Prof. Jan Recker, Ph.D.From Digital Sustainability to Digital Resilience

27 April 2026

Photo: AdobeStock_485265716 metamorworks

In a study, Nucleus professor Dr. Jan Recker and his international co-authors examine how digital resilience can be achieved, using climate change as an example, and what factors influence it. An article on this topic has been published in MIS Quarterly.

The “twin transformation”—that is, the shift toward digital sustainability—is a popular area of research. The goal is to move away from a “non-sustainable” situation and toward a more sustainable one. Jan Recker, Professor of Information Systems and Digital Innovation, is collaborating with co-authors on a study that asks: What if achieving “sustainability” is the wrong approach because the goal is unattainable or politically unfeasible? “Perhaps tackling the challenges of climate change isn’t about more sustainability,” says Recker, “but rather about resilience in the face of change—the ability to anticipate, cushion, and absorb the consequences of climate change.”

How this can be achieved is the focus of an essay by 19 researchers from universities across all continents. The key point is that digital resilience always depends on context and perspective—there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Key takeaways: Digital resilience involves many levers—action must be taken on both a large and small scale, and both reactive and proactive strategies are needed. Furthermore, climate change should not be viewed as an exogenous “shock,” i.e., an isolated event. Instead, climate change is an ongoing process comprising many events, actions, and reactions. “We must begin to view digitalization and nature simultaneously and in relation to one another, and also learn to look ahead so that we can act more proactively in the face of climate change,” summarizes the digital expert. “Only in this way can we make the leap toward a resilient economy and society.”

The paper draws on many case studies from various fields and regions; however, the main focus is on new theoretical ideas.

In addition to Prof. Recker, the authors of the study are: Wai Fong Boh, Nigel P. Melville, João Baptista, Friedrich Chasin, Flávio Eduardo Aoki Horita, Anne Ixmeier, Steven L. Johnson, Wolf Ketter, Johann Kranz, Shaila Miranda, Ning Nan, Brian Pentland, Sepide Sadeghi, Suprateek Sarker, Saonee Sarker, Juliana Sutanto, Ping Wang, and Wahyu Wilopo.

The article was published in MIS Quarterly under the title “Digital Resilience for the Climate Crisis: A Multi-Perspective Analysis.”

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