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Journal of the Association for Information Systems

Abstract

Consumers are seeking to reduce the impact of their consumption on social, environmental, and economic welfare by purchasing ethically sourced products, a practice known as ethical consumption. Digital technologies, in the form of ethical consumption apps (ECAs), have emerged as a means to facilitate ethical consumption practices, which are recognized as key to sustainability efforts. We conducted a qualitative study of ECA users to examine how digital technologies shape the processes through which sustainability information is interpreted and acted upon. Drawing on Archer’s theory of reflexivity, we develop a model of reflexive engagement with ECAs that explains how they mediate the process of internal self-talk and the movement from concern to project and practice. We find that ECAs engage an individual’s reflexivity process in three distinct ways: as a trusted other that socially anchors ethical concerns through socially visible cues, as an information provider that supports efficient, value-aligned decisions, and as a challenging other that prompts critical reflection on the feasibility and efficacy of ethical consumption. These pathways are associated with divergent outcomes, including social norming, decision alignment, and principled (in)action. Our findings extend reflexivity theory in information systems by illustrating how digital systems can participate in ethical deliberations and offer design insights for digital sustainability technologies that support heterogeneous forms of reflexivity and engagement.

DOI

10.17705/1jais.01018

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