Organizational Cultural Barriers to Digital Innovation: A Systematic Literature Review

In today’s digitally driven economy, organizations are increasingly using strategic digital technologies to create value, like new products and services or new business models. Among the factors that play a crucial role in supporting digital innovation (DI) is organizational culture. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive, systematic review of the underlying organizational cultural factors that hinder DI in different industries. To address this knowledge gap, a systematic literature review was used to examine the organizational cultural barriers to DI across various industries. The data were collected using the PRISMA framework through large academic databases, and 33 peer-reviewed articles were finally selected and analyzed using the content analysis method. This research has identified 22 organizational cultural barriers to DI, categorized across eight main categories. Among the most frequently mentioned organizational cultural barriers to DI are the Weak Digital Mindset, Isolation between Units, and Employees’ Skills Gap. The organizational cultural barriers to DI found in the selected articles most frequently span multiple industries. The research findings offer valuable insights for researchers and also for organizations seeking to cultivate a culture of innovation and address cultural barriers to digital innovation, thereby enhancing the success rate of digital innovation.