IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/infsem/v19y2021i4d10.1007_s10257-021-00536-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The digital transformation of management consulting companies: a qualitative comparative analysis of Romanian industry

Author

Listed:
  • Emil Lucian Crișan

    (Babes-Bolyai University)

  • Liana Stanca

    (Babes-Bolyai University)

Abstract

Digital transformation affects all industries. This study targets how management consulting companies address this phenomenon. Based on a survey of 30 Romanian management consulting companies and a qualitative comparative analysis, we model the relationship between management consulting companies’ current context (customers’ industries, internal and external triggers for digital transformation), the current state of digital transformation, and expected digital transformation. By considering managerial expectations importance in future decisions, and contingency theory for explaining the links between context, current state and expected digital transformation, different paths concerning digital transformation are identified at Romanian management consulting companies. For some of them, the combination of internal and external triggers and the existence of previous digital transformation activities led to increases in the recognized importance of digital transformation in future business models and to newer business services (digital strategy). For others, which do not have powerful external triggers, digital transformation is associated with internal efficiency–related triggers, and it targets only improvements in existing business models due to technology adoption (technology strategy). A small number of management consulting companies do not expect digital transformation to have a large impact on their future business model, because of either the lack of external triggers to do so or the absence of previous digital transformation activities. This research demonstrates the contingency and evolutionary nature of the digital transformation process, in which specific combinations between internal and external triggers can explain the expectations of management consulting companies’ managers about digital transformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Emil Lucian Crișan & Liana Stanca, 2021. "The digital transformation of management consulting companies: a qualitative comparative analysis of Romanian industry," Information Systems and e-Business Management, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1143-1173, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:infsem:v:19:y:2021:i:4:d:10.1007_s10257-021-00536-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10257-021-00536-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10257-021-00536-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10257-021-00536-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thomas Deelmann, 2018. "Does Digitization Matter? Reflections on a Possible Transformation of the Consulting Business," Progress in IS, in: Volker Nissen (ed.), Digital Transformation of the Consulting Industry, pages 75-99, Springer.
    2. Henry Seifert & Volker Nissen, 2018. "Virtualization of Consulting Services: State of Research on Digital Transformation in Consulting and Future Research Demand," Progress in IS, in: Volker Nissen (ed.), Digital Transformation of the Consulting Industry, pages 61-73, Springer.
    3. Sven M. Laudien & Robin Pesch, 2019. "Understanding the influence of digitalization on service firm business model design: a qualitative-empirical analysis," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 575-587, June.
    4. Ron Adner & Constance E. Helfat, 2003. "Corporate effects and dynamic managerial capabilities," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(10), pages 1011-1025, October.
    5. E. Burton Swanson & Neil C. Ramiller, 1997. "The Organizing Vision in Information Systems Innovation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 8(5), pages 458-474, October.
    6. Eric Overby, 2008. "Process Virtualization Theory and the Impact of Information Technology," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 19(2), pages 277-291, April.
    7. Matias Bronnenmayer & Bernd Wirtz & Vincent Göttel, 2016. "Success factors of management consulting," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 1-34, January.
    8. Jeremy David Curuksu, 2018. "Analysis of the Management Consulting Industry," Management for Professionals, in: Data Driven, chapter 1, pages 1-16, Springer.
    9. Verhoef, Peter C. & Broekhuizen, Thijs & Bart, Yakov & Bhattacharya, Abhi & Qi Dong, John & Fabian, Nicolai & Haenlein, Michael, 2021. "Digital transformation: A multidisciplinary reflection and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 889-901.
    10. Corrado Cerruti & Ernesto Tavoletti & Cecilia Grieco, 2019. "Management consulting: a review of fifty years of scholarly research," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 42(8), pages 902-925, May.
    11. Daniel Schallmo & Christopher A. Williams & Luke Boardman, 2017. "Digital Transformation Of Business Models — Best Practice, Enablers, And Roadmap," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 21(08), pages 1-17, December.
    12. J. Piet Hausberg & Kirsten Liere-Netheler & Sven Packmohr & Stefanie Pakura & Kristin Vogelsang, 2019. "Research streams on digital transformation from a holistic business perspective: a systematic literature review and citation network analysis," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 89(8), pages 931-963, December.
    13. Li, Feng, 2020. "The digital transformation of business models in the creative industries: A holistic framework and emerging trends," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 92.
    14. Fan, Peilei & Urs, Nicolae & Hamlin, Roger E., 2019. "Rising innovative city-regions in a transitional economy: A case study of ICT industry in Cluj-Napoca, Romania," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Su, Jingqin & Zhang, Yajie & Wu, Xianyun, 2023. "How market pressures and organizational readiness drive digital marketing adoption strategies' evolution in small and medium enterprises," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ancillai, Chiara & Sabatini, Andrea & Gatti, Marco & Perna, Andrea, 2023. "Digital technology and business model innovation: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    2. Matthias Fabian Gregersen Trischler & Jason Li-Ying, 2023. "Digital business model innovation: toward construct clarity and future research directions," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 3-32, January.
    3. Elias G. Carayannis & David F. J. Campbell, 2021. "Democracy of Climate and Climate for Democracy: the Evolution of Quadruple and Quintuple Helix Innovation Systems," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(4), pages 2050-2082, December.
    4. Piepponen, Amanda & Ritala, Paavo & Keränen, Joona & Maijanen, Päivi, 2022. "Digital transformation of the value proposition: A single case study in the media industry," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 311-325.
    5. Li, Chengming & Huo, Peng & Wang, Zeyu & Zhang, Weiguang & Liang, Feiyan & Mardani, Abbas, 2023. "Digitalization generates equality? Enterprises’ digital transformation, financing constraints, and labor share in China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    6. Qi Song & Xiaohong Chen & Hao Gu, 2023. "How Technological, Organizational, and Environmental Factors Drive Enterprise Digital Innovation: Analysis Based on the Dynamic FsQCA Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-22, August.
    7. Zhai, Huayun & Yang, Min & Chan, Kam C., 2022. "Does digital transformation enhance a firm's performance? Evidence from China," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    8. Santos, Susana C. & Liguori, Eric W. & Garvey, Erin, 2023. "How digitalization reinvented entrepreneurial resilience during COVID-19," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    9. Elias G. Carayannis & David F. J. Campbell & Evangelos Grigoroudis, 2022. "Helix Trilogy: the Triple, Quadruple, and Quintuple Innovation Helices from a Theory, Policy, and Practice Set of Perspectives," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(3), pages 2272-2301, September.
    10. Xiao Han & Menghan Zhang & Yixuan Hu & Yuan Huang, 2022. "Study on the Digital Transformation Capability of Cost Consultation Enterprises Based on Maturity Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-18, August.
    11. Changling Sun & Ziang Lin & Marek Vochozka & Zuzana Vincúrová, 2022. "Digital transformation and corporate cash holdings in China’s A-share listed companies," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(4), pages 1081-1116, December.
    12. Singh, Shiwangi & Sharma, Meenakshi & Dhir, Sanjay, 2021. "Modeling the effects of digital transformation in Indian manufacturing industry," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    13. Annosi, Maria Carmela & Capo, Francesca & Appio, Francesco Paolo & Bedetti, Ivan, 2023. "Unveiling micro-foundations of digital transformation: Cognitive models, routines, and organizational structures in agri-food SMEs," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    14. Gong, Cheng & Ribiere, Vincent, 2021. "Developing a unified definition of digital transformation," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    15. Blanka, Christine & Krumay, Barbara & Rueckel, David, 2022. "The interplay of digital transformation and employee competency: A design science approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    16. Reuschl, Andreas J. & Deist, Maximilian K. & Maalaoui, Adnane, 2022. "Digital transformation during a pandemic: Stretching the organizational elasticity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1320-1332.
    17. Tlou Maggie Masenya, 2023. "Big Data Analytics as a Game Changer for Business Model Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in South Africa," International Journal of Innovation in the Digital Economy (IJIDE), IGI Global, vol. 14(1), pages 1-17, January.
    18. Mishra, Deepa Bhatt & Haider, Imran & Gunasekaran, Angappa & Sakib, Md. Nazmus & Malik, Nishtha & Rana, Nripendra P., 2023. "“Better together”: Right blend of business strategy and digital transformation strategies," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    19. Vukadinović, Danko & Fabac, Robert, 2022. "Project Management in Digital Disruption: Emergence of Digital Project Management Office," Proceedings of the ENTRENOVA - ENTerprise REsearch InNOVAtion Conference (2022), Hybrid Conference, Opatija, Croatia, in: Proceedings of the ENTRENOVA - ENTerprise REsearch InNOVAtion Conference, Hybrid Conference, Opatija, Croatia, 17-18 June 2022, pages 310-328, IRENET - Society for Advancing Innovation and Research in Economy, Zagreb.
    20. Lei Guo & Luying Xu, 2021. "The Effects of Digital Transformation on Firm Performance: Evidence from China’s Manufacturing Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-18, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:infsem:v:19:y:2021:i:4:d:10.1007_s10257-021-00536-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.