How does the pace of digital transformation affect team viability and performance? — The role of adaptive response

• Main Author: TIAN, Jing
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2024
• Subjects: digital technology; pace of digital transformation; adaptive response; team performance; team viability; Business Administration, Management, and Operations; Finance and Financial Management
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/etd_coll/554; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/etd_coll/article/1552/viewcontent/论文_田静20240428_English.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

The national strategy of “Digital China” implemented in 2021 has catalyzed efforts to bolster the digital ecosystem across industries. With pervasive claims of digital transformation and upgrading by nearly all enterprises, digital technology permeates various sectors. This study explores, from the perspective of working teams—the smallest unit within enterprise production organizations—how the pace of digital transformation influences team viability and performance. It investigates the transmission mechanism of this effect and identifies influencing factors. Drawing from extant research on the impact of digital technology on organizations, trends in organizational change, and psychological research on team behavior, this study establishes a theoretical framework based on the Adaptive Response Model and Technology Acceptance Model. Hypotheses derived from this framework are empirically tested. Tracking 700 teams undergoing digital technology transformation through multiple interviews and long-term observations, this study collected 2,039 valid questionnaires from 373 teams across three waves of surveys spanning seven months. The findings reveal that rapid digital transformation, when preceded by adequate technology preparation, enhances adaptive response, thereby improving team effectiveness, including both performance and vitality. This study's framework distinguishes itself from prior research by (1) identifying the “pace of digital transformation”, a dynamic measure, as positively impacting team effectiveness, (2) underscoring the mediating role of “adaptive response” in enhancing team effectiveness, (3) emphasizing the moderating effect of technology preparation on the entire mechanism, and (4) focusing on lower-level teams as the smallest organizational production unit, considering the dual-level behaviors of individuals and teams. The insights from this study deepen our understanding of worker mentality, behavior, and performance during enterprise digital transformation, offering guidance for strengthening production foundations, nurturing high-quality industrial workers, and facilitating successful digital transformation initiatives.