Digital transformation (DT) is the process of adoption and implementation of digital technology [1] [2] [3] by an organization in order to create new or modify existing products, services and operations by the means of translating business processes into a digital format.
The goal for its implementation is to increase value through innovation, [4] [5] invention, improved customer experience and efficiency. [1] Focusing on efficiency and costs, the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) defines "digitalisation" as
the practice of redefining models, functions, operations, processes and activities by leveraging technological advancements to build an efficient digital business environment – one where gains (operational and financial) are maximised, and costs and risks are minimised. [6]
However, since there are no comprehensive data sets on digital transformation at the macro level, the overall effect of digital transformation is still (as of 2020 [update] ), too early to comment. [7]
While there are approaches which see digital transformation as an opportunity to be seized quickly if the dangers of delay are to be avoided, [8] a useful incremental approach to transformation called discovery-driven planning (DDP) has been proven to help solve digital challenges, especially for traditional firms. This approach focuses on step-by-step transformation instead of the all-or-nothing approach. A few benefits of DDP are risk mitigation, quick response to changing market conditions, and increased success rate to digital transformations. [9]
Adopting digital technology can bring various benefits to a business. [10] [11] In their research, O'Higgins (2023) identified that incorporating business architecture practices into digital transformation initiatives leads to improved efficiency, decision-making, and strategic alignment, particularly in the context of rapidly evolving technological landscapes. [12] CIPS has also observed that digital capability can be used to support supply chain transparency and remote working. [6]
There are multiple common barriers that digital transformation initiatives, projects and strategies face. One of the main barriers is change management, because changes in processes may face active resistance from workers. Related to change management is the miscommunication between workers, which can lead to implementation delays or even complete project failure. Some companies are unable to develop a realistic cost projection due to a too optimistic view of the process. Companies may have legacy systems in place, which can lead to integration difficulties with new systems. Within organizations there may also be a lack of resources, top management support, workers' skills, commitment, collaboration and vision. [13]
Some company cultures can struggle with the changes required by digital transformation. [14]
In addition to the several barriers to digital transformation, there are also numerous enablers of digital transformation. The primary enablers are organizations' resources and capabilities, workers' skills, technologies and culture. The aforementioned enabler "Organizations resources and capabilities" refers to the ability of an organization to adapt to contemporary issues arising in the business environment, as well as their capabilities in the field of data analytics. In regards to "Workers' skills", workers must be able to develop valuable insights with the use of data, have significant emotional intelligence and effectively part-take in the development of new products. Thirdly, technology is also a vital enabler of digital transformation. Companies can benefit from having access to artificial intelligence, data analytics softwares and effective usage of social media. Lastly, "Culture" pertains to the extent the organizational culture is data-driven and the quality of the top management support and engagement within the corporation. [13]
Digitization is the process of converting analog information into digital form using an analog-to-digital converter, such as in an image scanner or for digital audio recordings. As usage of the internet has increased since the 1990s, the usage of digitization has also increased. Digital transformation, however, is broader than just the digitization of existing processes. Digital transformation entails considering how products, processes and organizations can be changed through the use of new digital technologies. [15] [16] A 2019 review proposes a definition of digital transformation as "a process that aims to improve an entity by triggering significant changes to its properties through combinations of information, computing, communication, and connectivity technologies". [2] Digital transformation can be seen as a socio-technical programme. [17] [18]
A 2015 report stated that maturing digital companies were using cloud hosting, social media, mobile devices and data analytics, while other companies were using individual technologies for specific problems. [19] By 2017, one study found that less than 40% of industries had become digitized (although usage was high in the media, retail and technology industries). [20]
As of 2020, 37% of European companies and 27% of American companies had not embraced digital technology. [21] [22] Over the period of 2017 to 2020, 70% of European municipalities have increased their spending on digital technologies. [21] [23] By 2019, the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply found in a survey of 700 managers, representing over 20 industries and 55 countries, that over 90% of the businesses represented had adopted at least one new form of information technology, and 90% stated that their digitalisation strategies aimed to secure decreased operational costs and increased efficiency. [24]
In a 2021 survey, 55% of European companies stated the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for digital technology, and 46% of companies reported that they have grown more digital. [25] Half of these companies anticipate an increase in the usage of digital technologies in the future, with a greater proportion being companies that have previously used digital technology. [26] [27] A lack of digital infrastructure was viewed as a key barrier to investment by 16% of EU businesses, compared to 5% in the US. [21]
In a survey conducted in 2021, 89% of African banks polled claimed that the pandemic had hastened the digital transformation of their internal operations. [28]
In 2022, 53% of businesses in the EU reported taking action or making investments in becoming more digital. [29] [30] [31] 71% of companies in the US reported using at least one advanced digital technology, similar to the average usage of 69% across EU organizations. [29] [32] [33]
Digital transformation plays a crucial role in alleviating the adverse effects of simultaneous and interconnected challenges, while also strengthening the resilience and adaptability of both organizations and supply chains. Represented by the TOP framework, digital transformation acts as a catalyst for generating and leveraging benefits. These benefits hold the potential to bolster resilience across not only individual organizations but also throughout the entire supply chain. [13]
It does so by leveraging cutting-edge technologies to enhance predictive power and responsiveness. Technologies include the Internet of Things, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, simulation, additive manufacturing, blockchain, and digital twins. [13]
Digital transformation embedded within the organizational culture empowers managers to take decisive actions, enables seamless collaboration among workers across diverse departments, and fortifies supply chains. Additionally, it empowers top management to respond swiftly and proactively, effectively reducing and mitigating adverse impacts. [13]
Effective communication within an organization is essential among departments and employees. Furthermore, possessing robust skills in communication, leadership, and strategy is imperative for overcoming any adverse effects of the challenges. [13]
According to the resource-based view theory, successful firms' resources should be valuable, rare, non-imitable, and non-substitutable [34] in order for capabilities such as responsiveness, flexibility, or even agility to be developed. "A capability is a concept that refers to an organization's use of a set of resources to carry out its routine and strategic activities". [35] O'Higgins (2024) emphasizes findings from their empirical research which highlights the importance of tailoring digital transformation strategies to align with organizational resources and capabilities, noting that industry-specific factors and regional variations play a critical role in achieving sustained success. [36]
The digital transformation capability (DTC) framework is a direct application of this theory, stating that resources can be either tangible, intangible or human. The tangible side of the DTC framework gathers physical assets like the organization's IT infrastructure, whereas the intangible side focuses on its digital transformation strategy, knowledge, and reputational capital. Human resources are broader and include technical skills, continuous training, leadership, and social skills. [13]
Digital transformation is often perceived as a reactive measure to address customer demands, competition, and regulatory compliance. However, it can be a proactive opportunity for organizations to achieve sustainable business practices and facilitate a circular economy. By building sensing, smart, sustainable, and social capabilities, enterprises can capture valuable information, make faster and smarter decisions, and adapt to changing environments. [37]
Aligning digital transformation with sustainability can enhance performance by engaging stakeholders, optimizing resource allocation, and reducing risks. A comprehensive business case that prioritizes sustainability benefits and multidimensional returns can secure the necessary resources for successful implementation. To achieve sustainability goals, effective governance, integration, change management, and stakeholder involvement are critical factors. [38]
In commerce, supply chain management (SCM) deals with a system of procurement, operations management, logistics and marketing channels, through which raw materials can be developed into finished products and delivered to their end customers. A more narrow definition of supply chain management is the "design, planning, execution, control, and monitoring of supply chain activities with the objective of creating net value, building a competitive infrastructure, leveraging worldwide logistics, synchronising supply with demand and measuring performance globally". This can include the movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, finished goods, and end to end order fulfilment from the point of origin to the point of consumption. Interconnected, interrelated or interlinked networks, channels and node businesses combine in the provision of products and services required by end customers in a supply chain.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the European Union's investment bank and is owned by the 27 member states. It is the largest multilateral financial institution in the world. The EIB finances and invests both through equity and debt solutions companies and projects that achieve the policy aims of the European Union through loans, equity and guarantees.
A business model describes how a business organization creates, delivers, and captures value, in economic, social, cultural or other contexts. The model describes the specific way in which the business conducts itself, spends, and earns money in a way that generates profit. The process of business model construction and modification is also called business model innovation and forms a part of business strategy.
A supply chain is a complex logistics system that consists of facilities that convert raw materials into finished products and distribute them to end consumers or end customers. Meanwhile, supply chain management deals with the flow of goods in distribution channels within the supply chain in the most efficient manner.
Research and development is the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products. R&D constitutes the first stage of development of a potential new service or the production process.
Procurement is the process of locating and agreeing to terms and purchasing goods, services, or other works from an external source, often with the use of a tendering or competitive bidding process. The term may also refer to a contractual obligation to "procure", i.e. to "ensure" that something is done. When a government agency buys goods or services through this practice, it is referred to as government procurement or public procurement.
A green economy is an economy that aims at reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities, and that aims for sustainable development without degrading the environment. It is closely related with ecological economics, but has a more politically applied focus. The 2011 UNEP Green Economy Report argues "that to be green, an economy must not only be efficient, but also fair. Fairness implies recognizing global and country level equity dimensions, particularly in assuring a Just Transition to an economy that is low-carbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive."
Enterprise architecture (EA) is a business function concerned with the structures and behaviours of a business, especially business roles and processes that create and use business data. The international definition according to the Federation of Enterprise Architecture Professional Organizations is "a well-defined practice for conducting enterprise analysis, design, planning, and implementation, using a comprehensive approach at all times, for the successful development and execution of strategy. Enterprise architecture applies architecture principles and practices to guide organizations through the business, information, process, and technology changes necessary to execute their strategies. These practices utilize the various aspects of an enterprise to identify, motivate, and achieve these changes."
A strategic partnership is a relationship between two commercial enterprises, usually formalized by one or more business contracts. A strategic partnership will usually fall short of a legal partnership entity, agency, or corporate affiliate relationship. Strategic partnerships can take on various forms from shake hand agreements, contractual cooperation's all the way to equity alliances, either the formation of a joint venture or cross-holdings in each other.
Materials management is a core supply chain function and includes supply chain planning and supply chain execution capabilities. Specifically, materials management is the capability firms use to plan total material requirements. The material requirements are communicated to procurement and other functions for sourcing. Materials management is also responsible for determining the amount of material to be deployed at each stocking location across the supply chain, establishing material replenishment plans, determining inventory levels to hold for each type of inventory, and communicating information regarding material needs throughout the extended supply chain.
In the business sector, business architecture is a discipline that "represents holistic, multidimensional business views of: capabilities, end-to-end value delivery, information, and organizational structure; and the relationships among these business views and strategies, products, policies, initiatives, and stakeholders."
The digital economy is a portmanteau of digital computing and economy, and is an umbrella term that describes how traditional brick-and-mortar economic activities are being transformed by the Internet and World Wide Web technologies.
In organizational theory, dynamic capability is the capability of an organization to purposefully adapt an organization's resource base. The concept was defined by David Teece, Gary Pisano and Amy Shuen, in their 1997 paper Dynamic Capabilities and Strategic Management, as the firm’s ability to engage in adapting, integrating, and reconfiguring internal and external organizational skills, resources, and functional competences to match the requirements of a changing environment.
The digital supply chain is a new media term which encompasses the process of the delivery of digital media, be it music or video, by electronic means, from the point of origin to destination (consumer). In much the same manner a physical medium must go through a “supply chain” process in order to mature into a consumable product, digital media must pass through various stages in processing to get to a point in which the consumer can enjoy the music or video on a mobile device, computer, or television set.
Supply-chain sustainability is the management of environmental, social and economic impacts and the encouragement of good governance practices, throughout the lifecycles of goods and services. There is a growing need for integrating sustainable choices into supply-chain management. An increasing concern for sustainability is transforming how companies approach business. Whether motivated by their customers, corporate values or business opportunity, traditional priorities such as quality, efficiency and cost regularly compete for attention with concerns such as working conditions and environmental impact. A sustainable supply chain seizes value chain opportunities and offers significant competitive advantages for early adopters and process innovators.
A circular economy is a model of resource production and consumption in any economy that involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible. The concept aims to tackle global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution by emphasizing the design-based implementation of the three base principles of the model. The main three principles required for the transformation to a circular economy are: designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. CE is defined in contradistinction to the traditional linear economy.
Digital learning is learning that is supported by technology. It encompasses any type of learning that is accompanied by technology or by instructional practice that makes effective use of technology. It includes a wide array of practices, including blended and virtual learning.
The Digital Firm is a kind of organization that has enabled core business relationships through digital networks In these digital networks are supported by enterprise class technology platforms that have been leveraged within an organization to support critical business functions and services. Some examples of these technology platforms are Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Knowledge Management System (KMS), Enterprise Content Management (ECM), and Warehouse Management System (WMS) among others. The purpose of these technology platforms is to digitally enable seamless integration and information exchange within the organization to employees and outside the organization to customers, suppliers, and other business partners.
Climate finance is an umbrella term for financial resources such as loans, grants, or domestic budget allocations for climate change mitigation, adaptation or resiliency. Finance can come from private and public sources. It can be channeled by various intermediaries such as multilateral development banks or other development agencies. Those agencies are particularly important for the transfer of public resources from developed to developing countries in light of UN Climate Convention obligations that developed countries have.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected innumerable scientific and technical institutions globally, resulting in lower productivity in a number of fields and programs. However, the impact of the pandemic has also led to the opening of several new research funding lines for government agencies around the world.
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