Digital transformation (DT) has received growing attention as it emerged as a pivotal force in reshaping modern enterprises and societies over the past two decades. Despite the global emphasis on researching DT, its precise conceptualization and definitive boundaries remain unclear. This paper offers a comprehensive review of the existing literature on DT, providing an in-depth analysis of its conceptualization, key influencing factors, measurement approaches, and economic consequences. Additionally, this study identifies critical research gaps, providing insights to guide organizations in navigating their digital transformation process while informing future research directions. By addressing these gaps, this paper contributes to the development of more effective DT strategies and highlights the need to mitigate its potential negative impacts on society and the environment.
Colbert, A., Yee, N,, and George, G. (2016). ‘The digital workforce and the workplace of the future’, Academy of Management Journal, 59, 731-739.
Jensen, J. R. (1981). ‘Urban change detection mapping using Landsatdigital data’, The American Cartographer, 8(2), 127–147.
Hansen, R. and Sia, S. (2015). ‘Hummel's digital transformation toward omnichannel retailing: Key lessons learned’, MIS Quarterly Executive, 14, 51-66.
Hess, T., Matt, C.,Benlian, A. (2016). ‘Options for formulating a digital transformation strategy’ , MIS Quarterly Executive, 15, 123-139.
He, F. and Liu, H. (2019). ‘Performance enhancement evaluation of digital transformation in physical enterprises from the perspective of the digital economy’ , Reform, 4, 137-148.
Hinings, B., Gegenhuber, T., & Greenwood, R. (2018). Digital innovation and transformation: An institutional perspective. Information and Organization, 28(1), 52–61.
Huang, J., Ji, X., and Li, Y. (2021). ‘The Impact of Digitalization Level on Innovation Performance of Enterprises: Empirical Evidence from Listed Companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges’ , Jiangxi Social Sciences, 05, 61-72.
Karimi, J. and Walter, Z. (2015). ‘The role of dynamic capabilities in responding to digital disruption: A Factor-Based study of the newspaper industry’, Journal of Management Information Systems,32, 39-81.
Kraus, S., Jones, P., Kailer, N., Weinmann, A., Chaparro-Banegas, N., & Roig-Tierno, N. (2021). ‘Digital Transformation: An Overview of the Current State of the Art of Research’. Sage Open, 11(3), 1-15
Pagani, M. and Pardo, C. (2017). ‘The impact of digital technology on relationships in a business network’, Industrial Marketing Management, 67, 185-192.
Parviainen, P., Tihinen, M., Kääriäinen, J., & Teppola, S. (2017). Tackling the digitalization challenge: How to benefit from digitalization in practice. International Journal of Information Systems and Project Management, 5(1), 63–77.
Qi, H., Cao, X., and Liu, Y. (2020). ‘The Impact of Digital Economy on Corporate Governance: Based on the Perspectives of Information Asymmetry and Managerial Irrational Behavior’, Reform, 4, 50-64.
Verhoef, P. C. ,Broekhuizen, T., Bart, Y. (2021). ‘Digital transformation: A multidisciplinaryreflection and research agenda’, Jounal of Business Research, 122, 889-901.
Vial, G. (2019). ‘Understanding digital transformation: A review and a research agenda’,Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 28, 118-144.
Westerman, G., Calméjane, C., Bonnet, D., Ferraris, P., & McAfee, A. (2011). ‘Digital transformation: A roadmap for billion-dollar organizations’, MIT Sloan Management Review, 53(2), 1-12.
Zhai, H. and Li, Q. (2022). ‘Does digital transformation of enterprises improve audit quality? Empirical test based on the multi-time-point difference-in-differences model’, Audit and Economic Research, 37(02), 69-80.
Zhang, Y. and Bu, J. (2023). ‘Does digital transformation of enterprises affect the comparability of accounting information? ’, Journal of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, 2, 41-51.
Zhang, Z., Zhang, J., Ye, B., and Chen, Y. (2021). ‘The impact of digital transformation on business model innovation’, Science and Technology Progress and Policy, 11, 114-123.
Zhao, C., Wang, W. and Li, X. (2021). ‘How does digital transformation affect total factor productivity of enterprises’, Finance and Trade Economics, 7, 114-129.
Zhong, T., Huang, Y. and Sun, F. (2022). ‘Digital transformation of enterprises, market competition, and comparability of accounting information’, Modern Finance and Economics,12, 21-43.
Wen, H., & Bajuri, N. H. (2025). Digital Transformation: A Literature Review and Future Research Agenda. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(2), 1103–1109.
Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode