Abstract
The DIGIT 2021 CFP emphasizes “building resilience with information technology in a time of disruptions.” This paper addresses that issue by going back to basics. It argues that typical uses of the common concept of system usage are insufficient for supporting insightful discussions of using IT for resilience. It proposes a reconceptualization of the concept of system usage in which the concept of IS usage is defined based on a work system perspective in which an IS is a type of work system. The reconceptualization is applied to two case studies, one involving mission- critical workarounds of an ERP system and one involving an electronic medical records (EMR) system. Those examples illustrate many important aspects of IS usage that tend to be ignored in discussions of variables related to a typical notion of system usage. This reconceptualization of system usage has many implications related to describing information systems and the ways they support, control, or perform activities in other work systems. That approach provides a deeper appreciation of where and how IT can support resilience in a time of disruptions.
Recommended Citation
Alter, Steven, "A New Reconceptualization of System Usage Based on a Work System Perspective" (2021). DIGIT 2021 Proceedings. 3.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/digit2021/3