Leading digital transformation: A narrative perspective

Abstract

Change communication is a critical dimension for leading digital transformation. Existing literature predominantly theorizes change communication as part of the earliest stages of the transformation, but how it evolves over time to remain relevant in this context is understudied. We address this shortcoming through a four-year study of a digital transformation initiative in a local government's health care department. Drawing on a narrative perspective, we offer a processual account and describe the ongoing communicative work of public managers as they attempt to shape frontline workers' expectations of digital transformation. We theorize three narrative types—aspirational, setback, and persistence—that work as communicative resources in dealing with hopes, delays, and emerging concerns. Our article contributes to the literature on leading digital transformation in the public sector by providing a narrative perspective that details how managers produce narratives, navigate existing ones, and tailor them to emerging concerns.