Identifying micro‐level generative mechanisms of ICT‐enabled performance improvement in resource‐constrained healthcare organisations: A critical realist perspective

Abstract

Healthcare studies in the information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) domain have attempted to understand how technology can be used to support healthcare organisations in developing countries; organisations whose performance is negatively impacted by resource constraints. Current studiespredominantly informed by positivist and interpretivist paradigmsproduce analyses and prescriptions designed without an in-depth understanding of the underlying mechanisms influencing performance. The result is limited ability to explain how organisational performance is enabled by ICT.Critical realism as a philosophy of science provides a deeper ontological and broader epistemological approach that makes it possible to theorise the micro-level mechanisms that hold potential for explaining observed outcomes. The study reported here, informed by the critical realism paradigm, uses interviews, observation and organisational data collected from a single case study to identify the resource optimisation micro-level generative mechanisms that have improved emergency medical services. The study integrates the technological affordances lens to explain ICTenabled organisational performance. Additionally, the paper proposes and tests an understanding of the Bygstad, Munkvold, and Volkoff stepwise framework as a methodology for doing critical realist research using affordances.

E‐transparency and government budgetary corruption: A social marketing and transformation case from Nigeria

“…Existing theory forms the basis for abduction. However, such theories used may require modification (Buchana et al, 2018). This approach is becoming increasingly popular in studies that explore phenomena that researchers know little about in developing countries (Inuwa et al, 2020; Mungai, 2018).…”

Perception of Millennial Workforce upon ICT and Organizational Learning and Innovative Performance: The Mediating Role of Ambidexterity

“…Based on the above studies, our research proposes the following hypothesis: H5. Ambidextrous Organization has a positive influence on the innovative performance Bresciani et al [64] also found the relationship between ICT, Knowledge management and Ambidexterity in a new context of analysis. The ICT is measured by internal use, collaboration & communication.…”

“…IT and interdependent decision making, are key coordination mechanisms promoting contextual ambidexterity. Bresciani, Ferraris, & Del Giudice [64] found evidence that to obtain higher ambidexterity MNEs must develop knowledge management (KM) and ICT capabilities. KM capabilities indirectly enhance ambidexterity through firms ICT capabilities.…”

“…Yan et al [47] found that exploration and exploitation are different but they are both related with organizational ambidexterity. Bresciani et al [64] found evidence that MNEs need to develop knowledge management capabilities to produce greater ambidexterity performance. Based on the above studies, our research proposes the following hypothesis: H3: Organization Learning Capability has a positive influence on ambidextrous organization…”

“…Popadić, Černe, & Černe [82] and Kosasih, Wibowo, & Saparuddin [83] found that ambidexterity of exploratory and exploitative innovation positively influence on firms' innovation performance. The study from Bresciani et al [64] and Faisal Ahammad, Mook Lee, Malul, & Shoham [84] argued that many studies found a positive relationship between organizational ambidexterity and several organizational outcomes. Based on the above studies, our research proposes the following hypothesis: H5.…”