Digital Transformation: Conceptual Foundations, Technologies, and Applications

For years, the utilization of digital technologies has undergone a marked escalation across all facets of life, thereby precipitating the advent of disruptive changes. This phenomenon, which impacts individuals, organizations, and society as a whole, is commonly referred to as digital transformation. Organizations, in particular, face the challenge of maintaining pace with the dynamic developments that characterize the contemporary business landscape and leveraging the opportunities that these developments present. This dissertation puts forth a triad of foundational tenets that play a pivotal role in the effective implementation of strategies for the digital transformation of organizations.
To this end, the dissertation is divided into three sections, each of which addresses one of the aspects. Firstly, the common understanding of the term digital transformation between experts from academia and practitioners from business practice is scrutinized. The findings of the research indicate a conspicuous discrepancy in this regard. The subsequent section is devoted to the identification of suitable technologies and application scenarios within an industry-specific context. To illustrate this point, a procedure for selecting suitable digital technologies and application scenarios against the backdrop of digital transformation is developed and applied in practice. The resultant findings can be utilized by organizations as a recommendation for action as part of the selection and decision-making process in which areas digital transformation measures create added value for them. In the third part, we examined aspects of technology acceptance using the example of cloud computing. First, we developed a research model that examines attitudes towards the adoption and actual use of cloud services based on influencing factors from established models for the adoption of innovations. Subsequently, we demonstrate the utilization of success factor analysis for identification and prioritization of fields of action, with the overarching objective being to enhance technology acceptance.
The findings of this dissertation contribute to both the scientific and practical domains, underscoring the significance of a shared understanding of these two fields as a foundation for the effective implementation of research findings in business practice. Consequently, scientifically sound models and approaches can make a significant contribution to successful digital transformation in organizations. We demonstrated this in two distinct ways: firstly, in the selection of suitable digital technologies and application scenarios and secondly in ensuring technology acceptance.
The findings of the dissertation underscore the pivotal role of forging a nexus between scientific principles and practical applications in facilitating the effective digital transformation of organizations. We offer concrete recommendations for action, which are intended to assist decision-makers and digitalization officers within organizations.