A Critical Review of Digital Maturity Models in Organizations
Keywords:
Digital maturity, digital transformation, transformational leadership, organizational culture, technological infrastructure, thematic analysis, organizational innovationAbstract
Objective: This study aims to identify, compare, and critically analyze various digital maturity models in organizations to highlight their conceptual similarities, differences, and theoretical gaps, providing an integrative framework for understanding the dimensions and outcomes of digital maturity.
Methods and Materials: This qualitative research employed a critical review approach. Data were collected through a systematic literature review of 12 peer-reviewed articles selected from Scopus, Web of Science, Springer, and ScienceDirect databases. Thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo version 14 through open, axial, and selective coding. The validity of findings was ensured through iterative comparison and theoretical saturation.
Findings: The analysis revealed that despite methodological diversity, digital maturity models converge around three key themes: technological and infrastructural capabilities, digital leadership and culture, and strategic and performance outcomes. Findings emphasized that digital maturity is a multidimensional and dynamic process shaped by the interplay of technology, organizational culture, and strategic alignment. Furthermore, recent models incorporate ethical, sustainability, and business innovation aspects as integral components of digital transformation.
Conclusion: Digital maturity is not merely the adoption of advanced technologies but the reflection of organizational culture, transformational leadership, and continuous learning. Achieving sustainable digital maturity requires a balanced integration of technological infrastructure with human and cultural capacities. The study’s findings provide a conceptual foundation for developing comprehensive frameworks and actionable strategies to guide digital transformation in organizations.
Downloads
References
Chanias, S., & Hess, T. (2016). Understanding digital transformation strategy formation: Insights from Europe’s automotive industry. Twenty-Fourth European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS), Istanbul, Turkey.
Deloitte. (2018). Digital Maturity Model (DMM): Achieving digital maturity to drive growth. Deloitte Insights.
Fischer, M., Imgrund, F., Janiesch, C., & Winkelmann, A. (2020). Strategy archetypes for digital transformation: Defining meta objectives using business process management. Information & Management, 57(5), 103262.
Gill, M., & VanBoskirk, S. (2016). The Digital Maturity Model 4.0. Forrester Research.
Hess, T., Matt, C., Benlian, A., & Wiesböck, F. (2016). Options for formulating a digital transformation strategy. MIS Quarterly Executive, 15(2), 123–139.
Jonathan, D., & Kuika Watat, J. (2020). Digital transformation in developing countries: A systematic review. Information Systems Frontiers, 22(6), 1429–1450.
Kane, G. C., Palmer, D., Phillips, A. N., Kiron, D., & Buckley, N. (2015). Strategy, not technology, drives digital transformation. MIT Sloan Management Review.
Kane, G. C., Phillips, A. N., Copulsky, J. R., & Andrus, G. R. (2019). The technology fallacy: How people are the real key to digital transformation. MIT Press.
Paulk, M. C., Curtis, B., Chrissis, M. B., & Weber, C. V. (1993). Capability maturity model for software. Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University.
Rogers, D. L. (2016). The digital transformation playbook: Rethink your business for the digital age. Columbia University Press.
Rossmann, A. (2020). Digital maturity: Conceptualization and measurement model. International Journal of Innovation Management, 24(8), 2050070.
Susanti, D., Suryadi, K., Sari, D. P., & Sumarna, D. (2023). Digital maturity model for government: A comprehensive framework. Government Information Quarterly, 40(1), 101717.
Verhoef, P. C., Broekhuizen, T., Bart, Y., Bhattacharya, A., Dong, J. Q., Fabian, N., & Haenlein, M. (2021). Digital transformation: A multidisciplinary reflection and research agenda. Journal of Business Research, 122, 889–901.
