Govern Like You Mean It: Embedding Data Ethics Practices within Data Governance

Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

Authors

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.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAMCIS 2025 Proceedings
Number of pages10
Place of PublicationAtlanta
PublisherAIS eLibrary
Publication date2025
Article number1265
Publication statusPublished - 2025
EventAMCIS 2025: Intelligent technologies for a better future - Montreal, Canada
Duration: 14.08.202516.08.2025

Bibliographical note

Track: Data ecosystems in information systems (DATAECO)

    Research areas

  • Business informatics - Data governance, data ethics, Governance mechanisms, data ethics practices