Master's Thesis from the year 2024 in the subject Computer Science - Commercial Information Technology, grade: 1,3, University of Hagen (Lehrstuhl für Betriebswirtschaftslehre, insb. Gestaltung soziotechnischer Informationssysteme), course: Abschlussarbeit, language: English, abstract: This academic study employs a systematic literature review to examine the current state of research on digital diversity within the field of Information Systems (IS). The term digital diversity refers to the heterogeneity of user groups with respect to their demographic characteristics and the varied utilization of digital technologies.
The objective of this analysis is to provide a comprehensive overview of existing research, identify research gaps, and outline future directions for investigation. To achieve this, relevant studies were systematically searched for and evaluated in the eight leading IS journals. The analysis encompassed the dimensions of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, religion, and sexual orientation, resulting in the identification of 210 relevant publications. Research on diversity in IS has evolved significantly over time, with a marked increase in publications after 2005, indicating growing academic interest.
The findings reveal an uneven distribution of attention devoted to the individual dimensions. Ethnicity and gender are the most frequently studied topics, while religion and sexual orientation are significantly underrepresented. In addition to examining individual diversity dimensions, intersectional approaches that analyze the overlap of multiple dimensions were also considered.
The study concludes with a critical discussion of the results and provides suggestions for future research to better understand digital diversity in its entirety and to further establish it within IS. This systematic literature review makes a significant contribution by deepening the understanding of digital diversity, filling existing research gaps, and providing impetus for the inclusive design of digital technologies and their use.
