Digital transformation : construct definition challenges and scenarios for a research agenda

Abstract

Indeed, digital transformation is just like the new models of the various technological devices (smartphones, tablets, smart watches) that are used without us fully mastering their resources. It is happening in an accelerated way without even having a clear understanding of the phenomenon. It is typically a situation in which reality occurs at a speed greater than its understanding, thus claiming the researchers' positioning in the face of digital contemporaneity. Just like Uber, that initially imposed itself as a “de facto” reality (in practice) before becoming a de jure standard (supported by law), the research agenda digital transformation seeks to guide the future of research in the field, but, due to the speed of changes, it may fit into the metaphor of the lantern on the ship's stern, helping to illuminate the past. Even though the organizational practice is more agile than the academy, it is still worth emphasizing the fundamental role of research in interpreting the nuances of the phenomenon through the most diverse perspectives..