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Beyond Digital vs. IT: The Untold Story of Their Relationship from an Organizing Logic Perspective.

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Titel: Beyond Digital vs. IT: The Untold Story of Their Relationship from an Organizing Logic Perspective.
Autoren: Baiyere, Abayomi, Zimmer, Markus P., Staykova, Kalina S., Jöhnk, Jan
Quelle: Information Systems Research (INFORMS); Dec2025, Vol. 36 Issue 4, p2039-2075, 37p
Schlagwörter: DIGITAL transformation, ORGANIZATIONAL goals, ORGANIZATIONAL sociology, COOPERATIVENESS, ORGANIZATIONAL aims & objectives, INTERPERSONAL relations, INFORMATION sharing
Abstract: Organizations often feature digital and information technology (IT) units, suggesting that managers perceive digital technology as different from IT. However, these units do not coexist in silos; rather, they interact in pursuit of organizational goals. In this study, we investigate the interactions between the digital and IT units of three organizations undergoing digital transformation. We find that these interactions reflect three relationships with varying dynamics. The interplay of these dynamics shape organization's digital transformation efforts. We outline three considerations for managing these dynamics productively. First, we outline conditions that determine the dynamic (e.g., synergistic or conflicting) more likely to manifest. These conditions depend on the (in)compatibility between the units' need to interact and the strategic, routine or technology rationales they draw on. We caution against seeking compatibility at all costs. Rather, managers should consider the context of each interaction before deciding how to influence these dynamics. Second, we found that interpersonal relationships, hiring talent with diverse perspectives, or establishing idea exchange forums can help to foster productive collaborations. However, they alone do not determine these dynamics. Third, cross-unit relationships is important for accomplishing organizational goals like digital transformation. Managers should proactively nurture such relationships to foster collaboration among units. Digital and information technology (IT) are two concepts that scholars and practitioners use to refer to organizing around technology. Although some consider these concepts synonymous, others consider them distinct. Relatedly, both digital and IT units are increasingly found in many organizations aiming to incorporate digital technologies into their customer offerings and operational processes. This coexistence suggests a qualitative difference in the underpinning logic of organizing around digital and IT. Although prior studies have focused on exploring how digital and IT are conceptually distinct, there is an acknowledgment that they coexist as vocabulary in practice. Indeed, not only do digital and IT coexist, they also interact, giving rise to relationships that have hitherto remained untheorized. We depart from the focus on digital versus IT and take a digital cum IT perspective to uncover these relationships and their implications for organizing around technology. Building on an organizing logic perspective, we synthesize prior literature into a conceptual framework to empirically investigate interactions between digital and IT units in three ethnographic studies of digital transformation. From this, we identify and theorize three relationships between digital and IT—interdepending, interlocking, and interfacing—and further explain why these relationships emerge and how they manifest in different dynamics. The resulting theorizing informs a research agenda for understanding the relational nature of organizing around technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Abstract:Organizations often feature digital and information technology (IT) units, suggesting that managers perceive digital technology as different from IT. However, these units do not coexist in silos; rather, they interact in pursuit of organizational goals. In this study, we investigate the interactions between the digital and IT units of three organizations undergoing digital transformation. We find that these interactions reflect three relationships with varying dynamics. The interplay of these dynamics shape organization's digital transformation efforts. We outline three considerations for managing these dynamics productively. First, we outline conditions that determine the dynamic (e.g., synergistic or conflicting) more likely to manifest. These conditions depend on the (in)compatibility between the units' need to interact and the strategic, routine or technology rationales they draw on. We caution against seeking compatibility at all costs. Rather, managers should consider the context of each interaction before deciding how to influence these dynamics. Second, we found that interpersonal relationships, hiring talent with diverse perspectives, or establishing idea exchange forums can help to foster productive collaborations. However, they alone do not determine these dynamics. Third, cross-unit relationships is important for accomplishing organizational goals like digital transformation. Managers should proactively nurture such relationships to foster collaboration among units. Digital and information technology (IT) are two concepts that scholars and practitioners use to refer to organizing around technology. Although some consider these concepts synonymous, others consider them distinct. Relatedly, both digital and IT units are increasingly found in many organizations aiming to incorporate digital technologies into their customer offerings and operational processes. This coexistence suggests a qualitative difference in the underpinning logic of organizing around digital and IT. Although prior studies have focused on exploring how digital and IT are conceptually distinct, there is an acknowledgment that they coexist as vocabulary in practice. Indeed, not only do digital and IT coexist, they also interact, giving rise to relationships that have hitherto remained untheorized. We depart from the focus on digital versus IT and take a digital cum IT perspective to uncover these relationships and their implications for organizing around technology. Building on an organizing logic perspective, we synthesize prior literature into a conceptual framework to empirically investigate interactions between digital and IT units in three ethnographic studies of digital transformation. From this, we identify and theorize three relationships between digital and IT—interdepending, interlocking, and interfacing—and further explain why these relationships emerge and how they manifest in different dynamics. The resulting theorizing informs a research agenda for understanding the relational nature of organizing around technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:10477047
DOI:10.1287/isre.2021.0230