Conceptualization of digital transformation strategy and identifying the principles and supporting capabilities for its formation with meta synthesis approach

Document Type : Original research

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate,University of Tehran

2 Associate Professor,University of Tehran

Abstract

Today's world has been affected by digital technologies more than ever, and no business can be considered independent of these technologies, regardless of industry, size, and geography. Various industries such as banking, insurance, automobile, petrochemical, steel, energy, food, entertainment and education are experiencing a fundamental change centered on digital technologies. In the current era, organizations have entered a new era in which digital technologies have revolutionized the majority of industries, from products and services to customer expectations. Today's organizations have practically no other way to survive and that is digital transformation. Digital transformation is an inevitable necessity and a vital strategic issue for today's businesses, which will suffer great losses if they do not adopt and implement the right strategy and consequently they might fail.By reviewing the theoretical academic resources, despite the need for a model to formulate a digital transformation strategy which there is a consensus on and contains various dimensions of digital transformation with an exhaustive view, there has never been such a framework, which reminds us of the need to address this issue. This research is designed to address the Conceptualization of digital transformation strategy as mentioned earlier. In this research, by conceptualizing the digital transformation strategy and cognition of its various dimensions, the mentioned gap will be addressed, by using the research method of meta synthesis. For this purpose, after reviewing 17 selected articles, a specific definition of digital transformation strategy has been presented and its relationship with business strategy and functional strategies has been analyzed. Also, the principles of shaping the digital transformation strategy are presented in two content and process categories. Finally, three categories of cultural, structural and leadership capabilities have been identified as supporting capabilities for shaping the digital transformation strategy.

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