Where is the age of digitalization heading? The meaning, characteristics and implications of contemporary digital transformation

ABSTRACT

Digital transformation is perceived not only as a change in certain technology but also as a large transition that will ultimately change our lives for the better. Industry convergence, the key to digital transformation, entails, for firms, both various opportunities for innovation and the crisis of falling behind. Therefore, from the perspective of firms, it is critical to examine how digital transformation affects their industries and products as well as how they perceive and respond to digital transformation. This is ultimately a matter of how firms survive and maintain sustainable growth in this great upheaval of digital transformation. Based on the understanding of the concept of digital transformation, this study explores how high-growth firms perceive various aspects of digital transformation. The findings show that digital transformation involves a change of firms based on constant innovation, not simply the acceptance of technology, and that there is a large digital divide that depends on the firm size and industry type. Based on the above, this study derives implications in terms of the innovation activities of firms to ensure that digital transformation does not serve as a handicap and barrier for firms. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.