Information Systems Resilience: The Role of Flexibility and Stability

This paper contributes to conceptualization of information system resilience. By building upon and extending the framework of Heeks and Ospina (2019), we argue that an information system's ability to be resilient lies in its balance between stability and flexibility. Based on empirical findings we suggest that a stable core and flexibility to change is crucial when a digital system is faced with unforeseen adversities. We hope to contribute to more theorizing of the information system resilience and inspire further research on this subject. The paper may also have practical value for stakeholders working with implementation of national information systems in the health sector. This is a qualitative case study conducted together with the Health Information Systems Programme (HISP) at the Institute of Informatics, University of Oslo. Our findings are based on empirical insights related to the DHIS2 software during the Covid-19 response.