Digital information in temporary organizations

What the paper says

Digital information is intrinsic to contemporary organizing but under-theorized in the literature on temporary organizations. Contributing to taking stock and moving forward from 30 years of research on temporary organizations, we unpack theoretically how these organizations are now shaped by and shaping their use of digital information. Like more permanent organizations, temporary organizations access their digital information through information systems provided by global companies, and structure that information using standardized forms and workflows. Yet, two salient and distinctive features of how temporary organizations use digital information are: first, they use diverse types of digital information that pre-exist before, are generated in and persist after temporary organizing; and second, digital information is transferred and used across multiple systems in these processes of organizing and as an output of the organization. We discuss implications for virtualization, algorithmic content generation and surveillance in temporary organizations, and identify opportunities for future research. • Digital information is pervasive in contemporary temporary organizations. • Temporary organizations rely on information systems and standardized forms. • Yet, digital information becomes used across multiple systems and over time. • Complexity in information supply chains has implications, e.g. surveillance. • There is a need for more scholarship on digitally-enabled temporary organization.