Sustaining Organizational Operations during an Outbreak: Problems, Needs, and Opportunities for Information Systems

ABSTRACT

Regulatory measures during an outbreak keep many organizations from operating as usual, requiring new practices and policies. Since society has become highly dependent on effective and efficient information systems (IS), understanding how outbreaks may impact IS is critical. By looking at existing literature, problems associated with sustaining reliable IS services, as well as changing needs for IS caused by the new circumstances are explored, and new opportunities for IS after the outbreak are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• information systems
• information technology
• outbreak
• epidemic
• pandemic

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Polish National Science Centre, Poland, Grant No. 2018/29/B/HS4/02578.

Notes on contributors

Narcyz Roztocki

Narcyz Roztocki is professor in the Department of Accounting at Kozminski University, Warsaw, Poland and professor in the School of Business at the State University of New York at New Paltz, USA. His research interests include IS/IT investment evaluation, IS/IT productivity, and IS/IT investments in transition/emerging economies. He has published in numerous journals including European Journal of Information Systems, Journal of Strategic Information System, Journal of Computer Information Systems, as well as in numerous conference proceedings such as AMCIS, HICCS, and ECIS. He is a senior editor of the journal Information Technology for Development and the journal Information Systems Management.

Wojciech Strzelczyk is assistant professor in the Department of Accounting at Kozminski University, Warsaw, Poland. His research interests include IS/IT use in public sector organizations, IS/IT productivity, performance management and measurement using modern technology tools. He has published in Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal and Public Performance & Management Review, and in proceedings of EAA and AMCIS, among others.

Heinz Roland Weistroffer is professor emeritus in the School of Business at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, USA. His research interests include information technology for development, systems analysis and design, and computer-assisted decision-making. He has published in Journal of Strategic Information Systems, Information Technology for Development, Information Systems Management, and Decision Support Systems among other journals, as well as in numerous conference proceedings such as AMCIS, DSI, HICCS, and ECIS. He is an associate editor of the journal Information Technology for Development and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Economics and Management.