Exploring institutional logics to dynamic ambidexterity in health information system implementation in the public health sector of Ethiopia

Abstract

Information system (IS) implementation can often lead to inherently contradictory issues, standardization, and evolve-ability, which requires different, sets of information technology (IT) governance mechanisms. Recent research advocate ambidexterity mechanisms which consider the contradictory logic for long-term success yet it has paid little attention to resource-constrained settings which is a source of contradiction for the lack of technical and financial resource. Using an interpretative approach, based on institutional logic and dynamic ambidexterity concepts, this study revealed how centralized, systemic, and IT logics shaped IT governance mechanisms toward centralized and ad hoc-based decentralized structures. Furthermore, the study depicted how the lack of a common vision for IS implementation impeded defining roles, identifying and collaborating with similar initiatives that led the implementation to uncontrolled evolve-ability. Despite the absence of a common vision in resource-constrained settings, the study identified the importance of resource-chasing collaboration among heterogeneous actors to achieve standardization and evolve-ability at a certain level though not sufficient. The study proposed an ambidextrous implementation framework by combining dynamic ambidexterity and institutional logic concepts to complement the resource-chased collaboration with major HIS logics-based collaboration through devising common vision, strategy, and mechanisms which allows sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring the emergent heterogeneous system implementation initiatives to achieve standardization and evolve-ability simultaneously.