Paper Type

Short

Paper Number

PACIS2025-1058

Description

Research on information technology (IT)-enabled innovation of organizations in the public sector is relatively less, when compared to the extensive research on IT-enabled innovation for organizations in the private sector. Leveraging the theory of IT affordances, this study aims to address this limitation. It provides a theoretical understanding of how IT affordances can help public organizations innovate, by fostering an important factor: that of organizational flexibility. We discuss why it is important for public organizations to be flexible, and why this flexibility is necessary for them to innovate. We also propose that certain IT affordances influence this flexibility. The model is tested using data collected from managers in US public organizations and support the theorization. We discuss the contributions and implications of this study.

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Innovation

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Jul 6th, 12:00 AM

Innovating in Public Organizations with Information Technology: The Role of Organizational Flexibility

Research on information technology (IT)-enabled innovation of organizations in the public sector is relatively less, when compared to the extensive research on IT-enabled innovation for organizations in the private sector. Leveraging the theory of IT affordances, this study aims to address this limitation. It provides a theoretical understanding of how IT affordances can help public organizations innovate, by fostering an important factor: that of organizational flexibility. We discuss why it is important for public organizations to be flexible, and why this flexibility is necessary for them to innovate. We also propose that certain IT affordances influence this flexibility. The model is tested using data collected from managers in US public organizations and support the theorization. We discuss the contributions and implications of this study.