Evolution of digital transformation in traditional enterprises: evidence from China

ABSTRACT

The rapid development of digital technology and its ease of use has changed the competitive environment for traditional manufacturing. The study focuses on the central issues of the evolution of the digital transformation (DT) process. This paper proposes a theoretical framework of digital transformation in traditional manufacturing based on environment, people, organisation, and technology synergy. We chose a large textile company in China as a case to explore the process of DT practices in the traditional manufacturing industry. The results of the study showed that data accessibility has a positive impact on a strategic responsiveness during organisation’s DT, driven by data, information, knowledge and wisdom synergy. In the process of DT, the availability of information positively impacts the industry and the social well-being of an organisation. DT has a negative impact on individual willingness to share outlier knowledge and employee role perceptions. This study is both a complement to the deconstruction of the mechanism of DT in the manufacturing industry, and a new attempt to tap the laws of digital technology in the knowledge age.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital transformation (DT)
• outlier knowledge management
• smart manufacturing
• traditional manufacturing industry
• knowledge sharing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Huosong Xia

Dr. Huosong Xia is a professor in the school of management of the Wuhan Textile University. He graduated from Huazhong University of Science and Technology of China and was a visiting scholar at the Eller College of Management of the University of Arizona from 2006 to 2007. His main research interests are knowledge management, data mining, e-commerce, and logistics information systems, and Fintech. He has published over 100 papers in journals, book chapters & conferences such as Journal of Knowledge Management, Decision Support Systems, International Journal of Knowledge Management, Knowledge Management Research & Practice, Electronic Commerce Research, Electronic Markets, Journal of Computer Information Systems, Enterprise Information Systems, Production Planning & Control, Annals of Operations Research, Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, International Journal of Innovation Science, Information Discovery and Delivery, International Journal of Management, Journal of Systems Science and Information, Journal of Grey System, Financial Innovation, Journal of Global Information Management, etc. He has obtained five projects of research funding, such as the National Social Science Foundation of China and the National Science Foundation of China.

Peiwen Ye

Dr. Peiwen Ye is a Post-Doctoral Researcher and Associate Research Fellow graduate student in the School of Management of Wuhan Textile University. Her main research interests are knowledge management, data mining and, e-commerce. She has published in top IS journals (e.g. International Journal of Information Management, Journal of Global Information Management) and conference (e.g. HICSS, ACIS, and PACIS).

Sajjad M. Jasimuddin

Sajjad M. Jasimuddin is Professor (Professeur senior) at the Kedge Business School, France, and is visiting Professor at Center for Advanced Studies in Management and Economics (Portugal), Renmin University of China, and Dalian University of Foreign Language (China). Sajjad is also Yunshan Scholar in the Graduate School of Business, Guangdong University of Foreign Stuides (GDUFS), China. Previously, he taught at Aberystwyth University (UK), Southampton University (UK), King Abdulaziz University (Saudi Arabia), and University of Dhaka (Bangladesh). He received MCom from Dhaka University, MPhil from Judge Business School at Cambridge University (Trinity College), and PhD from Southampton University. Sajjad has authored a textbook, fifteen chapters, and 110 articles – appeared in Technological Forecasting & Social Change, European Journal of Operational Research, International Business Review, Production Planning & Control, Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, Annals of Regional Science, Thunderbird International Business Review, Journal of Operational Research Society, Sustainability, Information Systems Journal, European Management Journal, Information Systems Management, Management Decision, Global Business and Organizational Excellence, Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Business Strategy, Journal of Applied Business Research, International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction, World Journal of Social Sciences, International Journal of Organizational Analysis, International Journal of Information Management, Journal of Global Information Management Industrial Management & Data Systems, Journal of Information & Knowledge Management, Journal of Knowledge Management, VINE, Knowledge & Process Management, Knowledge Management Research & Practice.

Justin Zuopeng Zhang

Zuopeng (Justin) Zhang is a faculty member in the Coggin College of Business at University of North Florida. He received his Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration on Management Science and Information Systems from Pennsylvania State University, University Park. His research interests include economics of information systems, knowledge management, electronic business, business process management, information security, and social networking. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Global Information Management, an ABET program evaluator, and an IEEE senior member. He published in Technological Forecasting & Social Change, Production Planning & Control, Journal of Operational Research, Sustainability, Information Systems Management, Journal of Operational Research Society,, International Journal of Information Management, Industrial Management & Data Systems, Journal of Information & Knowledge Management, Journal of Knowledge Management, Knowledge & Process Management, Knowledge Management Research & Practice.