Improving the state of citizens’ health is an urgent priority in many low and middle income countries (LMICs), and health management information systems (HMIS) are widely seen as valuable tools for pursuing this priority. Yet, the potential of HMIS has been difficult to materialize in the LMIC context since routines and practices that work against effective use of HMIS are often deeply embedded in historical institutions and, consequently, are difficult to change. Using a longitudinal case study of HMIS in Kenya, we investigate the crucial role of identity work as a mechanism that links information technology (IT) affordances to institutions. In particular, our study revealed four types of identity work (disruptive, legitimizing, reinforcing, and transformative) that, through different affordances, led to distinct institutional consequences in terms of either maintaining or deinstitutionalizing existing dysfunctional HMIS-related routines and practices. We demonstrate the importance of context for theorizing the societal and development impact of IT and the role of IT materiality in influencing deinstitutionalization.

Contemporary knowledge workers collaborating in hybrid work environments need to frequently deal with ICT interruptions. This can potentially lead to disruptions in the collaboration process, particularly in synchronous collaboration contexts. How do knowledge workers deal with such interruptions to ensure the smooth continuation of their collaboration? Previous studies, for the most part, suggest that interruptions are likely to negatively affect the process of collaboration, yet we see that in many instances, knowledge workers continue to collaborate smoothly despite receiving ICT interruptions and even attending to them. In other words, ICT interruptions do not always discernibly affect the collaborative process. In this paper, sensitized by concepts from Goffman’s work, we offer a novel understanding of how group members can seamlessly handle ICT interruptions, avoiding and, in certain cases, recovering from serious disruptions in collaboration.