IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/tefoso/v178y2022ics0040162522001032.html

The risky impact of digital transformation on organizational performance – evidence from Tunisia

Author

Listed:
  • Chouaibi, Salim
  • Festa, Giuseppe
  • Quaglia, Roberto
  • Rossi, Matteo

Abstract

Considering the increasing attention to digitalization, and its consequent potential agility and associated benefits, the aim of this study is to analyze the impact of digital transformation on organizational performance, emphasizing the related risks. The specific focus of the investigation is Tunisia as an example of an emerging economy. To prove the research hypothesis, linear regressions of data regarding 270 companies from the Institute of Arab Business Managers (IACE) were performed. The outcomes show growing interest in digital transformation, which can help enterprises achieve higher performance, mostly at the organizational level; they also provide, at the same time, a global overview of the potential related risks. Subsequent implications that impact the costs and benefits of digital transformation are also discussed, including specific management competencies as well as advanced technology that are required to generate the expected outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Chouaibi, Salim & Festa, Giuseppe & Quaglia, Roberto & Rossi, Matteo, 2022. "The risky impact of digital transformation on organizational performance – evidence from Tunisia," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:178:y:2022:i:c:s0040162522001032
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121571
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162522001032
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121571?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Linda Holbeche, 2019. "Designing sustainably agile and resilient organizations," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(5), pages 668-677, September.
    2. Kohtamäki, Marko & Parida, Vinit & Patel, Pankaj C. & Gebauer, Heiko, 2020. "The relationship between digitalization and servitization: The role of servitization in capturing the financial potential of digitalization," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    3. Michael J. Ginzberg, 1981. "Early Diagnosis of MIS Implementation Failure: Promising Results and Unanswered Questions," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(4), pages 459-478, April.
    4. Mafrolla, Elisabetta & D’Amico, Eugenio, 2016. "Tax aggressiveness in family firms and the non-linear entrenchment effect," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 178-184.
    5. Hess, Thomas & Matt, Christian & Benlian, Alexander & Wiesböck, Florian, 2016. "Options for Formulating a Digital Transformation Strategy," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 81032, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    6. Preece, Richard, 2018. "The GDPR accountability principle and the use of scenario workshops in the digital age," Journal of Data Protection & Privacy, Henry Stewart Publications, vol. 2(1), pages 34-40, July.
    7. Tekic, Zeljko & Koroteev, Dmitry, 2019. "From disruptively digital to proudly analog: A holistic typology of digital transformation strategies," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 62(6), pages 683-693.
    8. Marco Ardolino & Mario Rapaccini & Nicola Saccani & Paolo Gaiardelli & Giovanni Crespi & Carlo Ruggeri, 2018. "The role of digital technologies for the service transformation of industrial companies," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(6), pages 2116-2132, March.
    9. Gupta, Sanjay & Newberry, Kaye, 1997. "Determinants of the variability in corporate effective tax rates: Evidence from longitudinal data," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 1-34.
    10. Teece, David J., 2020. "Fundamental Issues in Strategy: Time to Reassess?," Strategic Management Review, now publishers, vol. 1(1), pages 103-144, March.
    11. Maryam Alavi & Dorothy E. Leidner, 2001. "Research Commentary: Technology-Mediated Learning—A Call for Greater Depth and Breadth of Research," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, March.
    12. Villar, Cristina & Alegre, Joaquín & Pla-Barber, José, 2014. "Exploring the role of knowledge management practices on exports: A dynamic capabilities view," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 38-44.
    13. Kevin Zhu & Kenneth L. Kraemer, 2005. "Post-Adoption Variations in Usage and Value of E-Business by Organizations: Cross-Country Evidence from the Retail Industry," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 16(1), pages 61-84, March.
    14. Sunny Sun & Jigao Zhu & Kangtao Ye, 2015. "Board Openness During an Economic Crisis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 129(2), pages 363-377, June.
    15. Gombault, Anne & Allal-Chérif, Oihab & Décamps, Aurélien, 2016. "ICT adoption in heritage organizations: Crossing the chasm," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 5135-5140.
    16. Vera Borisova & Khasan Taymashanov & Tamila Tasueva, 2019. "Digital Warehousing as a Leading Logistics Potential," Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics, in: Wadim Strielkowski (ed.), Sustainable Leadership for Entrepreneurs and Academics, pages 279-287, Springer.
    17. Arntz, Melanie & Gregory, Terry & Zierahn, Ulrich, 2017. "Revisiting the risk of automation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 157-160.
    18. Carla Martínez-Climent & María Rodríguez-García & Juying Zeng, 2019. "Ambidextrous Leadership, Social Entrepreneurial Orientation, and Operational Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-15, February.
    19. Lopez-Nicolas, Carolina & Soto-Acosta, Pedro, 2010. "Analyzing ICT adoption and use effects on knowledge creation: An empirical investigation in SMEs," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 521-528.
    20. Yoshimasa Masuda & Seiko Shirasaka & Shuichiro Yamamoto & Thomas Hardjono, 2018. "Architecture Board Practices in Adaptive Enterprise Architecture with Digital Platform: A Case of Global Healthcare Enterprise," International Journal of Enterprise Information Systems (IJEIS), IGI Global Scientific Publishing, vol. 14(1), pages 1-20, January.
    21. Hess, Thomas & Matt, Christian & Benlian, Alexander & Wiesböck, Florian, 2016. "Options for Formulating a Digital Transformation Strategy," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 82423, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    22. Christine Legner & Torsten Eymann & Thomas Hess & Christian Matt & Tilo Böhmann & Paul Drews & Alexander Mädche & Nils Urbach & Frederik Ahlemann, 2017. "Digitalization: Opportunity and Challenge for the Business and Information Systems Engineering Community," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 59(4), pages 301-308, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Sascha Kraus & Paul Jones & Norbert Kailer & Alexandra Weinmann & Nuria Chaparro-Banegas & Norat Roig-Tierno, 2021. "Digital Transformation: An Overview of the Current State of the Art of Research," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, September.
    2. 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).
    3. Plekhanov, Dmitry & Franke, Henrik & Netland, Torbjørn H., 2023. "Digital transformation: A review and research agenda," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 821-844.
    4. Severin Oesterle & Arne Buchwald & Nils Urbach, 2022. "Investigating the co-creation of IT consulting service value: empirical findings of a matched pair analysis," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(2), pages 571-597, June.
    5. Wang, Wei & Wang, Hong, 2025. "The impact of women at the helm: Catalyzing or impeding digital transformation in family businesses?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 108(PA).
    6. Esther Calderon-Monge & Domingo Ribeiro-Soriano, 2024. "The role of digitalization in business and management: a systematic literature review," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 449-491, February.
    7. Christina J. Herden & Ervin Alliu & André Cakici & Thibaut Cormier & Catherine Deguelle & Sahil Gambhir & Caleb Griffiths & Shrishti Gupta & Sahil R. Kamani & Yonca-Selda Kiratli & Máté Kispataki & Gr, 2021. "“Corporate Digital Responsibility”," Sustainability Nexus Forum, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 13-29, March.
    8. Florian Wiesböck & Thomas Hess, 2020. "Digital innovations," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 30(1), pages 75-86, March.
    9. Teubner, Alexander & Stockhinger, Jan, 2020. "IT/IS strategy research and digitalization: An extensive literature review," ERCIS Working Papers 34, University of Münster, European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS).
    10. Ciampi, Francesco & Faraoni, Monica & Ballerini, Jacopo & Meli, Francesco, 2022. "The co-evolutionary relationship between digitalization and organizational agility: Ongoing debates, theoretical developments and future research perspectives," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    11. Wu, Kai & Lu, Yufei, 2023. "Corporate digital transformation and financialization: Evidence from Chinese listed firms," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    12. Fan, Yongzhen, 2025. "The innovation effect of digital business model transformation orientation: Evidence from corporate cross-boundary innovation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    13. Maha Shehadeh & Ahmad Almohtaseb & Jehad Aldehayyat & Ibrahim A. Abu-AlSondos, 2023. "Digital Transformation and Competitive Advantage in the Service Sector: A Moderated-Mediation Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-21, January.
    14. Stockhinger, Jan & Teubner, Alexander, 2019. "How digitalization drives the IT/IS strategy agenda," ERCIS Working Papers 31, University of Münster, European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS).
    15. Abdul Karim Feroz & Hangjung Zo & Ananth Chiravuri, 2021. "Digital Transformation and Environmental Sustainability: A Review and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-20, February.
    16. Koteshwar Chirumalla & Pejvak Oghazi & Rosa Eluekezi Nnewuku & Hatice Tuncay & Nima Yahyapour, 2025. "Critical factors affecting digital transformation in manufacturing companies," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-52, December.
    17. 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.
    18. Yu, Honglan & Fletcher, Margaret & Buck, Trevor, 2022. "Managing digital transformation during re-internationalization: Trajectories and implications for performance," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).
    19. Jan Jöhnk & Philipp Ollig & Patrick Rövekamp & Severin Oesterle, 2022. "Managing the complexity of digital transformation—How multiple concurrent initiatives foster hybrid ambidexterity," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(2), pages 547-569, June.
    20. Kandampully, Jay & Bilgihan, Anil & Bujisic, Milos & Kaplan, Andreas & Jarvis, Cheryl Burke & Shukla, Yupal, 2021. "Service transformation: How can it be achieved?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 219-228.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:eee:tefoso:v:178:y:2022:i:c:s0040162522001032. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00401625 .

    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.