Paper Type
Complete
Abstract
As organizations increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making, the integration of data ethics (DE) within data governance (DG) remains insufficiently understood. Existing DG prioritizes compliance, data quality, and efficiency, but lacks guidance on how DE can be systematically enacted. Therefore, this study addresses this gap by examining how organizations embed DE within governance mechanisms. Using a qualitative research approach, we conducted and analyzed interviews with DG professionals to identify and categorize DE practices. Our findings reveal that DE is not a separate governance function but is embedded within existing governance mechanisms, materializing through structural, procedural, and relational mechanisms. By mapping DE practices onto these mechanisms, this study advances the theoretical understanding of the interplay between DG and DE and refines existing DG frameworks to integrate ethical considerations better. These insights provide organizations with a structured approach to institutionalizing DE, ensuring that ethical commitments are not merely aspirational but operationalized within DG.
Paper Number
1265
Recommended Citation
Richter, Kenneth; Zimmer, Markus; and Drews, Paul, "Govern Like You Mean It: Embedding Data Ethics Practices within Data Governance" (2025). AMCIS 2025 Proceedings. 1.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2025/data_eco/data_eco/1
Govern Like You Mean It: Embedding Data Ethics Practices within Data Governance
As organizations increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making, the integration of data ethics (DE) within data governance (DG) remains insufficiently understood. Existing DG prioritizes compliance, data quality, and efficiency, but lacks guidance on how DE can be systematically enacted. Therefore, this study addresses this gap by examining how organizations embed DE within governance mechanisms. Using a qualitative research approach, we conducted and analyzed interviews with DG professionals to identify and categorize DE practices. Our findings reveal that DE is not a separate governance function but is embedded within existing governance mechanisms, materializing through structural, procedural, and relational mechanisms. By mapping DE practices onto these mechanisms, this study advances the theoretical understanding of the interplay between DG and DE and refines existing DG frameworks to integrate ethical considerations better. These insights provide organizations with a structured approach to institutionalizing DE, ensuring that ethical commitments are not merely aspirational but operationalized within DG.
When commenting on articles, please be friendly, welcoming, respectful and abide by the AIS eLibrary Discussion Thread Code of Conduct posted here.
Comments
DATAECO