Managing digital transformation: The view from the top

Abstract

Digital Transformation is upending businesses everywhere. While there is ample research on this topic, there is a clear gap when it comes to understanding the changing talent management role of senior executives in digital transformation processes and the demands of individual employees. This article relies on 23 in-depth interviews with senior managers who are leading all or some of the digital transformation efforts of their respective organizations. Our research, using a grounded theory approach, identifies four key activities (and 37 sub-activities or themes) stemming from the new managerial needs and talent management practices arising from DT processes. We branded these key activities “Drive business change”, “Master fluid & loose organizational structures”, “Master Talent Complexity”, and “Prioritize learning”. This paper aims to provide an overview into the thinking and managerial practices of senior executives in a digital transformation context and complements the limited number of studies that examine the intersection between managerial actions and digital transformation. It also provides a conceptual framework that captures the key managerial demands arising from digital transformation processes and identifies key actions made by senior executives as part of these processes, which can be leveraged by both scholars and practitioners alike.