Abstract
Digital platforms supporting relational enterprise in social ecosystems become trustworthy and governable not by processing information correctly, but by making the intentional structuring of communication itself accountable. Information systems that are technically correct and procedurally compliant frequently fail in inter-organisational and institutional contexts where trust, accountability, and legitimacy are at stake. Existing IS approaches often explain these failures in terms of data quality, integration, or user adoption, while leaving untouched the foundational assumption that meaning is transmitted through information. This paper introduces Trustworthy and Governable Platforms (TGP) as a paradigm that moves beyond informational systems. It argues that communication in organisational and institutional settings does not transmit meaning but institutes it: meaning, roles, and responsibility emerge through intentional communicative acts that structure conversations and must themselves be made accountable. This reframing shifts IS theory from data to instituted meaning, from procedural correctness to accountability of structuring acts, and from rule enforcement to reflexive governance. The paper develops a paradigmatic comparison between informational IS and TGP, articulates foundational assumptions grounded in triadic communication, and derives empirically testable design principles. A design case illustrates how TGP principles can be instantiated in a multi-agency welfare context. The paper concludes by outlining an empirical strategy for evaluating TGP and discussing implications for IS theory and platform governance.
Recommended Citation
Jacucci, Gianni and Martin, Mike, "preprint OISI26 4 morfo1 - Beyond Informational Systems: Trustworthy and Governable Platforms as a New Paradigm for Organisational Communication" (2026). OISI Workshop 2026. 8.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/oisiworkshop2026/8