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PAPER ONE
"Social Mechanisms for Causal Explanation in Social Theory Based IS Research" by Chrisanthi Avgerou  

Abstract
In this paper, I argue for the development of explanatory theory in IS research. I critically examine ways of explaining IS phenomena, identify alternative epistemological approaches used in the social sciences, and point out the significance attributed to causality. I focus in particular on the development of explanation in process IS research that draws from social theory. I introduce the notion of social mechanism and suggest that tracing social mechanisms in research that draws from social theories of action and technology can lead to more complete and novel causal explanations of IS phenomena.  

PAPER TWO
"Explaining Trust in IT-Mediated Elections: A Case Study of E-Voting in Brazil" by Chrisanthi Avgerou  

Abstract
In this paper, I trace social mechanisms for the development and continuation of citizens’ trust in e-voting. My research focuses on the processes that give rise to trust-related behavior, and identifies mechanisms that explain trust in e-voting. I distinguish between initial formation and recurrent manifestation of trust, and propose models of causal processes to explain them. I frame the research on trust in e-voting as a case of political trust in the socio-technical entity of the electoral authorities and the e-voting system, and draw from general sociotechnical theories and literature on trust to construct relevant concepts and relationships. Empirically, this theory-building exercise traces the process of the initial development of trust in e-voting in Brazil in the 1990s and the maintenance of this trust in the conduct of Brazilian elections since then. The social mechanisms of trust that I derive from this study are associated with the process of democratization and continuing care towards adjusting the e-voting system to serve legitimate objectives for the conduct of elections, the interdependence of citizens’ perception of the trustworthiness of the technology system and the trustworthiness of the electoral authorities, and the fostering of a positive attitude towards IT by government policy.  

PAPER THREE
"Infusing Ethical Considerations in Knowledge Management Scholarship: Toward a Research Agenda" by Sutirtha Chatterjee and Suprateek Sarker  

Abstract
The authors of this paper believe that scholarly work on knowledge management (KM) has largely overlooked ethical considerations. As such, this paper argues for the infusion of ethical considerations into knowledge management (KM) research. Using the lens of the classical ethical theories in philosophy, this paper revisits key areas of KM—knowledge creation, storage and access, transfer, and application—and generates relevant research questions in each of these areas. The paper highlights the importance of examining ethical issues related to KM, and offers an illustrative set of ethically-informed research themes and questions that can potentially be investigated by future studies.