Digital transformation: A meta-review and guidelines for future research

Area of Science:

• Business Management
• Information Systems
• Sociology

Background:

• Digital transformation is reshaping business globally.
• Scholarly understanding and maturity of digital transformation necessitate a synthesized foundation.
• Existing literature requires critical examination for robust insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-review of digital transformation literature.
• To identify and synthesize key dimensions and categories of digital transformation.
• To establish a foundation for future research by examining current knowledge gaps.

Main Methods:

• A meta-review approach was employed.
• The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) Protocol guided the review.
• Systematic examination of existing scholarly literature was performed.

Main Results:

• Six core dimensions and seventeen categories of digital transformation were identified.
• Organizational, technological, and social dimensions remain central.
• Sustainability and smart cities emerged as underexplored dimensions requiring further investigation.

Conclusions:

• Further research is crucial to deepen understanding and refine the identified dimensions of digital transformation.
• The complexity of digital transformation, driven by organizational dynamics and technological advancements, warrants continued scholarly attention.
• Opportunities, challenges, and future research directions within digital transformation were elucidated.