IT as a safety net during a crisis

ABSTRACT

Research indicates that Information Technology (IT) is an indispensable part of crisis management by helping managers respond to disruptive and unexpected events (Riemer et al., 2020;Sakurai & Chughtai, 2020). However, the impact of a crisis on IT is less clear. This research investigates the interplay of crisis response and IT transformation in the context of the 2020- 2021 Covid-19 pandemic. We use punctuated equilibrium theory to interpret how a multi-billion-dollar Supply Chain Company (SupplyCo) responded to the Covid-19 crisis. Our case study illustrates how managers apply IT in crisis response and how crisis drives IT transformation. This research shows that IT functions as a safety net and shields companies and employees along three dimensions. The research offers recommendations for re-orienting IT and the workforce in response to a crisis. © AMCIS 2021.