Examining the Affordances and Constraints of Organization-ICT Practices in Addressing Complex Social Problems

Many non-profit organizations (NPO) and non-government organizations (NGO) aim to address real-world problems that are evident in our society. Complex social problems such as poverty, homelessness, illiteracy, emergencies and disasters are ever-present in today’s world. Many forms of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are involved in the process of addressing the needs of collaborating agencies and the communities and individuals in affected areas. Though not presently studied in Information Systems (IS) research, NPOs and NGOs have begun to exhibit a tightly intertwined relationship between their organizational practices and technology. Integrating work practices with ICT may result in differential outcomes when addressing inherently complex and dynamic social problems. This conceptual paper aims to explore the ways in which organizations are enabled and constrained in addressing their social missions through their interaction with various forms of ICT.