Exploring Middle Manager's Perceptions of Digital Readiness in Multinational Firms : A Qualitative Study

This study investigates the role of middle managers in facilitating digital transformation, with a focus on their beliefs, competencies, and organisational environments. Drawing on qualitative data from interviews with managers across diverse industries in Sri Lanka and Sweden, the research explores digital readiness at both individual and organisational levels. The conceptual framework integrates perceived digital readiness, empowerment, involvement, and barriers to innovation within the Dynamic Capabilities View. The findings reveal that individual confidence in digital tools is shaped by previous exposure, willingness to learn, and attitudes toward adaptation. Middle managers' competencies, specifically digital knowhow and skills, emerged as critical enablers of transformation. Organisational beliefs, such as inclusion in decision-making and support for experimentation, significantly influenced their engagement. The study also highlights infrastructural limitations and cultural inertia as major obstacles. These insights provide a nuanced understanding of how middle managers function as change agents, brokers, and implementers in digital transitions. The research contributes theoretically by linking individual and organisational readiness with dynamic capabilities, and practically by offering strategic recommendations for enhancing transformation readiness through targeted support for middle managers. Methodologically, the study employs rigorous thematic analysis and ensures trustworthiness through strategies such as member checking and reflexivity. Future research could extend this inquiry through longitudinal approaches or cross-sectoral comparisons.