Digital Transformation From the Industry Perspective: Definitions, Goals, Conceptual Model, and Processes

Digital transformation (DT) is a unique transformation that organizations undergo, as it depends on understanding the role of data and available technologies, which bring drastic changes to an organization’s structure and capabilities. Studies discussing DT concepts, frameworks, and tools are increasing rapidly. However, few studies empirically present the industrial understanding and practices of the DT process and how to successfully implement DT. In this study, I interviewed nine senior DT leaders to provide a holistic and comprehensive understanding of DT in practice. The DT leaders provided definitions of DT, its core goals and motivations, its concepts and relationships, and its implementation processes. Through analyzing the leaders’ responses, an empirically driven definition of DT and its goals are presented. In addition, the study provides a conceptual model that depicts the basic entities in the DT context and their relationships. Finally, it provides a comprehensive representation of phases and processes through which organizations, that have already implemented DT successfully in some of their business units, undergo.