UK National Health Service information systems implementation: Emergence of and in informal groups

Abstract

Emergence in informal groups is a key factor in successful Information System (IS) implementation. In the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS), information systems are highly specific and designed to support specific functions. But their implementation raises problems. They are inherently non responsive to the emergence that occurs in informal groups in actuality such as doctors, nurses and administrators. The proposed theoretical framework is designed to understand emergence in informal groups as they respond to the implementation of information systems. The framework argues that informal group behavior should be characterized as a Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS), which affects the success of IS implementation. The theoretical framework is based on the Theory of Deferred Action, which suggests how emergence can be incorporated into formal design. It can be utilized to understand emergence in hierarchical organizations during the introduction of new IS and to develop strategies to incorporate emergence into the formal design of IS.