Digital transformation strategy making in pre-digital organizations: The case of a financial services provider

• Published in: The journal of strategic information systems Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 17 - 33
• Main Authors: Chanias, Simon, Myers, Michael D., Hess, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 01.03.2019; Elsevier Science SA
• Subjects: Decision making; Digital transformation strategy; Financial services; Information systems; Interpretive case study; IS strategizing; Learning; Studies; Interpretive case study; Digital transformation strategy; IS strategizing; Financial services
• ISSN: 0963-8687; 1873-1198
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsis.2018.11.003

•Digital strategy making is different from upfront strategic planning.•A digital transformation strategy is continuously in the making.•The crafting of a digital transformation strategy is a highly dynamic process.•We propose a process model for pre-digital organizations in traditional industries. The formulation and implementation of a digital transformation strategy (DTS) has become a key concern for many pre-digital organizations across traditional industries, but how such a strategy can be developed remains an open question. We used interpretive in-depth case study research to study how a European financial services provider has formulated and implemented a DTS. By focusing on the underlying processes and strategizing activities, we show that digital strategy making not only represents a break with the conventions of upfront strategic information systems (IS) planning, but reveals a new extreme of emergent strategy making. Specifically, we conclude that a DTS is continuously in the making, with no foreseeable end. By building on theory from IS strategizing and strategy-as-practice literature, we theorize an integrated process/activity model that characterizes DTS formulation and implementation in pre-digital organizations. Our model shows that the crafting of a DTS is a highly dynamic process involving iterating between learning and doing.