Mapping digital transformation efforts: lessons from organisations in agribusiness sector

Abstract

New innovative business model, changes in wholesale and customers' needs and behaviour, and food safety issues force businesses in agri-food sector to develop a digital transformation strategy. As many of them are well-established organisations existing resources, capabilities, organisations experience, and financial resources are important parameters that are considered. Based on dynamic capabilities and digital transformation literature we proposed a research model that aligns digital transformation and could be an enabler for a successful digital transformation. To test our research model, we adopt a qualitative approach that is based on in-depth interviews of key respondents such as CEOs, owners, and managers of three incumbent agri-food businesses active in the Thessaloniki surrounding area. We explore how existing resources and capabilities, managerial perception, organisational beliefs, and identity affect the digital transformation process and if the proposed implementation initiatives enable agri-food businesses to easily implement the digital transformation strategy. The paper aims to propose a digital transformation framework that not only empirically helps managers easily implement a digital transformation strategy but also will add theoretical value to the existing literature about digital transformation as it proposes and tests a digital transformation framework that is based on businesses' capabilities.