Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine and reinterpret information ecology in the context of the changing environment of services, which has been strongly affected by digitalisation and increasing citizen engagement. Here, information ecology refers to the interaction and co-evolution of technologies, human beings and the social environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The data consist of 25 thematic interviews conducted in a public Finnish organisation responsible for organising welfare services, and in its collaborating organisations. The interviews were analysed qualitatively. The analytical framework is based on Nardi and O'Day's five components of information ecology: system, diversity, co-evolution, keystone species and locality.

Findings

The analysis shows that these basic components still exist in the digitalisation era, but that they should be interpreted and highlighted differently, for example, stressing the openness of the information system instead of closed systems, as well as emphasising the increasing meaning of diversity amongst digitalisation, and the dynamic co-evolution between the elements of the system. New capabilities, such as the ability to combine various kinds of information and knowledge, are needed in this adaptation.

Research limitations/implications

The study illustrates a wider, updated information-ecology concept with the help of empirical research. Technology affects care organisations' information ecologies in numerous – often invisible – ways, which this study brings into light.

Originality/value

So far, information-ecology research has overlooked social and healthcare, but this study provides findings concerning this societally important sector.

中文翻译：

---

数字化福利服务中的信息生态：多层次分析

目的

本文的目的是在服务环境不断变化的背景下检查和重新解释信息生态，它受到数字化和公民参与度增加的强烈影响。在这里，信息生态是指技术、人类和社会环境的相互作用和共同进化。

设计/方法论/方法

数据包括在负责组织福利服务的芬兰公共组织及其合作组织中进行的 25 次专题访谈。访谈进行了定性分析。分析框架基于 Nardi 和 O'Day 的信息生态学的五个组成部分：系统、多样性、共同进化、关键物种和位置。

发现

分析表明，这些基本组成部分在数字化时代仍然存在，但应该以不同的方式解释和突出，例如强调信息系统的开放性而不是封闭系统，以及强调数字化多样性的日益增加的意义。 ，以及系统元素之间的动态协同演化。这种适应需要新的能力，例如结合各种信息和知识的能力。

研究限制/影响

该研究在实证研究的帮助下展示了一个更广泛、更新的信息生态学概念。本研究揭示了技术以多种方式（通常是无形的）影响护理组织的信息生态系统。

创意/价值

到目前为止，信息生态学研究忽略了社会和医疗保健，但这项研究提供了有关这个社会重要部门的发现。