contributions that adeptly navigate the interdisciplinary nature of digital government research enhance our understanding of its impacts and implications, thereby offering a more comprehensive and robust perspective on the phenomena.

The overarching objective of this minitrack is to investigate the role of theory and methodological development within the realm of digital government. We invite submissions that offer diverse viewpoints on the significance of theory and methodological development in digital government, aiming to foster critical discourse on the current status and emerging theoretical trajectories of the discipline. By delving into the theoretical foundations of digital government initiatives, these contributions will provide policymakers and practitioners with the insights necessary for the effective design, implementation, and evaluation of such initiatives. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

1. Fundamental Digital Government Theories and new approaches
2. Methodological comparisons, conceptualizations and reflections in Digital Government
3. The Role of Theory and Method Development and Theory Integration in Digital Government
4. The Status of the Digital Government Domain (discipline, or not?)
5. Digital Government Research Methodologies
6. Theory and methods from digital government reference disciplines contributing to the development of effective digital government strategies and practices
7. Multi/inter-disciplinary studies in digital government
8. Normative theoretical approaches to digital government
9. New theoretical frameworks drawn from various disciplines
10. Application of new theories to the digital government domain
11. Innovative theoretical frameworks to study normative and regulative challenges associated to the adoption of emerging technologies in the public sector
12. Theory building challenges and opportunities in digital government research

Minitrack Co-Chairs:

Elin Wihlborg (Primary Contact)
Linköping University
elin.wihlborg@liu.se

Antonio Cordella
London School of Economics and Political Science
a.cordella@lse.ac.uk

Magdalena Roszczyńska-Kurasińska
University of Warsaw
m.roszczynska@uw.edu.pl