Shared Values for Digitalization

In the June 2024 AIS Council Meeting, Immediate Past President Supra Sarker proposed, and the AIS Council approved, the adoption of the AIS Shared Values for Digitalization. AIS members and the IS community are invited to share insights and feedback during the three-month open commentary period from June to September 2024. We thank the members of the task force (Jan Damsgaard of Copenhagen Business School, Gwanhoo Lee of American University, Washington D.C., Suprateek Sarker of the University of Virginia, Edgar Whitley of the London School of Economics and Political Science, Heng Xu of the University of Florida, and chaired by Indranil Bardhan of the University of Texas at Austin) for their continued work on this important project aiming to guide AIS members, students, and practitioners in digitalization.

Promote Trust in Digitalization

[As AIS members/students taught by AIS members] We promote trustworthy development, implementation, use, and management of digital technologies.

Maintain High Standards of Professional Competence and Conduct

[As AIS members/students taught by AIS members] We maintain high standards of professional competence and conduct through ongoing education and self-improvement with respect to professional skills.

Respect Intellectual Property

[As AIS members/students taught by AIS members] We respect intellectual property rights and promote open sharing of information where appropriate.

Promote Privacy and Confidentiality

[As AIS members/students taught by AIS members] We support systems and practices that safeguard personal information and handle confidential information with care.

Foster Inclusiveness

[As AIS members/students taught by AIS members] We strive to make technology accessible to all individuals.

Enhance Social Good

[As AIS members/students taught by AIS members] We seek to enhance social good and human well-being through appropriate development, implementation, use, and management of digital technologies.

Be Sensitive to the Environment

[As AIS members/students taught by AIS members] We are sensitive to how digital technologies can affect the environment and seek to develop, implement, use, and manage these technologies while keeping the potential effects in mind.

The following steps can help identify and resolve conflicts that might arise between (or among) the different shared values in specific contexts:

  1. Identify the Misaligned Values: Clearly define which values are in conflict to understand the nature of the decision-making challenge(s).
  2. Analyze the Socio-technical Context: Consider the specific circumstances of the situation, including all stakeholders involved and the potential short-term and long-term consequences of different actions or decisions.
  3. Consider the Impacts: Evaluate how each potential decision affects the well-being of a wide range of stakeholders potentially impacted, including any risks or benefits to individuals, businesses, society, and the environment.
  4. Evaluate Tradeoffs: When conflicts arise, consider the specific circumstances and evaluate the tradeoffs (e.g., between avoiding harm and maximizing benefits).
  5. Document the Decision Process: Maintain a record of how the decision was reached, including which principles were considered and the rationale for the final choice. This transparency helps in maintaining accountability and can be valuable for future reference.
  6. Review and Reflect: After the decision has been implemented, review its outcomes and consider whether it aligns with the AIS shared values. Reflecting on the decision process and its effects can provide important lessons for future challenges.

[The task force members will develop an article for JAIS or CAIS that discusses the values and their application in greater detail. Additional authors may be invited to ensure broader representation.]

Table 1. Benchmark Comparison with Other Professional Associations (reference peers)

Benchmark Comparison of Other Professional Associations

Please contact chair Indranil Bardhan (Indranil.Bardhan@mccombs.utexas.edu) or any member of the task force with feedback on the proposed document.