Navigating Digital Transformation? The Guiding Role and Socialization Processes of Change Agents

Abstract

This article investigates the role of internal change agents in advancing digital transformation within public sector organizations. In response to the complexities of digitalization, these change agents guide their peers in adopting technology and bridging the gap between strategy and implementation. We draw on an 18-month diary study (N = 68, n = 1007) and interviews with 20 change agents from two mid-sized municipalities in Germany. Building on role socialization theory, the study identifies phases in their development, from anticipation of the new role to initial learning, adaptation, and eventually integration and role mastery. The results show that these change agents act as knowledge brokers and motivators, helping build digital skills among colleagues, while also engaging in their own job enrichment. Yet tensions emerged with respect to managing their dual roles linked to time, role ambiguity, and resistance. Implications of this study point to the active role individual public servants play in effective digital transformation. By focusing on individuals involved in digital change, these findings offer a replicable model for public organizations undergoing digital transformation.