Digital transformation in companies – challenges and success factors

Abstract

New supply networks, more automation, self-regulating products - the opportunities of digital transformation seem infinite. Some companies are facing very solid issues when it comes to implementing Industry 4.0. As part of the research project “Healthy Work in Pioneer Industries”, case studies were conducted with companies and reflected on the current state of research. It can be said that companies have fundamental challenges in mastering the digital transformation: Isolatory thinking, no active knowledge management, underestimation of digitalisation and lack of knowledge, no resources and no awareness of digitalisation tended to be identified as deficits. There are also examples of how companies are successfully addressing digital transformation. The identified success factors are the creation of innovation areas, networking across company boundaries, the application of agile methods, the motivation to try out new things and the active management of digital transformation in the company. In this paper, we discuss obstacle and success factors we observed in our case studies on basis of a cross case study analysis.