Information Systems endeavours framework: from digitisation, through digitalisation, to digital transformation

Abstract

[Exerpt] Information Systems (IS) refer to tools, devices, applications, and infrastructures used to col lect, store, process, share, and disseminate information, as well as the organisational struc tures, processes, and resources that make use of these technologies (Bacon & Fitzgerald, 1996). In recent decades, IS have emerged as a driving force of change, marking a progressive transition from the Analogical Era to the Digital Era (Chawla & Goyal, 2022; Jedynak et al., 2021). This change, sometimes paradigmatic and supported by the significant development of new technological capabilities, has played a transformative role in organisational structures, driving the emergence of new realities and opportunities (Chen & Tian, 2022; Porfírio et al., 2024). As a result, we live in a society in constant transformation, with the dynamics of per sonal and professional life being frequently redefined (Savastano et al., 2022; van Veldhoven & Vanthienen, 2022). In this evolving context, IS is becoming increasingly important, serving a dual purpose: it supports organisations’ essential (‘business as usual’) activities while also catalysing inno vation (Gradillas & Thomas, 2023; Zhai et al., 2022), as evidenced by the improvement of many business processes and models in organisations worldwide. Furthermore, IS can provide organisations with significant competitive advantages through the strategic exploitation of the potential of Information Technologies (IT) (Mutlu et al., 2022; Wimelius et al., 2021). Academic literature focuses on macro-analysis of the phenomenon, examining how it occurs in various industries and economies (Aras & Büyüközkan, 2023; Porfírio et al., 2024; Shen et al., 2022; Trzaska et al., 2021). However, a closer look reveals significant nuances in various aspects, such as the scope of interventions, the way IT is adopted, the redefinition of processes, and the evolution of human capital, resulting in a complexity that requires study in detail (Gradillas & Thomas, 2023; Lanzolla et al., 2021). [...]