Category: Topic: Institutionalism

Research Topic: Institutionalism

  • Aula Convening Guideline 2025 Ed.

    Aula Convening Guideline 2025 Ed.

    The Aula Convening Guidelines, 2025 ed.

    These Aula Convening Guidelines are for people working on tech governance and AI in society, these are 6 guidelines for convening communities for legitimate collective decision-making on how AI is implemented in society.

    Since our founding in 2023, Aula Fellows have hosted and participated in 100s of conversations in more than 30 countries and regions on AI. We have spoken with people who have a variety of needs, spanning through Learning AI, Living with AI, Working with AI, and Shaping AI.

    We have worked through 3 project phases, to develop these guidelines, from the common elements that make for conversations in which communities make decisions about AI. Our goal is not a new type of consultation, but rather to see to it that community convenings are conductive to collective decision making on AI.

    In 2026 we will be reaching out to partner organizations to continue to refine these guidelines and to bring them to more groups of people.

    They are complete and available now under a Creative Commons license, in this V.01, 2025 Edition.

    Link to the PDF.

  • Call for Book Chapters: OUR AI PROBLEMS

    Call for Book Chapters: OUR AI PROBLEMS

    Call for Book Chapters: Our AI Problems (Edited Volume)

    We believe that there are no easy answers when it comes to artificial intelligence and society. Across jurisdictions and decision-making bodies, those who develop or enforce regulations are confronted with difficult questions. These challenges arise for many reasons: the issues are often embedded in complex sociotechnical systems, lack straightforward solutions, or involve tensions between competing values and needs.

    The editors hold that AI can be of great service for humanity. At the same time, current regulatory frameworks lag far behind what is needed to ensure just, safe, and equitable access and outcomes. 

    Policymakers and subject-matter specialists are increasingly converging on a shared set of especially challenging issues.  Society is learning to join in the conversations. Accordingly, the proposed volume is envisioned as addressing the following areas: Economics and Power; Democracy and Trust; Risks Large and Small; Building Bridges and Inclusion; Media and Art; Environment and Health; Justice, Security, and Defense.

    If you are interested in contributing, we would be delighted to hear from you. If you know colleagues or collaborators who might wish to participate, please feel free to share this call with them as well.

    Deadline for chapter abstracts (250–300 words): 15 January 2026
    Deadline for chapter draft submission (8000–10,000 words; US English; APA style): 31 March 2026
    Deadline for final revisions: 15 May 2026

    Edited by Tammy Mackenzie, Ashley Elizabeth Muller, and Branislav Radeljić

    For more info about the editors, please see: Fellows
    Submissions and questions: Contact Branislav Radeljić, Ph.D., Director of Research.

  • Obama Foundation Fellow: Victoria Kuketz

    Obama Foundation Fellow: Victoria Kuketz

    We are proud to announce Aula Fellow’s Victoria Kuketz’s recent appointment as an Obama Fellow. Follow Victoria for news of her Fellowship this year, where she will be concentrating on inclusion and rational governance.

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  • Developing the Permanent Symposium on AI (poster): Presented at Engineering and Public Policy Division (EPP) Poster Session

    Developing the Permanent Symposium on AI (poster): Presented at Engineering and Public Policy Division (EPP) Poster Session

    A multidisciplinary, reflective autoethnography by some of the people who are building the Permanent Symposium on AI. Includes the history of the project.

    RQ 1: Challenges that unite AI policy & tech

    RQ 2: How to design the PSAI?

    RQ 3: What factors influence the adoption and scalability of the PSAI?

    This is the Flagship project of the Aula Fellowship.

    Read the Poster

  • Presenting to the United Nations

    Presenting to the United Nations

    Our Director, Tammy Mackenzie, was honoured to present our recommendations to the United Nations Committee on the Formation of a Scientific Panel on AI. We recommended that the committee include civil society in these works and that meetings should be held in countries where safe travel can be guaranteed for delegates. You can consult our recommendations here.

    See the PDF of the Consultation here: Google Drive

  • Université de l’Alberta Conférence Annuelle: Les leviers du pouvoir dans l’IA

    Université de l’Alberta Conférence Annuelle: Les leviers du pouvoir dans l’IA

    Les leviers du pouvoir en IA
    Conférencière : Tammy MacKenzie
    Congrès du Campus Saint-Jean de l’Université de l’Alberta, le 25 avril 2025, Edmonton, AB (Canada).

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  • What We Do Not Know: GPT Use in Business and Management

    What We Do Not Know: GPT Use in Business and Management

    This systematic review examines peer-reviewed studies on application of GPT in business management, revealing significant knowledge gaps. Despite identifying interesting research directions such as best practices, benchmarking, performance comparisons, social impacts, our analysis yields only 42 relevant studies for the 22 months since its release. There are so few studies looking at a particular sector or subfield that management researchers, business consultants, policymakers, and journalists do not yet have enough information to make well-founded statements on how GPT is being used in businesses. The primary contribution of this paper is a call to action for further research. We provide a description of current research and identify knowledge gaps on the use of GPT in business. We cover the management subfields of finance, marketing, human resources, strategy, operations, production, and analytics, excluding retail and sales. We discuss gaps in knowledge of GPT potential consequences on employment, productivity, environmental costs, oppression, and small businesses. We propose how management consultants and the media can help fill those gaps. We call for practical work on business control systems as they relate to existing and foreseeable AI-related business challenges. This work may be of interest to managers, to management researchers, and to people working on AI in society.

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  • Dataset: Management Studies on GPT in Businesses (Full Systematic Review)

    Dataset: Management Studies on GPT in Businesses (Full Systematic Review)

    This dataset is available for collaborations. Please contact our research Director, Dr. Branislav Radeljic, Ph.D., for more information.

    Used in: What We Do Not Know: GPT Use in Business and Management

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  • Dataset: Survey of leaders on their institutional purview over AI (anonymized)

    Dataset: Survey of leaders on their institutional purview over AI (anonymized)

    This dataset is under construction and not yet available for collaborations. We expect to publish a dataset report on this blog in November, 2025. Please contact our Research Director, Dr. Branislav Radeljic, Ph.D., for more information.

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  • Generative AI through the Lens of Institutional Theory

    Generative AI through the Lens of Institutional Theory

    This study examines the adoption of Generative AI (GenAI) systems through the lens of Institutional Theory. Using a mixed-methods approach, we analyze how coercive, normative, and mimetic pressures influence GenAI integration in organizations. Key findings reveal:(1) regulatory frameworks significantly shape GenAI adoption strategies, with variations across industries and regions;(2) organizations balance conformity to institutional norms with innovation, often through strategic decoupling;(3) GenAI’s unique capabilities challenge traditional institutional pressures, necessitating new governance models; and (4) early GenAI adopters emerge as new sources of mimetic pressure, accelerating industry-wide adoption. We propose a novel framework capturing the interplay between GenAI characteristics and institutional dynamics, contributing to both Institutional Theory and AI adoption literature.

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  • Skills Lab Panel “Building Bridges”, for the Culture and Cohesion Summit.

    Skills Lab Panel “Building Bridges”, for the Culture and Cohesion Summit.

    Join Victoria Kuketz for an intercultural Skills Lab Panel “Building Bridges”, for the Culture and Cohesion Summit.

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  • The Rainbow Economy Model Leads to Holistic Circular Model

    The Rainbow Economy Model Leads to Holistic Circular Model

    The Rainbow Economy Model is a theoretical framework that proposes a holistic and inclusive approach to economic development. This model emphasizes the importance of diversity, equality, and sustainability in driving economic growth and prosperity. It recognizes that a vibrant and resilient economy is built upon a diverse range of industries, businesses, and individuals, each contributing their unique strengths and perspectives. The Rainbow Economy Model promotes the integration of social, environmental, and economic factors in decision-making processes, aiming to create a balanced and equitable society. This research aims to explore the principles and potential implications of the Rainbow Economy Model, assess its feasibility in different contexts, and identify strategies for its implementation. The research adopts mixed methodology to ascertain the holistic sustainability circular model namely the “The Rainbow Economy Model”. The practical, the social implications are quite evident, and the contribution is the data collected for future research and the Rainbow model of Sustainability.

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