Digital Transformation Initiatives Research Articles

Digital Organizational Culture, Organizational Readiness, and Knowledge Acquisition Affecting Digital Transformation in SMEs from Food Manufacturing Sector

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in Thailand’s food manufacturing sector face increasing pressure to embrace digital transformation. This study explores the critical factors influencing digital transformation in SMEs, focusing on digital organizational culture, knowledge acquisition, and organizational readiness. Drawing upon the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework, we investigate the relationships between digital organizational culture, knowledge acquisition, organizational readiness, and digital transformation. Data were collected from 198 food manufacturing SMEs using purposive sampling and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Our findings underscore the pivotal role of digital organizational culture and knowledge acquisition in facilitating digital transformation within Thai SMEs. We also reveal that organizational readiness acts as a full mediator, significantly impacting the success of digital transformation initiatives. Practically, this study highlights the importance of fostering a robust digital organizational culture through collaborative efforts and advocating for knowledge exchange from external sources. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for SMEs to allocate resources and prioritize readiness for change to ensure seamless digital transformation. Theoretically, our research contributes to a deeper understanding of the digital transformation journey within the context of SMEs in the food manufacturing industry. By aligning with the TOE framework, we provide valuable insights tailored to SMEs, offering guidance for navigating the complexities of digital transformation in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape.

Digital literacy analysis: A case study of Telkom Indonesia in exploring its work environment dynamics

<p>Digital literacy is increasingly recognised as a crucial skill in today's work environment, particularly in the context of rapidly advancing technology. This study aims to analyse the level of digital literacy among employees at PT Telkom Indonesia Graha Merah Putih Bandung and its impact on work productivity. Qualitative research methodology was employed with employees of the company serving as the research population. Both primary and secondary data were utilised, gathered through interviews, observation, and documentation. This study used three types of informants with each being represented by one employee. The findings reveal that digital literacy, encompassing proficiency in utilising digital communication tools and platforms, significantly influences the work productivity of PT Telkom Indonesia employees. Moreover, the development of digital literacy has identified that it is playing pivotal role. The study underscores the importance of digital transformation initiatives and enhancing employee digital literacy to drive improvements in work productivity.</p>

Digital Transformation in Higher Education: A Case Study Analysis of Indira College of Commerce and Science, Pune.

Digital transformation in higher education has become an important strategy for institutions aiming to improve their educational delivery and operational efficiency. This case study explores the implementation and impact of digital transformation initiatives at Indira College of Commerce and Science in Pune. By examining the college's approach to integrating digital technologies into its academic and administrative processes, this highpoint of this research are benefits, challenges, and outcomes associated with these efforts.

Governance of Digital Transformation Initiatives: A Case Study of Industrial Engineering Program at Universitas Bakrie

This research aims to explore the governance of digital transformation initiatives in the Industrial Engineering Study Program, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Bakrie University. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, this study identifies and analyzes how the institution manages digital change, the challenges faced, and the impact on various aspects of education. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with leaders, lecturers, administrative staff, and students, as well as observation and study of relevant documents. The findings show that the success of digital transformation depends on strong leadership, integration of technology in the curriculum, data security policies, and an organizational culture that supports innovation. Active stakeholder engagement and effective risk management strategies also play an important role in overcoming digital challenges

Leapfrogging the Clouds: Singapore Airlines' Innovative Transformation and Voyage to the Future

This paper explores Singapore Airlines (SIA) strategic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the airline's recovery strategy, digital transformation, and innovation initiatives. Despite facing significant challenges, SIA demonstrated resilience and adaptability through the application of Kotter's and Lewin's change models and a commitment to change. Quantitative data analysis indicates a notable recovery in SIA's financial performance, highlighting the company's dedication to innovation and operational excellence. The study concludes that SIA's approach underscores the significance of visionary leadership and proactive management in overcoming adversity and serves as a guide for sustainable growth in the aviation industry post-pandemic.

GenAI in the Context of African Universities: A Crisis of Tertiary Education or Its New Dawn?

The rapid progression of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools has raised significant interest and concern in academia. Instances of students submitting AI-generated assignments prompt investigations into implications for teaching, learning, and academic integrity. Recent publications highlight concerns such as a lack of conceptual understanding, threats to academic integrity, and disruptions to traditional assessment methods. While recognizing benefits like automated scoring and personalized learning, authors stress the responsible use of GenAI, emphasizing the educator's role in guiding students. This commentary identifies opportunities and threats of GenAI in African university contexts. Opportunities include increased operational efficiency, content generation, automated assessment, recognition of accessibility needs, overcoming language barriers, and accelerated research. However, these tools require human correction and cautious consideration of job displacement concerns. Threats encompass job displacement, privacy and security issues, threats to academic integrity, hallucinations/confabulations of GenAI, access and infrastructure challenges, technological overemphasis, lack of customization for local needs and cultural contexts, dependency on external providers, and unaffordable costs. The need for robust guidelines that balance technological advances with traditional teaching methods in African universities is emphasized. Given digital transformation initiatives like the African Union's Agenda 2063 and Botswana's SmartBots strategy, integrating GenAI could shape the future of African tertiary education. Proactive policies should address ethical concerns, ensure access, and make GenAI tools available, requiring a collaborative effort to navigate its impact responsibly.

Expanding the boundaries of digital orientation research: Scale development and validation

Firms keep struggling to realize the benefits of digital transformation processes. Research, therefore, proposes implementing a firm-wide organizational configuration with a digital orientation (DO) fostering digital innovation and transformation initiatives. However, exploration of DO remains somewhat constrained as existing measurement approaches are limited to secondary data. In this study, we develop a new scale to measure DO, specifically in survey-based research. Leveraging survey data from 1,488 top executives of German companies and drawing on the resource-based view, we empirically validate that our scale captures the performance-enhancing effects of DO.

When digital transformation meets supply chain needs in emerging markets: contributions for social and economic performance

Purpose Supply chains are increasingly incorporating social perspectives into their activities. It is often argued that social initiatives in supply chain management (SCM) are a response to external pressures. However, it is still undetermined whether these initiatives can improve economic performance. Additionally, it is proposed that digital transformation in supply chains, also described as Smart Supply Chain, can support social performance. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the association between digital transformation, social performance in SCM and economic performance. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a survey of 473 companies in Brazil, a country where social needs create high pressures on companies to respond to the country’s challenges. The data collected underwent testing using ordinary least squares regression and bootstrapping techniques to examine the mediation effects between Smart Supply Chain, social performance and economic performance. Findings The findings indicate that digital transformation supports social performance. Additionally, adopting social initiatives helps to increase firm performance in the context of an emerging economy, while social initiatives mediate between digital transformation and firm performance. Originality/value This paper provides a new perspective on the social side of supply chains by demonstrating the close relationship between digital transformation and social engagement initiatives. It argues that aligning digital transformation strategies and technologies with social performance is crucial for companies to establish stronger connections with stakeholders.

Unlocking Business Value: Integrating AI-Driven Decision-Making in Financial Reporting Systems

This research article investigates the synergies between artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation (DT), and financial reporting systems within the business context. The central theme explores how organizations enhance their decision-making processes by integrating AI technologies into digital transformation initiatives, particularly in financial reporting. The focal point is comprehending how the synergy of these integrated systems can unlock substantial business value, instigate strategic innovation, and elevate overall financial analytics through the adoption of intelligent, data-driven decision-making methodologies. By harnessing advanced analytics, automation, and adaptive decision support capabilities, organizations navigate the complexities of a rapidly evolving business environment, in which neural networks emerge as a valuable tool for calibrating outcomes in the financial accounting environment, demonstrating effectiveness in processing complex financial data, identifying patterns, and making predictions, ushering in a new era of transformative possibilities. The introduction of a game theory payoff matrix in this AI decision-making tool adds a strategic framework for analyzing interactions among decision-makers, considering strategic choices and outcomes in a dynamic and competitive context.

Digital Transformation in SMEs Emerging Technological Tools and Technologies for Enhancing the SME's Strategies and Outcomes

This study aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of digital transformation which involves the integration of digital technology into all sectors of SMEs, resulting in increased efficiency and enhanced customer service, enables SMEs to reduce overall expenditure by optimizing operational and marketing costs, thereby allowing to focus on value-adding activities, supports SMEs' technology innovation development models and strategies for fostering technological innovation within SMEs. The research identifies the difficulties encountered by SMEs during the implementation of digital transformation initiatives. Additionally, it seeks to acknowledge emerging trends in digital transformation that may affect SMEs and offer advice on proactively embracing technological advancements to sustain competitiveness. This is a mixed-method research project utilizing systematic review and deductive methods to gather qualitative data.Top of FormBottom of Form SMEs currently employing digital transformation were purposefully selected based on criteria such as authorship, publication date, sample size, and variables for this study. Furthermore, this research involved conducting thorough interviews and observations to delve into the technological innovations pursued by the participants. It was found that there are some factors of digital transformation in SMEs' technology innovation: Enhanced Operational Efficiency, Improved Customer Engagement, Global Market Access, Data driven decision making. Hence, Digital transformation in SMEs contribute autonomously to the expenses of technological innovation to foster business sustainability. This necessitates a strategic focus on enhancing consumer services and fostering a favorable attitude toward innovation in SMEs' business practices and development through technology. This study examines obstacles to SME technology innovation in production, business models, technology adoption, and strategic approaches, without analyzing costs related to SME-driven digital transformation. Future studies could investigate obstacles across various SME sectors to enhance digital tools, underscore the significance of SMEs adopting technology, integrating strategic supply chain management, and broadening their business strategies to attain sustainable development.

Strategic approaches for successful digital transformation in project management across industries

Digital transformation has become imperative for organizations across industries seeking to enhance operational efficiency, innovate customer experiences, and maintain competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. This paper explores strategic approaches that enable successful digital transformation in project management, addressing key challenges and leveraging opportunities for growth and sustainability. In the current business environment, digital transformation in project management encompasses the adoption of advanced technologies, integration of digital tools, and reengineering of processes to optimize project delivery and outcomes. Organizations are increasingly leveraging cloud computing, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and Internet of Things (IoT) to streamline project workflows, enhance decision-making capabilities, and facilitate real-time collaboration among stakeholders. Successful digital transformation initiatives in project management are underpinned by strategic planning and leadership commitment. Alignment of digital transformation goals with organizational objectives ensures clarity of purpose and enhances stakeholder engagement throughout the transformation journey. Moreover, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous learning enables teams to adapt to technological advancements and embrace change effectively. Challenges in achieving successful digital transformation include legacy system integration, data security concerns, skill gaps among team members, and resistance to cultural change. Addressing these challenges requires proactive risk management, investment in training and development programs, and collaboration with technology partners to navigate complexities and ensure seamless implementation. Case studies illustrate diverse approaches to digital transformation in project management, highlighting best practices and lessons learned across various industries. Organizations that successfully navigate digital transformation not only achieve operational efficiencies and cost savings but also create value through enhanced customer experiences and improved competitive positioning. Looking forward, the strategic adoption of emerging technologies and agile methodologies will continue to shape the future of digital transformation in project management. Organizations must remain adaptable and responsive to market dynamics, leveraging digital tools to drive innovation, accelerate time-to-market, and sustain long-term growth in an increasingly digital-first world. In conclusion, strategic approaches to digital transformation in project management empower organizations to harness the full potential of digital technologies, driving efficiencies, fostering innovation, and achieving sustainable success across industries.

From gavels to algorithms: The Vidhii Partners GenAI evolution

Learning outcomes This case study exposes students to the process of decision-making given the market uncertainty, evolving shareholder expectations and other variables that executives and managers must consider ensuring business continuity and growth and helps students develop an appreciation of the impact emerging technologies are having on organizational digital transformation. This case study evaluates the strategic considerations for whitespace digital solutions into existing organizational operations, balancing innovation with core operating principles; exposes the students to the drivers of fostering a culture of innovation and employee buy-in during strategic digital transformation initiatives; and evaluates and appreciates the role of key stakeholders, such as customers, employees and executive management, in shaping a successful digital transformation strategy and promoting sustained business growth. Case overview/synopsis Vidhii Partners, a leading Indian law firm, grapples with the burgeoning demand for legal services in a rapidly evolving market. Traditional methods may struggle to keep pace, prompting Vikram Wadehra, a partner, to champion the adoption of Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technology. Vidhii Partners embarks on the development of two GenAI tools: VidAI, an AI-powered chatbot designed to democratize access to legal information, and VidAI Pro, a business-to-business offering aimed at streamlining legal research and drafting. Wadehra envisions these tools not only enhancing efficiency but also fostering a culture of legal awareness and generating new business opportunities. However, crucial decisions remain. Can Vidhii Partners bridge the potential gap between innovation and the firm’s established practices? How can they effectively integrate GenAI into their operations while ensuring user trust and employee buy-in? This case study presents a rich opportunity to explore the challenges and opportunities associated with digital transformation in the legal sector. Students will grapple with themes such as navigating market uncertainty, fostering a culture of innovation within a traditional organization and developing effective strategies for stakeholder management during change initiatives. Through the lens of Vidhii Partners’ GenAI journey, students gain valuable insights into the complexities of embracing disruptive technologies within a dynamic business landscape. Complexity academic level This case study is designed for masters level (MBA). Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.

Smart governance for smart cities and nations

There is an increasing emphasis on utilizing ICT to drive global governmental transformation to enhance efficiency and cost-effective service delivery. Smart governance represents a novel and data-driven progressive approach, prioritizing intelligence in operations, upholding an exceptional standard of public administration, and contributing to the development of smart cities and nations. A smart city uses advanced technology and innovation to augment urban life and efficiency to ensure sustainability and a smart nation extends these principles across regions. Although smart governance is a priority in building smart cities and nations, its challenges and strategies are still not well-defined from the perspective of developing a smart nation and city. Smart Bangladesh is an inclusive digital transformation initiative and a grand vision of the government, advancing towards becoming a developed, prosperous, and smart nation by focusing on four key pillars: smart citizens, smart government, smart economy, and smart society. This study involved interviews with multi-level stakeholders and served as a preliminary step toward providing insights into and understanding the significant challenges and priorities in transforming a smart country and building smart cities. The research identifies fourteen prime challenges of smart governance that are pivotal for transforming Bangladesh into a smart nation and creating smart cities. Among these, stakeholders particularly emphasize the need for administrative reform, robust smart infrastructure, finance, uninterrupted electricity, strong data privacy and security, and effective big data management as crucial to the success of the country's vision. The analysis proposes a conceptual framework based on stakeholders' priorities that can serve as a practical guideline for practitioners to develop a strategic roadmap for effective preparedness to transition to a smart nation and build smart cities. The study fills a research gap in governance theory concerning the evolution of transformative technology-based governance, particularly emphasizing the significance of smart governance in the development of smart nations and cities.

Navigating Digital Transformation: Agile Leadership and Strategic Flexibility in Mid-Sized Manufacturing Firms

This study explores the strategies employed by mid-sized manufacturing firms to leverage digital technologies and harness the vast amounts of data associated with them. It examines the impact of digital transformation on various aspects of firms' operations, including product development, manufacturing processes, product sophistication, and value chain integration. Through an analysis of typical stages in the digital transformation journey, the research aims to assess the significance of agile leadership and strategic flexibility in facilitating this transformation. Findings indicate that agile leadership plays a pivotal role in driving successful digital transformation initiatives. Additionally, strategic flexibility, fostered through workforce transformation and dynamic capability, emerges as a crucial factor in enabling digital transformation. The study highlights the importance of swift leadership responses and adaptable strategies in ensuring the success of digital transformation endeavours. Furthermore, the study reveals a distinction between mature and less mature digital businesses in their approach to technology integration. Mature digital businesses prioritize the seamless integration of digital technologies, such as social, mobile, analytics, and cloud, to transform their operational frameworks. Conversely, less mature digital businesses tend to focus on addressing isolated business challenges through individual digital technologies.

Digital Transformation, Emotional Intelligence, and Organizational Culture Toward Internal Audit Quality: Conceptual Framework

This paper investigates the interplay between digital transformation, emotional intelligence (EI), and internal auditing quality within Saudi public institutions, with a focus on the mediating role of EI and the moderating role of organizational culture. The advent of digital transformation has significantly influenced internal auditing practices, necessitating an adaptation to new technologies and methodologies. Emotional intelligence is identified as a crucial factor in enabling audit teams to effectively manage the challenges and opportunities presented by digital transformation, enhancing communication, decision-making, and adaptability. Organizational culture further influences this relationship by providing a supportive environment that facilitates the adoption of digital innovations and the development of EI among audit personnel. The findings suggest that a synergistic approach, incorporating digital transformation initiatives with the development of EI and fostering a conducive organizational culture, can significantly enhance the quality and effectiveness of internal auditing in Saudi public institutions. This study contributes to the understanding of how digital transformation, EI, and organizational culture interact to improve internal auditing practices, offering valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners aiming to optimize internal audit functions in the face of ongoing digital advancements.

Digital transformation in rural settings: Unlocking opportunities for sustainable economic growth and community empowerment

Purpose: This study explores the potential of digital transformation in rural settings and its role in unlocking opportunities for sustainable economic growth and community empowerment. Method: This study employed a mixed-methods approach that included both qualitative and quantitative research methods. In-depth interviews were conducted with key stakeholders from rural communities, government agencies, and technology experts to gain insights into the current state of digital transformation in rural settings. A survey was also administered to assess their digital literacy levels and attitudes towards digital technologies. Results: The study revealed that the adoption of digital technologies can enhance access to information, improve connectivity, and create new economic opportunities for rural communities. It also demonstrates that digital transformation initiatives can empower community members by providing them with the skills and resources necessary to participate in the digital economy. Furthermore, this study identifies several key success factors for implementing digital transformation in rural areas, including infrastructure development, capacity building, and collaboration between stakeholders. Limitations: This study acknowledges certain limitations, such as the focus on a specific geographic area and potential for response bias in the survey. Further research is needed to explore the generalizability of the findings and to examine the long-term impacts of digital transformation in rural settings. Contributions: This study contributes to understanding the potential benefits of digital transformation in rural settings for sustainable economic growth and community empowerment. These findings provide insights for policymakers, community leaders, and technology providers in designing and implementing effective strategies for digital inclusion and rural development.

Digital transformation in rural settings: Unlocking opportunities for sustainable economic growth and community empowerment

Purpose: This study explores the potential of digital transformation in rural settings and its role in unlocking opportunities for sustainable economic growth and community empowerment. Method: This study employed a mixed-methods approach that included both qualitative and quantitative research methods. In-depth interviews were conducted with key stakeholders from rural communities, government agencies, and technology experts to gain insights into the current state of digital transformation in rural settings. A survey was also administered to assess their digital literacy levels and attitudes towards digital technologies. Results: The study revealed that the adoption of digital technologies can enhance access to information, improve connectivity, and create new economic opportunities for rural communities. It also demonstrates that digital transformation initiatives can empower community members by providing them with the skills and resources necessary to participate in the digital economy. Furthermore, this study identifies several key success factors for implementing digital transformation in rural areas, including infrastructure development, capacity building, and collaboration between stakeholders. Limitations: This study acknowledges certain limitations, such as the focus on a specific geographic area and potential for response bias in the survey. Further research is needed to explore the generalizability of the findings and to examine the long-term impacts of digital transformation in rural settings. Contributions: This study contributes to understanding the potential benefits of digital transformation in rural settings for sustainable economic growth and community empowerment. These findings provide insights for policymakers, community leaders, and technology providers in designing and implementing effective strategies for digital inclusion and rural development.

Digital Transformation in Retail: Strategies for Brick-and-Mortar Stores

Digital transformation has become imperative for brick-and-mortar retail stores facing the challenge of adapting to evolving consumer behaviors and competitive pressures in the digital age. This paper explores strategies and best practices for leveraging digital technologies to enhance customer experience, optimize operations, and drive growth in traditional retail environments. The rapid adoption of online shopping, mobile commerce, and digital platforms has reshaped consumer expectations and shopping habits. Brick-and-mortar retailers must embrace digital transformation initiatives to remain relevant and competitive in a dynamic retail landscape. This study examines successful case studies and empirical research to identify effective strategies for integrating digital technologies into retail operations.

Integration of digital technologies in anti-corruption initiatives in Botswana: lessons from Georgia, Ukraine and South Africa

Purpose This paper aims to explore the potential role of digitalization in reshaping Botswana's assets and liabilities declaration system. Digitalization presents opportunities to not only improve efficiencies in how services are delivered and citizens are engaged but also to integrate innovative ways to combat wicked problems such as illicit enrichment and conflicts of interest in the public service. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative paper adopts an exploratory research design to investigate how digital technologies can be used to enhance anti-corruption reforms in a developing country context. Primary data, focusing on the shortcomings and successes of Botswana’s asset declaration system, were collected from interviews with key policy actors in Botswana’s anti-corruption landscape, whereas secondary data were drawn from documents such as official reports, news and social media reports and available literature on the topics of digitalization and anti-corruption reforms. A comparative case study approach is used, highlighting successes and challenges in the use of electronic disclosure systems in Georgia, Ukraine and South Africa. Findings The analysis provides insights into the potential benefits and challenges associated with the integration of digital technologies in the asset and liability declaration process. The integration of digital technologies in the anti-corruption efforts of Georgia, Ukraine and South Africa has contributed to the development of robust electronic declaration systems. However, political resistance, costs, technical capacity and verification processes are identified as some of the core challenges confronting agencies tasked with implementing asset declaration systems. Research limitations/implications The political and socio-economic contexts in the country case studies presented are distinct, as are the challenges posed by corruption. Although Botswana can gain insights from the implementation experiences of Georgia, Ukraine and South Africa, policymakers and implementers need to take into account these subtleties and their potential influence on the success or failure of a similar system. The research has implications for policy and practice by proposing an alternative approach to the implementation of Botswana’s asset declaration system. This will be of interest to policymakers, anti-corruption activists and scholars. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, prior research has not studied the relationship between digitalization and anti-corruption reforms in Botswana. This paper contributes to the dearth of knowledge regarding the role of digitalization as a driver of anti-corruption reforms. The paper informs policy decisions related to the implementation of digital transformation initiatives in line with Botswana’s anti-corruption and digital transformation agendas.

Revitalizing Track and Field Education in Colleges and Universities Through Digital Transformation Initiatives

Revitalizing Track and Field Education in Colleges and Universities Through Digital Transformation Initiatives