Research Topics

Symposium organizers invite scholarly papers to be submitted and presented on a range of issues related to the determinants and business implications of the digital divide. Submissions may utilize technical, managerial, behavioral, organizational, and/or economic perspectives on the study of the digital divide.  The topics in the workshop may include (but will not be limited to) the following:

• What is the extent of the digital divide at the national, organizational, or household level? What is the current level of access to IT and what factors prohibit access?
• What are the microeconomic implications of the three levels of the digital divide? What are the macroeconomic implications?
• What potential negative consequences are there for bridging the divide? Are there some stakeholders that may have an incentive to not have the divide bridged? What are the policy reasons to subsidize or not subsidize access?
• Is there a linkage between IT access/adoption to worker productivity, corporate advantage, or economic development?
• Are corporations that lag behind necessarily at a disadvantage?
• What are the implications of the digital divide for online commerce?
• How does the digital divide differ in developing regions versus industrialized countries at the household level? at the corporate level?
• How does the existence of the digital divide impact online and offline pricing?
• Does a “digital divide” exist between online users as to how they use online services and what are the implications for commerce? What is the nature of this “divide”?
• What impact will the digital divide have on economic stratification and corporate strategy within and between countries?
• How does the digital divide affect corporations that operate across national boundaries? those that engage in offshore outsourcing of IT services?
• What are the appropriate methodological approaches to studying the digital divide within the IS research community?
• What are the appropriate research directions for the IS research community related to the digital divide?

Submissions can be conceptual papers that frame the issues and inspire further research, empirical studies of the digital divide and its implications, case studies that illustrate corporate or economic policies related to the digital divide, or analytical modeling of the divide and its implications. 

Manuscript Submission

Based on the above scope and guidelines, authors are invited to submit papers representing original contributions in the areas of the digital divide.  Submitted manuscripts should be not more than 5,000 words in length excluding tables and figures. Full-length papers are not required in the case of theory building or conceptually oriented submissions.  However, submissions must contain a sufficient description of the phenomenon, theoretical or conceptual perspective, and intended contributions for reviewers to assess the merit and potential of the submission.  Further, authors must clearly articulate how their work contributes to the intended goals of the symposium. 

Submissions must be emailed to Fred Riggins (friggins@csom.umn.edu). Documents in standard word processing formats (e.g., PDF or Microsoft Word) are preferred.

We will invite a number of authors to submit post-symposium revisions of the highest quality papers for expedited review and consideration for publication in the Journal of the Association of Information Systems .  The review process will be similar to what the journal uses following its annual “JAIS Theory Workshop,” which involves participants from the workshop as reviewers, as well as senior editor reviewers.  If you are interested in submitting a paper that you also would like to have considered for JAIS , please contact Fred Riggins in advance of submission to indicate your interest, and obtain additional guidance.

Important Dates

June 14, 2004: Deadline submission of papers
July 16, 2004: Acceptance notification
August 27-28, 2004: Symposium dates