The objective of the IFIP WG8.6 group was “to foster understanding and improve research in practice, methods, and techniques in the transfer and diffusion of information technology within systems that are developed, and in the development process ”. Since the inception of the IFIP WG8.6 group, the focus is on Transfer, Diffusion & Implementation of Information Technology at individuals, organizational and society levels. As we entered the 21st century, next-generation digital technologies are rapidly proliferating at individual, organizational and societal levels. Most of these next-generation digital technologies have strong inter-connections and enable the production and storage of the large amount of data and the promotion of effective use of data. These added newer capabilities and the wider diffusion and adoption of next-generation digital technologies at individual, organizational, and society level invites new assessments and research questions. These are no longer limited to the adoption and deployment of next-generation digital technologies, but also the rapid assessment and management of these technologies to deliver maximum value (tangible and intangible both) at individual, organizational, and society level. A rapid and timely evaluation is also necessary for avoiding their unintended and harmful impact on individuals, organizations, and society at large.

This conference will focus on understanding the transfer, diffusion, and adoption of next-generation digital technologies and systems (e.g., metaverse , augmented/virtual reality, blockchain, fintech artificial intelligence , conversational AI , LLMs (ChatGPT), internet of things, social media among other prominent digital technologies) that are expected to have a significant impact on the future economic development of societies, organizations, and individuals. The strong link between technology adoption and socio-economic development in many economies is evident from a review of the role of information technologies, particularly over the last two decades. Recently in Forbes, a popular contributor, Bernard Marr wrote in 2023 “What we’re starting to see with metaverse is that we’re ready for a new chapter of the world wide web – a new chapter of the internet … think of it perhaps as an immersive internet”. 

These above-mentioned next-generation digital technologies have a great potential to contribute to the reformation of organizations and societies and their unintended consequences are yet to surface . In recent years, therefore, scholars have shown great interest in understanding how these technologies are introduced, how they are used, and what their effects and potential are on people , societies and businesses.

The aim of this conference is to bring together scholars and practitioners from interdisciplinary fields in order to enrich the scholarly reflection on the adoption, use, impact and potential of next-generation digital technologies. To achieve this objective, we invite scholars and practitioners to present their research ideas and findings at the IFIP WG 8.6 Conference on “Transfer, Diffusion and Adoption of Next-Generation Digital Technologies” to be held at Indian Institute of Management Nagpur, India in December 2023. Theoretical and empirical work using quantitative, qualitative and/or critical methods is encouraged. Please refer to the listed tracks. 
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