IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ehl/lserod/138693.html

Navigating digital transformation for not-for-profits: exploring resource fluidity under access-based conditions

Author

Listed:
  • Li, Yangting
  • Tan, Barney

Abstract

Digital transformation (DT) is a pervasive phenomenon with substantial impact across organizational and societal levels, yet current scholarship largely centers on for-profit contexts where resource ownership is implicitly assumed. This leaves a critical gap in understanding how not-for-profit (NFP) organizations with critical societal impact, which are characterized by resource dependence, heightened accountability, and mission-driven goals, navigate DT. Drawing on a grounded qualitative case study of a large faith-based NFP in New Zealand, this study develops the concept of resource fluidity, an organizational capability to flexibly access, recombine, and redeploy non-owned resources across tasks and time with minimal friction. Resource fluidity unfolds through a three-phase process: (1) Identification of resources with polymorphic potential, (2) Activation through envisioning, redeployment, and experimentation capabilities, and (3) Application guided by mission-driven governance. This study contributes to DT research by shifting the focus from proprietary resource to flexible access-based arrangements and offers a contextualized understanding of how NFP organizations can enact cost-effective and mission-aligned DT under resource constraints.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Yangting & Tan, Barney, 2026. "Navigating digital transformation for not-for-profits: exploring resource fluidity under access-based conditions," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 138693, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:138693
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/138693/
    File Function: Open access version.
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Reinartz, Werner & Wiegand, Nico & Imschloss, Monika, 2019. "The impact of digital transformation on the retailing value chain," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 350-366.
    2. Wanda J. Orlikowski & Jack J. Baroudi, 1991. "Studying Information Technology in Organizations: Research Approaches and Assumptions," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 1-28, March.
    3. Johan Magnusson & Dina Koutsikouri & Tero Päivärinta, 2020. "Efficiency creep and shadow innovation: enacting ambidextrous IT Governance in the public sector," European Journal of Information Systems, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(4), pages 329-349, July.
    4. James G. Combs & David J. Ketchen, Jr & R. Duane Ireland & Justin W. Webb, 2011. "The Role of Resource Flexibility in Leveraging Strategic Resources," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48, pages 1098-1125, July.
    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. Teece, David J., 2016. "Dynamic capabilities and entrepreneurial management in large organizations: Toward a theory of the (entrepreneurial) firm," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 202-216.
    7. Matt, C. & Hess, Thomas & Benlian, Alexander, 2015. "Digital Transformation Strategies," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 75002, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    8. Allen S. Lee & Richard L. Baskerville, 2003. "Generalizing Generalizability in Information Systems Research," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 14(3), pages 221-243, September.
    9. Christian Matt & Thomas Hess & Alexander Benlian, 2015. "Digital Transformation Strategies," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 57(5), pages 339-343, October.
    10. Carmen Weigelt & MB Sarkar, 2012. "Performance implications of outsourcing for technological innovations: managing the efficiency and adaptability trade‐off," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 189-216, February.
    11. Jiri Chod & Nils Rudi, 2005. "Resource Flexibility with Responsive Pricing," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 53(3), pages 532-548, June.
    12. Munir Mandviwalla & Richard Flanagan, 2021. "Small business digital transformation in the context of the pandemic," European Journal of Information Systems, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(4), pages 359-375, July.
    13. Jiri Chod & Jianer Zhou, 2014. "Resource Flexibility and Capital Structure," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(3), pages 708-729, March.
    14. repec:eme:mrn000:01409170310784005 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Rosamartina, Schena & Giustina, Secundo & Domenico, De Fano & Pasquale, Del Vecchio & Angeloantonio, Russo, 2022. "Digital reputation and firm performance: The moderating role of firm orientation towards sustainable development goals (SDGs)," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 315-325.
    16. 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.
    17. Birger Wernerfelt, 1984. "A resource‐based view of the firm," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(2), pages 171-180, April.
    18. Matt, C. & Hess, Thomas & Benlian, Alexander, 2015. "Digital Transformation Strategies," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 75202, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    19. Emmanuelle Vaast & Alain Pinsonneault, 2022. "Dealing with the Social Media Polycontextuality of Work," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 33(4), pages 1428-1451, December.
    20. Abayomi Baiyere & Hannu Salmela & Tommi Tapanainen, 2020. "Digital transformation and the new logics of business process management," European Journal of Information Systems, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(3), pages 238-259, May.
    21. Geoff Walsham, 2006. "Doing interpretive research," European Journal of Information Systems, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(3), pages 320-330, June.
    22. Francesco Castagna & Piera Centobelli & Roberto Cerchione & Emilio Esposito & Eugenio Oropallo & Renato Passaro, 2020. "Customer Knowledge Management in SMEs Facing Digital Transformation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-16, May.
    23. Tuominen, Matti & Rajala, Arto & Moller, Kristian, 2004. "How does adaptability drive firm innovativeness?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 57(5), pages 495-506, May.
    24. David F Birks & Walter Fernandez & Natalia Levina & Syed Nasirin, 2013. "Grounded theory method in information systems research: its nature, diversity and opportunities," European Journal of Information Systems, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 1-8, January.
    25. Sidney G. Winter, 2003. "Understanding dynamic capabilities," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(10), pages 991-995, October.
    26. 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).
    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. 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).
    2. Marino-Romero, Jorge Alberto & Palos-Sánchez, Pedro R. & Velicia-Martín, Félix, 2024. "Evolution of digital transformation in SMEs management through a bibliometric analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    3. 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).
    4. 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).
    5. Fernandez-Vidal, Jorge & Antonio Perotti, Francesco & Gonzalez, Reyes & Gasco, Jose, 2022. "Managing digital transformation: The view from the top," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 29-41.
    6. Ghauri, Muhammad Aurang Zaib & Mudassar, Minza & Audi, Marc, 2025. "From Technology Adoption to Strategic Coherence: The Role of Digitalization in Industrial Growth in Developing Countries," MPRA Paper 126074, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Coskun-Setirek, Abide & Tanrikulu, Zuhal, 2021. "Digital innovations-driven business model regeneration: A process model," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    8. 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.
    9. Xin Zhang & Yaoyu Xu & Liang Ma, 2022. "Research on Successful Factors and Influencing Mechanism of the Digital Transformation in SMEs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-18, February.
    10. Schubert, Torben & Ashouri, Sajad & Deschryvere, Matthias & Jäger, Angela & Visentin, Fabiana & Cunningham, Scott & Hajikhani, Arash & Pukelis, Lukas & Suominen, Arho, 2023. "The role of product digitization for productivity," MERIT Working Papers 2023-004, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    11. Fang, Mingyue & Li, Ruizhi & Wang, Yizhao, 2026. "Board networks and firm's digital transformation: Evidence from China," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    12. Guo, Bin & Zhang, Jiale & Tan, Ziyan, 2024. "Firm digitalization as strategic response: An integrated model based on the awareness-motivation-capability (AMC) framework," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    13. Wang, Yu & Huang, Cui & Ye, Xuanting & Zhang, Jian, 2025. "Linkage and coordination: Industrial digital transformation from the perspective of innovation ecosystem," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    14. Yang, Hefan & Liu, Xilu & Meng, Yao & Feng, Baoyi & Chen, Zhijun, 2024. "Digital transformation and the allocation of decision-making rights within business groups – Empirical evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    15. Jia, Junbo & Xu, Yusen & Li, Wenli, 2024. "A study on the strategic momentum of SMEs’ digital transformation: Evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    16. Karabag, Solmaz Filiz & Simonsson, Johan & Berggren, Christian & Andreasson, Martin & Eriksson, Robin, 2026. "Digital transformation as a multi-phase process: a longitudinal study of corporate strategy and business unit adaptation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    17. 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.
    18. Jinkai Liang & Ke Du & Dandan Chen, 2023. "The Effect of Digitalization on Ambidextrous Innovation in Manufacturing Enterprises: A Perspective of Empowering and Enabling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-23, August.
    19. Li, Min & Liu, Na & Kou, Aiju & Chen, Wenchuan, 2023. "Customer concentration and digital transformation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    20. Wang, Sai & Wen, Wen & Niu, Yuhao & Li, Xin, 2024. "Digital transformation and corporate labor investment efficiency," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General

    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:ehl:lserod:138693. 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: LSERO Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/lsepsuk.html .

    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.