Strategic and Competitive Uses of Information & Digital Technologies (SCUIDT)
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Paper Type
Complete
Paper Number
1637
Description
Research indicates that Information Technology (IT) is an indispensable part of crisis management by helping managers respond to disruptive and unexpected events (Riemer et al., 2020; Sakurai & Chughtai, 2020). However, the impact of a crisis on IT is less clear. This research investigates the interplay of crisis response and IT transformation in the context of the 2020- 2021 Covid-19 pandemic. We use punctuated equilibrium theory to interpret how a multi-billion-dollar Supply Chain Company (SupplyCo) responded to the Covid-19 crisis. Our case study illustrates how managers apply IT in crisis response and how crisis drives IT transformation. This research shows that IT functions as a safety net and shields companies and employees along three dimensions. The research offers recommendations for re-orienting IT and the workforce in response to a crisis.
Recommended Citation
Li, Qingyang; Gonzalez, Alexis; Ionescu, Ramona; and Koch, Hope, "IT as a Safety Net During a Crisis" (2021). AMCIS 2021 Proceedings. 15.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2021/strategic_is/strategic_is/15
IT as a Safety Net During a Crisis
Research indicates that Information Technology (IT) is an indispensable part of crisis management by helping managers respond to disruptive and unexpected events (Riemer et al., 2020; Sakurai & Chughtai, 2020). However, the impact of a crisis on IT is less clear. This research investigates the interplay of crisis response and IT transformation in the context of the 2020- 2021 Covid-19 pandemic. We use punctuated equilibrium theory to interpret how a multi-billion-dollar Supply Chain Company (SupplyCo) responded to the Covid-19 crisis. Our case study illustrates how managers apply IT in crisis response and how crisis drives IT transformation. This research shows that IT functions as a safety net and shields companies and employees along three dimensions. The research offers recommendations for re-orienting IT and the workforce in response to a crisis.
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