Power Imbalances in Society and AI: On the Need to Expand the Feminist Approach

2023 | International Conference on Business Informatics | Citations: 0

Authors: Gengler, Eva Johanna; Wedel, Marco; Wudel, Alexandra; Laumer, Sven

Abstract: Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence have brought novel opportunities for ... Expand

Abstract: Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence have brought novel opportunities for businesses, societies, and individuals alike, yet they also raise complex questions on inequitable power distribution. We see contemporary AI systems, that reinforce power imbalances and disadvantage marginalized, underrepresented, and underprivileged people. Current approaches to advancing AI, such as Ethical, Fair, or Trustworthy AI, have not included the effects of power in their considerations. As feminism has a long history of doing so, we introduce an intersectional and inclusive feminist approach to shape AI in a more equitable way. We approach this by building on recent Information Systems and interdisciplinary research as well as on evidence from expert interviews in focus groups, which we conducted in 2022 and 2023. Our study reveals that utilizing the feminist approach could be effective firstly, to shape AI systems and secondly, to change prevailing power structures in societal systems to become more equitable. Collapse

Topics: artificial intelligence boundary spanning IT work

Methods: focus group qualitative interview statistical hypothesis test delphi study literature study

"Digital Sanctums of Empowerment": Exploring Community and Everyday Resilience-Building Tactics in Online Professional Communities for Women

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Sengupta, S.; Tacheva, Z.

Abstract: Work and learning are essential facets of our existence, yet women have and may ... Expand

Abstract: Work and learning are essential facets of our existence, yet women have and may continue to face multiple restrictions that hinder and impede their professional outcomes. These restrictions are especially pronounced in the technical domains of Information technology and Computer science.This paper explores the power of informal online communities to act as collective shields of care in the context of professional development, especially for women. Using a mixed-methods comparative investigation of 400,268 conversational traces from three professional development communities on Reddit, we report resilience and communal empathy-building tactics, as well as calls for inclusivity and belongingness, which drive the collective identity of these online channels. The long-term goal of this work is to address the way in which such channels can be designed and curated to offer spaces for enrichment, empowerment, and advocacy with a focus on the professional development of women, especially those engaged in technical domains. Collapse

Topics: online community IT career Reddit Python application programming interface

Methods: BERT linguistic analysis mixed method qualitative content analysis cross sectional research

Feminist theory, Gender and Crowdfunding

2022 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Serwaah, Priscilla; Shneor, Rotem

Abstract: Crowdfunding promotes financial democracy through advancement in ICT for minori ... Expand

Abstract: Crowdfunding promotes financial democracy through advancement in ICT for minorities in finance. While crowdfunding has reduced the underrepresentation of females in entrepreneurial finance, little attention has been paid to the influence of context on the discussion on gender in entrepreneurial finance. We examine this by applying feminist theory. By this, we argue that the gender effects of certain factors that have been generally associated with one gender may vary with place. From Finland, a gender equal context, we analyse survey data from 556 contributors of the largest reward crowdfunding platform. The findings show that certain factors that prior studies have shown to be associated with female contributors are more significantly associated with males in the study's context. The findings support the argument that male contributors in an effort to change their 'historical dominance' to gain traction and legitimacy within an 'equal society' may have to be socially and morally sensitive. Collapse

Topics: crowdfunding crowdsourcing self efficacy social influence

Methods: survey structural equation modeling theory development data transformation conceptual modelling

Who Stays in the Game? Similarities and Differences Between Current and Former Digital Games Players

2021 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Bergstrom, Kelly; Sherman, Jamie

Abstract: Former players offer important yet underutilized insights into the norms and exp ... Expand

Abstract: Former players offer important yet underutilized insights into the norms and expectations of game communities. Research to date has focused on players who have left particular games, but little is known about the broader forces that lead some players to ultimately quit games altogether. In this paper we report on the results of a nationally representative survey of the US adult population where respondents were asked about their leisure activities, including if they currently or have previously played digital games. By identifying patterns amongst people who quit as compared to people who remain active players, our goal is to better understand the factors that push or pull people away from gaming. Doing so contributes to the literature on digital game players broadly, while also potentially making it easier for game scholars to identify—and subsequently recruit—former players to participate in games-related research. Implications for future research recruitment are discussed. Collapse

Topics: video game smartphone mobile game mobile system internet technology

Methods: survey cluster analysis mixed method personal interview

A Framework for Validating Information Systems Research Based on a Pluralist Account of Truth and Correctness

2020 | Journal of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Mingers, John; Standing, Craig

Abstract: Research in information systems includes a range of approaches that make varied ... Expand

Abstract: Research in information systems includes a range of approaches that make varied contributions in terms of knowledge, understanding, and practical developments. In these days of “fake news” and spurious Internet content, scholarly research needs to be able to demonstrate its validity: Are its findings true and its recommendations correct? We argue that there are fundamental validation criteria that can be applied to all research approaches despite their apparent diversity and conflict. These stem from current views on the nature of truth and the related but wider concept of correctness within philosophy. There has been much debate about the nature of truth: Is it correspondence, coherence, consensual, or pragmatic? Current debates revolve around the idea of a pluralist view of truth—that there are different forms of truth depending on the context or domain. Related to truth is the wider concept of correctness: propositions may be true, but correctness can also be applied to actions, performances, or behavior for which truth is not appropriate. We develop a framework for research validity and apply it to a range of research forms including positivist, interpretive, design science, critical, and action oriented. The benefits are: (1) a greater and more explicit focus on validity criteria will produce better research; (2) having a single framework can provide some commonality between what, at times, seem like conflicting approaches to research; (3) having criteria made explicit should encourage debate and further development. The framework is applied to a variety of empirical papers employing varied research approaches. Collapse

Topics: innovation management

Methods: action research mixed method design science simulation case study

Toward a Joint Theory on Social Identity and Individual Differences of Gender and IT: The Case of 'Women in Blockchain'

2020 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Ostern, Nadine

Abstract: Given the persistent prevalence of gender imbalances in the IT profession, IS r ... Expand

Abstract: Given the persistent prevalence of gender imbalances in the IT profession, IS researchers developed numerous theories that attempt to explain women's decisions to pursue or to refrain from pursuing a career in IT. Those theories were recently criticized for still not being able to solve the problem of gender imbalances through interventions that are effective in the long-run. This criticism seems all the more important considering that gender inequality is even more serious in some sub-sections of IT than in others, for which one example is blockchain. We use an appreciative interview approach, focussing on the lived experiences of women working on blockchain, to explore factors that foster or constrain women's decisions to work in the field of blockchain, thereby extending existing IS gender theories. Based on the analysis of thirty-eight appreciative interviews, we successively develop a combined model of social identity and individual difference theory of gender and IT (IDT), which is expected to capture more factors influencing women's decisions than IDT alone. Particularly to be emphasized is the ability of the combined model to explain within-and out-group dynamics and the salience of social and role identity that are currently under-researched in gender-related IS research. Collapse

Topics: blockchain social identity IT career IT workforce LinkedIn

Methods: qualitative interview qualitative content analysis qualitative coding theoretical contribution theory development

Theories: social identity theory gender theory theory of social shaping of technology difference theory

Inscribing Gender: A Duoethnographic Examination of Gendered Values and Practices in Fitness Tracker Design

2019 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Cifor, Marika; Garcia, Patricia

Abstract: Using fitness trackers to generate and collect quantifiable data is a widespread ... Expand

Abstract: Using fitness trackers to generate and collect quantifiable data is a widespread practice aimed at better understanding one’s health and body. The intentional design of fitness trackers as genderless or universal is predicated on masculinist design values and assumptions and does not result in “neutral” artifacts. Instead,\ ignoring gender in the design of fitness tracking devices marks a dangerous ongoing inattention to the needs, desires, lives, and life chances of women, as well as transgender and gender nonconforming persons. We utilize duoethnography, a methodology emphasizing personal narrative and dialogue, as a tool that promotes feminist reflexivity in the design and study of fitness tracking technologies. Using the Jawbone UP3 as our object of study, we present findings that illustrate the gendered physical and interface design features and discuss how these features reproduce narrow understandings of gender, health, and lived experiences. Collapse

Topics: usability fitness tracker user interface mobile system health information system

Methods: self reported survey diary study wearables based research electrocardiography qualitative content analysis

Theories: socio technical theory theory of affordance

A Critical Analysis on the Effects of Negative IS Stereotypes on Underserved Populations

2019 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 1

Authors: Tari, Mina; Annabi, Hala; Ramirez, Yvette Iribe; Beneteau, Erin; Ballard, Stephanie

Abstract: Low student enrollment in information systems (IS) programs across the U.S. per ... Expand

Abstract: Low student enrollment in information systems (IS) programs across the U.S. persists, despite an increase in job opportunities for IS graduates. One approach to meet this increased demand for IS employees is the recruitment and retention of underserved populations. Beyond meeting demand for employees, creating more equitable environments is an issue of social justice essential to the vitality of the IS field. Negative stereotypes about IS are one of the major factors contributing to lack of student interest. In this paper, we synthesize relevant literature on gender and racial stereotypes and existing stereotypes about IS, describe the theoretical foundation of our proposed work, and outline our research approach. In this emergent research, we aim to contribute a theoretical understanding of underserved groups in relation to IS stereotypes. Findings from this work will contribute to the design and deployment of curriculum, pedagogy, and recruitment strategies that enhance equitable IS programs. Collapse

Topics: IT career

Methods: qualitative interview qualitative content analysis

Theories: individual differences theory of gender

Can Digital Innovation Alter the Landscape of Women’s Entrepreneurship? Towards A Research Agenda

2018 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Sundermeier, Janina; Wessel, Lauri; Davidson, Elizabeth J

Abstract: Research on digital innovation and women’s entrepreneurship is increasing, but r ... Expand

Abstract: Research on digital innovation and women’s entrepreneurship is increasing, but research in both areas largely exist in isolation from each other. We argue that bringing these streams of literature together yields interesting potentials for theorizing and conducting empirical studies in both fields. In particular, whether various identified obstacles to women’s entrepreneurship could be overcome through advances in digital innovation, which serve as external enablers of venture creation processes, pose interesting theoretical questions about gender and entrepreneurship, as well as practical and policy implications. We develop an ‘assessing review’ of relevant research and literature to synthesize the current state of research on obstacles to women’s entrepreneurship. On this basis, we develop a research agenda to advance inquiry into whether and how digital innovation enables women to overcome obstacles to new venture creation. Collapse

Topics: entrepreneurship digital innovation innovation management database system

Methods: literature study qualitative coding literature sample machine learning theory development

Theories: feminism theory

Someone On My Level: How Women of Color Describe the Role of Teaching Assistants in Creating Inclusive Technology Courses

2018 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 1

Authors: Tari, Mina; Annabi, Hala

Abstract: Women of color are grossly underrepresented in technology-related degree program ... Expand

Abstract: Women of color are grossly underrepresented in technology-related degree programs. This underrepresentation is often attributed to exclusionary environments traditionally characteristic of introductory technology courses. Studies indicate teaching assistants (TAs) may play an important role in mitigating factors and creating inclusive learning environments for underrepresented populations. We propose a study to explore the role undergraduate TAs play in creating inclusive environments for women of color in technology-related classes. We will use feminist approaches to give voice to and illuminate women of color’s experiences with introductory technology classes and their TAs. Collapse

Methods: qualitative interview focus group qualitative content analysis