Antecedents, enablers and outcomes of twin transformation in high reliability organizations: a systematic literature review

A growing body of research currently explores twin transformation (TT), defined as the integrated and simultaneous pursuit of sustainability transformation (ST) and digital transformation (DT), in various types of companies. However, the current understanding of how high-reliability organizations (HROs), typically known for exceptional reliability in error-prone operations, address these challenges is limited. Although HROs, especially in high-impact sectors like energy and transportation, are under increasing pressure to reduce emissions and embrace digital innovation, only a few studies address the dual challenge of balancing and managing digital and sustainability transformations simultaneously in HROs. To bridge this gap, this study conducts a systematic literature review to synthesize existing work. We identify the antecedents, enablers, and outcomes of these transformations and derive an HRO-specific framework that integrates digital transformation, sustainability transformation, and their synergistic integration. To broaden the applicability, we compare this framework with established, non-context-specific frameworks. Our results highlight that many enablers are shared by both transformations, suggesting that a synchronized and coordinated sustainability and digitalization strategy can improve efficiency and coherence in achieving transformational goals in HROs. This study makes three contributions: (1) it integrates previously siloed research on DT and ST into a systematic understanding of TT within HROs, (b) developing a novel conceptual framework that balances transformation imperatives with reliability, and (c) providing evidence-based guidance for TT implementation in safety–critical sectors such as energy, aviation, and healthcare.