Panel 1: To Share or Not to Share: Should IS Researchers Share or Hoard Their Precious Data?

Data sharing requires researchers to publish their (primary) data and any supporting research materials. With increased attention on reproducibility and more transparent research requiring sharing of data, the issues surrounding data sharing are moving beyond whether data sharing is beneficial, to what kind of research data should be shared and how. However, despite its benefits, data sharing still is not common practice in Information Systems (IS) research. The panel seeks to discuss the controversies related to data sharing in research, specifically focusing on the IS discipline. It remains unclear how the positive effects of data sharing that are often framed as extending beyond the individual researcher (e.g., openness for innovation) can be utilized while reducing the downsides often associated with negative consequences for the individual researcher (e.g., losing a competitive advantage). To foster data sharing practices in IS, the panel will address this dilemma by drawing on the panelists’ expertise.