The dynamics of information system development in developing countries: From mutual exclusion to hybrid vigor

Abstract

The integration of isolated software components into large-scale and complex information systems is a topic that attracts the interest of many information systems practitioners and researchers. However, less attention is given to the intricate processes by which these infrastructures are built using multiple independent software components. Different actors introduce these components, which can lead to a “battleground of functional roles” where components are replacing and blocking each other. To better understand this phenomenon, we conducted multiple case studies involving the development of a large-scale information system for communicable disease detection, prevention, and control in Vietnam. We collected empirical data through various methods, including interviews, focus groups, and participation observation. We identified different strategies employed by actors to block, remove, or replace other software components, protect their position, and find a way to join the existing and established systems. This paper contributes to this topic by theorizing a strategy called “hybrid vigor,” which allows for the combination of the strengths of individual software components and enables sustainable evolution.