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We are excited to announce JAIS Special Issue “Digital
Sustainability and Information Systems Research: New Challenges
and Theoretical Perspectives”
See details on JAIS web-site
https://aisel.aisnet.org/jais/SI-DigitalSustainabilityFINAL.pdf
Special Issue Guest Editors
Julia Kotlarsky – University of Auckland, New Zealand
Jacqueline Corbett - Université Laval, Canada
Juliana Sutanto – Monash University, Australia
Thomas Kude – University of Bamberg, Germany
Yenni Tim – University of New South Wales, Australia
Deadline for paper submissions is 2 October 2024. Ahead of this
deadline, in February 2024, we will be holding an online
information session and will invite potential authors to send us
specific questions to address during this session.
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JAIS Special Issue Call for Papers
Digital Sustainability and Information Systems Research: New
challenges and theoretical perspectives
Objective
Sustainability is a moral and existential imperative of our time.
As Information Systems (IS) scholars, we are aware of the immense
impact of digital technologies on efforts and initiatives towards
sustainable practice happening locally and globally. Furthermore,
because digital phenomena lie at the heart of our discipline, IS
researchers are well positioned to join these efforts. This
Special Issue aims to champion new digital sustainability research
programs targeting the planet’s most pressing sustainability
challenges from the past decade. We hope it will contribute
towards building novel collective knowledge and help shape digital
sustainability research in IS.
Motivation for this Special Issue
Human society is approaching the edge of a dangerous precipice.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth
Assessment Report unequivocally confirms that human activities
have caused global warming, predicting that even with current
commitments and mitigation efforts, it will be difficult to limit
warming below the critical threshold of 2oC (IPCC, 2023). The
planet’s air, land, and water continue to be threatened on several
fronts, with research suggesting that the safe operating zone for
six of the nine planetary boundaries has already been breached
(Stockholm Resilience Centre, n.d.). Over the past decade, extreme
weather events such as droughts, floods, fires and heatwaves have
not only increased in frequency but also in magnitude. In addition
to causing environmental impacts, these events have a significant
impact on society, further complicating the pursuit of social and
economic sustainability.
In 2020, about 724 million people were living in conditions of
extreme poverty, with almost 30% of the world’s population
suffering from some level of food insecurity (United Nations,
2023). Equality for women and other marginalized groups continues
to lag. The World Bank (2022) reports that 2.4 billion women
globally do not have the same economic rights as men, and despite
the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples in 2007 (United Nations, 2007), Indigenous
Peoples around the world continue to suffer the intergenerational
trauma of colonization. The trend towards urbanization endures,
with cities struggling to ensure inclusive, resilient, and
sustainable living environments for all residents (United Nations
2023). On top of all these challenges, violent conflicts have led
to the forced migration of millions of people and the deaths of
thousands of civilians (United Nations 2023). These alarming
circumstances highlight the lack of progress towards the United
Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. As stated in the 2023
Progress Report ,the promise of leaving no one behind is in peril:
of 140 measured targets, only 12% are on track for 2030, and about
half are moderately or severely off track.
In response to the urgent need to address sustainability
challenges, organizations, governments and industries worldwide
have started to make efforts in recent years to harness the
potential of digital technologies. Examples of such efforts range
from specific solutions, such as the Internet of Things (IoT)
sensors widely used by many organizations to pursue sustainability
objectives, to the birth of new data-driven companies that are
applying advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to
offer sustainability-related data services.
This harnessing of digital technologies to address sustainability
challenges has impacted the way practitioners view this emerging
trend, which they increasingly refer to as digital sustainability.
For example, Gartner describes digital sustainability as
harnessing the “tools of digital transformation, such as enhanced
connectivity and the Internet of Things (IoT), to improve the
environment and support sustainable business operations”. On a
global scale, the United Nations has initiated conversations on
the relationship between digital sustainability and environmental
concerns. For example, the focus of the United Nations Environment
Program (UNEP) is “accelerating and scaling environmental
sustainability by applying data, digital technologies, and
solutions to UNEP’s key activities, products, and services and
ultimately delivers on its key action areas—climate, nature, and
pollution”(UN Environment Programme, n.d.). In the domain of
social sustainability, the United Nations chosen theme of
“DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality” for
International Women’s Day 2023 emphasizes the potential of digital
technologies for empowering women and girls.
However, IS research has been lagging behind the digital
sustainability discourse happening in practice. As argued in a
recent JAIS editorial on digital sustainability (Kotlarsky et al.,
2023), the IS research community has a strong foundation to draw
upon (Watson et al., 2020), ranging from research into Green IS
(e.g., Leidner et al. 2022; Watson et al. 2021; Corbett &
Mellouli, 2017) to studies addressing significant societal
challenges (e.g., Tong et al. 2022; Young et. al. 2019; Young
2018; Tim et al. 2017, Puri 2007). As Urquhart and her colleagues
(2008) note, the poor cannot eat technology, but the mindful
design and use of technology can contribute to innovative
solutions and positive impacts. In particular, we consider that
the recent shift in the way IS research approaches digital
phenomena offers new perspectives on the relationship between
digital technologies and sustainability.
Building on Baskerville et al.’s (2020) contention that the
classical view of an information system as representing and
reflecting physical reality has become obsolete, we agree that an
ontological reversal has taken place at the junction between
technology and sustainability whereby the digital version of
business solutions is created first (e.g., algorithms and data
analytics solutions) and the physical version second (e.g.,
material waste) (Kotlarsky et al. 2023). As a result, the
assumption that IS only represents the physical assets within
sustainability phenomena is being challenged. This provides an
opportunity for the IS community to drive a more inclusive agenda
on digital sustainability, one that encompasses phenomena in which
the impact of digital technologies and macro-level environmental,
social, and economic objectives converge. Accordingly, this
Special Issue seeks contributions that delve into digital
sustainability and encompass “the development, deployment, and
utilization of digital resources and artifacts toward improving
the environment, society, and economic welfare” (Kotlarsky et al.
2023, p. 938).
What we are interested in
We invite original and thought-provoking studies that advance and
shape our understanding of digital sustainability as an emerging
research area. We are interested in studies that contribute to our
understanding of environmental and/or social sustainability, and
studies that elucidate new forms of digital sustainability. We
therefore welcome studies that engage with digital sustainability
by building on theoretical foundations from the extant IS
literature, as well as studies that bring insights from other
disciplines into the IS research domain. Furthermore, we seek
studies that consider digital sustainability at all levels and
perspectives, in the context of developing and developed nations.
We specifically welcome submissions that integrate more than one
dimension of digital sustainability—the environment, society,
and/or economic welfare. Overall, we aim to present a collection
of papers that provides a balanced, integrated, and cumulative
perspective on digital sustainability.
Potential topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
Design and development considerations
* Research that investigates the processes, principles, resources
or capabilities required for the design and development of digital
sustainability artefacts
* Intervention-based research that engages directly in enhancing
sustainability practices within organizations or communities
through effective leveraging of digital technologies
* Studies that examine how the different inter- and
intra-organizational actors involved in digital sustainability
projects engage and interact as they develop, deploy, and govern
digital solutions for macro-level sustainability agenda
* Explorations of the relationship(s) between digital objects and
the physical reality they shape/create in the context of social
and environmental sustainability
Use considerations
* Research that examines how digital technologies support key
organizational activities (e.g., decision-making, resource
management, and innovation processes) in the management of
macro-level sustainability challenges, such as climate change
* Theoretical and/or empirical investigations of the interplay
between sustainability initiatives and other digital agendas, such
as digital transformation
* Studies of ‘computed human experiences’ with respect to
sustainability, for example, how people interact with complex
environmental and social problems through immersive technologies
* Research on the challenges and opportunities for reclaiming and
rejuvenating Indigenous cultures and knowledge as well as
advancing Indigenous community economic development through
decolonized digital artefacts
Management and governance considerations
* Studies that explore the governance of digital sustainability
and new ways of organizing for sustainability in different
settings. For example, where do digital sustainability initiatives
emerge and how do they unfold?
* Research on the role of different actors in the digital
sustainability ecosystem and their impact on the emergence of new
digital sustainability sectors and business models
* Studies on the sustainability agenda at the community and
societal levels, and the role of digital technologies in either
empowering or constraining sustainability-driven collective
actions
* Policy implications related to digital sustainability for
organizations, individuals, and societies, especially as they
relate to ethical concerns and social well-being
Outcomes and consequences
* Studies that incorporate multiple aspects of digital
sustainability performance to enrich and expand our understanding
of the impact of digital technologies on various stakeholders
* Case studies and other investigations of real-world impacts
(positive/negative, planned/unintended) of digital sustainability
on vulnerable or marginalized communities
* Given that the well-being of future generations is a central
concern, research that investigates alternative ways of measuring
progress toward long-term sustainability objectives and how to
link these with short-term performance
* Beyond techno-optimism, identifying the key challenges presented
by digital technologies, either directly or through their use,
that negatively impact sustainability agendas, coupled with
empirical insights for mitigating these challenges
What we are not interested in
We are not interested in studies that only make peripheral
contributions to digital sustainability. This may be the case when
the original research design, including the data collected, was
not intended to contribute to understanding of digital
sustainability, or when engagement with the concept of digital
sustainability is marginal. A possible example of the latter would
be studies that append a connection to one or more Sustainable
Development Goals as a post-hoc discussion, yet the core research
problem is not substantially driven by a sustainability issue.
Given that this Special Issue aims to promote research programs
that relate to the planet’s most pressing sustainability
challenges, we believe that environmental and social welfare are
of utmost importance. Therefore, we are not interested in studies
concerned solely with economic welfare at the business level, such
as those on sustainable business operations or organizational
sustainability. We do, however, welcome submissions that couple
economic welfare with other dimensions, such as environmental or
social welfare, especially when integrated within a broader,
macro-level sustainability agenda.
We also emphasize that while related to digital responsibility
(AIS, 2023) and digital resilience (Boh et al., 2023), digital
sustainability differs from these notions. Therefore, we are ONLY
interested in studies on digital sustainability. We recommend
potential authors consult the recent editorial on digital
sustainability by Kotlarsky et al. (2023), which provides a
conceptualization and extensive discussion of digital
sustainability and its ontological foundations.
Date (tentative)
February 2024
Online information session (we invite potential authors to send us
specific questions to address during this session)
2 October 2024
Deadline for paper submission
1 February 2025
First-round decisions
1 June 2025
Deadline to submit revised papers
15 September 2025
Second-round decisions
1 February 2025
Deadline to submit revised papers
1 June 2025
Provisional/Final decisions
1 July 2025
Deadline to submit final paper (if minor revision is required)
Special Issue Guest Editors
Julia Kotlarsky – University of Auckland, New Zealand
Jacqueline Corbett - Université Laval, Canada
Juliana Sutanto – Monash University, Australia
Thomas Kude – University of Bamberg, Germany
Yenni Tim – University of New South Wales, Australia
Special Issue Guest Editors Bios
Julia Kotlarsky
(
j.kotlarsky@auckland.ac.nz<mailto:j.kotlarsky@auckland.ac.nz>)
is a Professor of Information Systems at the University of
Auckland Business School, New Zealand. She holds a PhD from the
Rotterdam School of Management (Netherlands) and has worked
previously in the UK. Julia’s research interests revolve around
digital sustainability; the interface between artificial
intelligence technologies and humans, focusing on data and digital
transformation; and technology sourcing. Her work has been
published in MIS Quarterly, and the Journal of Management
Information Systems, Journal of Information Technology, Journal of
Strategic Information Systems, among other outlets. She has
published 17 books, among them The Handbook of Global Outsourcing
and Offshoring, which is widely used by practitioners and
academics around the world. Julia is a co-founder of the AIS
Special Interest Group on Advances in Sourcing. She serves as a
Senior Editor for the Journal of the Association for Information
Systems and the Journal of Information Technology and is on the
editorial board of Information Systems Research.
Jacqueline Corbett
(
Jacqueline.corbett@fsa.ulaval.ca<mailto:Jacqueline.corbett@fsa.ulaval.ca>)
is a Professor of Management Information Systems in the Faculty of
Business Administration at Université Laval in Quebec City,
Canada. She holds a PhD (MIS) from Queen’s University at Kingston,
Canada. Jacqueline’s research focuses on the design and use of
information systems (IS) in the pursuit of sustainable
development. Her research takes a multidisciplinary and
multi-method approach to investigate emerging questions around
clean energy, smart and sustainable cities, open data and data
waste, digital transformation, and digital innovation by
Indigenous Peoples and communities. Her work is published in the
Journal of the Association of Information Systems, Information
Systems Journal, Journal of Business Ethics, Strategic
Entrepreneurship Journal, and International Journal of Information
Management, among other outlets. Jacqueline currently serves as
President of the AIS Special Interest Group on Green IS (SIGGreen)
and was previously Co-chair of the AIS Women’s Network College.
She has been a guest editor and editorial board member for
multiple sustainability-related special issues and is an Associate
Editor for Communications of the Association for Information
Systems.
Juliana Sutanto
(
juliana.sutanto@monash.edu<mailto:juliana.sutanto@monash.edu>)
is a Professor in Information Systems in the Department of
Human-Centred Computing at the Faculty of IT, Monash University,
Australia. She leads the Digital Transformation Group in the
department. She is also the Indonesia Lead for the faculty. She
has research expertise in system design, user behavioral analysis,
and data management. She collaborates with researchers from other
disciplines to address societal and environmental challenges. Her
on-going research work includes information systems for disaster
management, digital resilience and community resilience, and
health information systems. She is the recipient of an Informs ISS
Design Science Award for privacy-safe design. Her research has
been published in Management Science, MIS Quarterly, Information
Systems Research, Journal of the Association for Information
Systems, and Journal of Management Information Systems, among
other outlets. She was previously an Associate Editor for MIS
Quarterly and is currently a Senior Editor for the Journal of the
Association for Information Systems.
Thomas Kude
(
thomas.kude@uni-bamberg.de<mailto:thomas.kude@uni-bamberg.de>)
is a Professor at the University of Bamberg, Germany, where he
holds the chair of information systems and platform economy. He
received his PhD from the University of Mannheim, Germany, and has
previously worked in France. Thomas is interested in the
development and application of information systems at various
levels of analysis. His recent research work primarily focuses on
digital innovation by collectives of organizations and
individuals. For example, he has studied the governance and
evolution of digital platforms and ecosystems in different
domains, including enterprise software and mobile apps. He has
also studied collaboration in teams, in particular software
development teams. Thomas’ work has been published in MIS
Quarterly, Information Systems Research, Information Systems
Journal, and Journal of Operations Management, among other
outlets. Thomas serves as an associate editor for MIS Quarterly
and Business & Information Systems Engineering (BISE). He is
on the editorial review board of the Journal of the Association
for Information Systems.
Yenni Tim
(
yenni.tim@unsw.edu.au<mailto:yenni.tim@unsw.edu.au>) is a
Senior Lecturer at the School of Information Systems and
Technology Management (SISTM), University of New South Wales
(UNSW) Business School, Australia. Yenni leads a research program
that addresses practical challenges at the intersection of digital
capacity and societal resilience. Her qualitative fieldwork and
action design research projects seek to develop new knowledge and
digital interventions to support organizations and communities in
building resilience against societal shocks, such as disasters,
environmental crises, digital disadvantage, and social exclusion.
Yenni’s work has been published in the Journal of Strategic
Information Systems, Information Systems Journal, Information
& Management, and European Journal of Operational Research,
among other outlets. She is the recipient of an AIS Early Career
Award (2021). Yenni currently serves as a Managing Editor for the
Journal of the Association for Information Systems, an Associate
Editor for the European Journal of Information Systems and
Information Systems Journal, and a Guest Editor for Special Issues
of the Information Systems Journal and Academy of Management
Perspectives. In addition, she co-leads the Sustainability and
Resilience research stream at the Digital Sustainability Knowledge
Hub within the UNSW Business School.
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On behalf of all guest editors of this Special Issue:
Professor Julia Kotlarsky PhD
Technology and Global Sourcing
Department of Information Systems & Operations Management
The University of Auckland Business School
Sir Owen G Glenn Building | 12 Grafton Rd | Auckland
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 83305
Email:
j.kotlarsky@auckland.ac.nz<mailto:j.kotlarsky@auckland.ac.nz>
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