Navigating Digital Transformation in B2B Sales: A Case Study of Failure Factors in the Manufacturing Industry

Abstract

In today’s business landscape, companies must embrace digital transformation to stay competitive. This bachelor thesis delves into the complexities of digital transformation, in B2B sales, within the manufacturing sector. It addresses gaps in the existing literature by highlighting factors leading to failure. These failure factors are often neglected, because most attention is given to success stories. Therefore, valuable insights from studying failures are often overlooked. The thesis seeks to understand both the broad impacts of digital transformation on B2B organizations, and the specific elements that lead to an unsuccessful digital sales transformation in the manufacturing industry. Furthermore, the research examines how the five case companies navigate these challenges. By analyzing both failed transformation initiatives and digital transformation practices, the study aims to offer insights for other organizations embarking on similar digital transformation journeys. To achieve these objectives, the research adopts a dual approach. The thesis combines a thorough literature review with a multiple-case study analysis. This methodology allows for a robust examination of both theoretical concepts and practical applications. Data was collected from various sources, including interviews, website data, and insights from a consulting company that focuses on digital transformation. This provides a balanced perspective on the challenges and strategies in the digital sales transformation of manufacturing companies. The findings reveal that digital transformation significantly reshapes B2B operations. Digital tools can enhance efficiency, customer interactions, and market reach. However, it also introduces challenges such as technology integration, organizational change, and resource allocation. A lack of vision and poor change management often aggravates these. The case study of five manufacturing companies highlights strategies that the case companies employed to overcome these challenges. These strategies include strong leadership, continuous training, planned change management, robust technology infrastructure, and a customer-centric focus. Overall, the thesis provides valuable insights into the complexities of digital transformation. However, despite its comprehensive approach, there are also limitations. This thesis is limited to the manufacturing sector and relies on semi-structured interviews. It is essential to acknowledge that this approach may introduce bias and limit the generalizability of the findings. Moreover, the small sample size may not capture the full diversity of experiences. Future research should expand to other industries and incorporate quantitative methods for more robust findings. Additionally, it is recommended to utilize longitudinal studies to examine the long-term effects of digital transformation initiatives.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	English
Supervisor	Georg Feichtinger (Supervisor)