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Breaking Out of the Digitalization Paradox

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Learning in the Digital Era (ELEC 2021)

Part of the book series: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology ((IFIPAICT,volume 610))

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Abstract

Despite the acclaimed potential of industry 4.0 for efficiency and growth, statistics show that the majority of firms’ digital transformation programs fail to meet their objectives. We provide a plausible explanation of this understudied phenomenon through theoretical discussions on the four overlooked paradoxical characteristics found between digitalization activities. Further, using the lens of lean and dynamic capabilities theory, we propose strategies for firms to transcend the paradoxes and in turn, realize their expectations of the transformation initiatives.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    https://www.accenture.com/no-en/insight-digital-nordic-wake-up-call-norwegian-businesses.

  2. 2.

    https://www.gartner.com/en/information-technology/glossary/digitalization.

  3. 3.

    A meta-process is “that orchestrates a number of processes, best practices or competencies to manage comprehensively and systemically, something that is strategically imperative, including the strategy development and execution process itself” [25].

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the Research Council of Norway and the Norwegian research project Lean Digital.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Gløshaugen, Trondheim, Norway

    Sourav Sengupta, Heidi Dreyer & Daryl John Powell

Authors
  1. Sourav Sengupta
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  2. Heidi Dreyer
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  3. Daryl John Powell
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sourav Sengupta .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway

    Daryl John Powell

  2. Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

    Erlend Alfnes

  3. Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

    Marte D. Q. Holmemo

  4. SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway

    Eivind Reke

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Sengupta, S., Dreyer, H., Powell, D.J. (2021). Breaking Out of the Digitalization Paradox. In: Powell, D.J., Alfnes, E., Holmemo, M.D.Q., Reke, E. (eds) Learning in the Digital Era. ELEC 2021. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol 610. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92934-3_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92934-3_19

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-92933-6

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