Developments in social media, mobile computing and applications, agile systems development techniques, cloud computing and business analytics have become ubiquitous. These developments, in turn, have impacted the way both organizations and societies engage with transfer and diffusion of information technology (IT) systems within and between organizations, in interactions with customers, and in society in general. The question is no longer how to adopt and diffuse IT systems, but how to quickly assess and manage those that best serve the larger purposes of businesses and societies. At IFIP WG 8.6 past conferences (in Lungskile, Sweden in 2016, Guimaraes, Portugal in 2017, and Ghana 2019) we discussed the evolution of the field and whether the time was right to identify and discuss emerging trends that WG8.6 might fold in to a new agenda, one that is consistent with the purpose of the original statement but that is adapted to today’s more viral diffusion environment. IFIP WG8.6 2020 event would continue this scholarly conversation by soliciting contributions for formulating new directions for the working group that will address emerging trends, continuous with the original charter of diffusion of IT/IS.

This conference aims to bring together scholars and practitioners from inter-disciplinary areas for the enrichment of scholarly deliberations on the adoption, usage, impact and potential of emerging technologies. To achieve this goal, we invite scholars and practitioners to present their ideas and findings at the IFIP WG 8.6 Conference 2020 on “Re-Imagining Diffusion of Information Technology and Systems: A Continuing Conversation”. Theoretical and empirical papers employing quantitative, qualitative, and/or critical methods are welcomed.