Exploring the Role of Third Parties in Digital Transformation Initiatives: A Problematized Assumptions Perspective

The exponential growth of digital transformation within information systems (IS) research is being matched only by the rapid development of third-party solutions and services designed to assist organizations in delivering profound change through technology. However, digital transformation remains to be described in the literature as a primarily internally orchestrated initiative with limited insight into the role of third parties explored to date. This contributes to a wider trend of unqualified assumptions emerging within digital transformation research which has stunted theoretical and practitioner development within the initiative such as problematic axioms pertaining to the role of said third parties, the view of digital transformation as a process, or views on the role of value within a transformation. The assumptions and their associated impacts present major risk factors for successful digital transformation. Our study leverages assumption problematization and semi-structured interviews to explore the extent to which a digital transformation can be orchestrated by third parties outside of the organization with the associated findings providing alternative perspectives to expand the collective understanding of digital transformation within both research and practice.