ECIS is one of the leading academic conferences in the field of information systems. Now in its 34th edition, this year's conference was held in Cyprus under the theme "Reimagining Digital Technology for Business, Management, and Society" — reflecting the profound ways in which digital technologies are embedded in contemporary society, from business and management to social and cultural life.
GenAI and the future of knowledge work
Sybil Liu presented ongoing work with Ella Hafermalz on how generative AI shifts the allocation of time and attention in hermeneutic work. As generative AI increasingly participates in tasks that involve interpretation, questions arise about what happens when these technologies enter human ways of interpretation. The study introduces the concept of hermeneutic work and uses historians as an illustrative case to examine how interpretive professions are adapting to generative AI. Drawing on interviews with historians, the research examines how interpretation is not a single moment of insight, but a slow, recursive process of working through fragmented sources over time — one that is deeply personal and tied to specific tools and norms. While GenAI opens new possibilities for rapidly processing large volumes of material, it also shifts how historians spend their time and where they direct their attention. In response, historians develop strategies for selectively working with AI, delegating peripheral tasks while deliberately preserving space for their own interpretive work. This ongoing study aims to address broader implications of GenAI entering interpretive professions.
Power dynamics in IT modernization
René Grasmeijer presented research conducted with Bart van den Hooff and Edona Elshan on how power dynamics shape the trajectory of system modernization in the public sector. A key insight from the study is that external pressures — such as advisory board reviews or legal mandates — do not determine modernization outcomes by themselves. Instead, they reorganize power: shifting who gets to define priorities, what counts as legitimate progress, and how fast change is expected to happen.
Psychological ownership and low-code tools
Elshan presented joint work with Rebecca Alguera Kleine on psychological ownership and autonomy in the context of low-code tools — sometimes referred to as "vibe coding." As these tools make it easier for non-developers to build their own applications, organizations face new governance challenges. A central finding of the research is that governance in low-code environments is not only about rules, roles, and oversight — it also shapes how much control people feel they have over what they build. This perceived controllability influences whether autonomy is enacted, whether psychological ownership emerges, and whether development efforts are sustained over time. The implication for organizations is a delicate balancing act: too little guidance creates risks, but too much control can undermine the autonomy and ownership that make citizen development valuable in the first place.
Beyond her research presentation, Elshan was also invited to speak at the AIS Doctoral Student College, where she addressed the topic of dealing with rejections in academic publishing — a candid and practical contribution to the professional development of the next generation of researchers.
A shared theme
Across the three presentations, a common thread emerged: technology change is never only technical. Whether the focus is on GenAI in research practices, IT renewal in public sector organizations, or citizen development with low-code tools, questions of autonomy, ownership, governance, and power are never far from the surface.