Digital Transformation Benefits Evaluation
Definition
The systematic assessment of outcomes, value, and impacts resulting from digital transformation initiatives. Traditional models often focus on technical efficiency and ROI, whereas contemporary approaches incorporate institutional-theory to understand socio-technical dynamics, legitimacy, and organizational logic.
Key Challenges
- Misalignment: Gap between technological implementation and organizational goals.
- Measurement Complexity: Difficulty in quantifying intangible benefits (e.g., cultural shift, adaptability).
- Institutional Isomorphism: Organizations may adopt technologies for legitimacy rather than performance, complicating benefit attribution.
Institutional Analysis Perspective
Drawing from Institutional Logic, evaluation must account for how digital tools interact with existing professional norms, regulatory pressures, and field-level expectations.
Recent Insights (2026 Integration)
- Burton-Jones et al. (2019): Highlights the necessity of shifting conversation from purely technical metrics to institutional analysis, particularly in complex sectors like healthcare.
- Contextual Specificity: Benefits evaluation in Healthcare IT requires understanding multiple competing logics (clinical excellence vs. public service vs. economic efficiency).
- Source Reference: See Burton-Jones - Changing the conversation on evaluating digital transformation in for detailed institutional analysis framework.
Evaluation Frameworks
- Traditional ROI/TCO: Financial metrics, cost savings, productivity gains.
- Balanced Scorecard: Incorporates customer, internal process, and learning/growth perspectives.
- Institutional Alignment Model: Assesses congruence between digital artifacts and institutional logics (e.g., Professional Dominance, State Logic).
Related Concepts
- Digital Transformation
- institutional-theory
- Value Realization
- Healthcare Informatics