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Digital Transformation Leadership: Navigating Technological Change
Annotated Bibliography
NF1017050, NF1001885, NF1019049, NF1001537
Vikas Bairagi, Urmila Kataria, Mansi Kohli, Florence Agudo Tamayao
University of Niagara Falls, Canada
MGMT-500-8: Introduction to Management
Prof. Shaheen Shariff
February 14, 2025
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Introduction
Digital transformation profoundly changes businesses because these technologies and
Innovative models are adopted to improve efficiency, customer experience, and competitiveness.
In this fast-paced world, leadership is paramount for navigating organizations through the digital
change process, aligning digital initiatives with business objectives, and establishing an
innovative culture. Leaders need to address challenges such as resistance to change, lack of skill
sets, and integration of technology for successful transformation.
Effective leadership in digital transformation goes beyond adopting new technologies; it requires
strategic vision, planning, and managing organizational change. Leaders need to create an
environment where employees embrace technological advancements, encourage continuous
learning, and ensure that digital initiatives align with broader business objectives. Securing
stakeholder buy-in and fostering cross-department collaboration is also key to successful digital
transformation.
This research aims to explore how leadership influences digital transformation, focusing on
strategies leaders use to manage technological shifts, drive cultural change, and overcome
barriers to adoption. The study will also examine the leadership skills necessary to navigate
emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud computing.
Understanding leadership's role is essential for organizations striving to remain competitive and
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innovative in the digital age.
This annotated bibliography includes a range of sources—books, journal articles, and web
resources that provide both theoretical and practical insights into how leaders drive digital
transformation, tackle challenges, and implement strategies for sustained growth and innovation.
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Annotated Bibliography
Hinterhuber, A., Vescovi, T., & Checchinato, F. (Eds.). (2021). Managing digital
transformation: Understanding the strategic process. Routledge.+
https://www.routledge.com/Managing-Digital-Transformation-Understanding-the-
Strategic-Process/Hinterhuber-Vescovi-Checchinato/p/book/9780367441975
This book is an in-depth study of digital transformation leadership, with emphasis on
the strategic aspects of technological change. Different managerial strategies for
leadership in driving organizations through digital transformations are discussed as needed
to sustain innovation and competitiveness. Furthermore, the book analyzes case studies
from multinational corporations that demonstrate how leadership is practically applied in
the real world to digital change management. With structured content, practical examples,
and evidence of real-life situations, this book is a valuable means to understand how
leaders have been in a position to steer digital transformation. Highly relevant to the
research, this book provides tactical insights into managing technological shifts and
generating a culture of innovation in the organization.
Bera, S. D. (2023). Digital transformation in family firms: Exploring the interplay of
tradition and innovation (master’s thesis). Politecnico di Milano.
https://www.politesi.polimi.it/handle/10589/217456
The present thesis investigates the transformations that family businesses undergo as they
shift from being oriented with tradition to orienting themselves towards being innovative in
structure. Also depicted in the paper are factors and events that make leadership's role relevant in
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the context that deals with managing technology about their values. It describes key challenges
like cultural resistance and processes that leaders should act upon to enable technological
adoption. Although it is a master's thesis, it digs out themes that capture the influence of
leadership in the digital arena, particularly in an environment where tradition is a significant
factor. It aims to enhance the minds of individuals who understand how leadership complements
change while balancing the flow of business continuity, critical for the present research into
digital transformation leadership.
Attah, R. U., Garba, B. M. P., & Ogunsola, O. Y. (2023). Leadership in the digital age:
Emerging trends in business strategy, innovation, and technology integration. IRE
Journals, 6(9), 389-404.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/388459142
This peer-reviewed article deals with the roles of leadership in the changing
dynamic brought about by digital transformation, with a spotlight on how these would evolve to
accommodate the introduction of emergent technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud
computing, and big data analytics, and how leadership itself would have to adapt to facilitate
digital adoption along lines of adaptability, alignment to strategy, and stimulation of innovation.
Among the challenges faced by leadership, the study also considers those related to employee
resistance, skill gaps, and organizational restructuring. The article has provided empirical
evidence on leadership's role in digital transformation, which makes it a very relevant source for
this research. The theoretical as well as practical perspectives on the emerging trends in digital
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leadership are highlighted in the article, which includes best practices for managing
technological change effectively in contemporary organizations.
Muktamar, A. B., Bachtiar, A., Guntoro, Riyantie, M., & Ridwan, N. (2023). The role of
leadership in digital transformation management in organizations. Journal Minfo
Polgan, 12(1), 1306-1314. https://doi.org/10.33395/jmp.v12i1.12731
This journal article attempts to demonstrate how different leadership styles—from
transformational leadership to contingency leadership—affects the process of digital
transformation in organizations. It points out how active leadership plays a substantial role in
mitigating resistance to change and nurturing an organization's culture of innovation. The article
presents means of practically understanding and empirically observing leadership dynamics
related to digital transformation, with an emphasis on effective change management. The
findings assert that leaders should be flexible, visionary, and strategic in managing digital
transformation. This source is very much related to the research, as it provides an in-depth
analysis of leadership in digital change management.
Corbo, G. (2022, December 8). Improving leadership during periods of digital
transformation. Forbes Technology Council.
https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2022/12/08/improving-
leadership-during-periods-of-digital-transformation/
This piece in Forbes highlights all the critical leadership strategies essential for a
successful digital transformation, while Corbo emphasizes the strategies: aligning
business strategies with technology initiatives, getting stakeholder buy-in, and
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employee engagement. Real examples have been given in which leadership steers
between adopting technology and achieving the goals of the organization. Moreover,
it highlights the importance of digital literacy in leaders and continuous learning to
stay ahead in a fast-evolving digital landscape. This article serves as a realistic
document through which leaders would understand how to navigate digital
transformation alongside giving practical steps that can be cultivated in a business
setting.
Smith, T., Sniderman, B., & Kearns-Manolatos, D. (2022, August 31). How to lead digital
transformation from the top: A practical guide for leaders facing the challenge of
transforming their organizations through digital technology. Deloitte Insights.
https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/strategy/how-to-lead-digital-
transformation.html
The writers teach that the strategies leaders should underpin are those aligning incentives
with digital objectives, working past resistance to change, and establishing an unequivocal
vision for what is to be developed digitally. These insights from interviews with global leaders
supplement the article's topics with best practices for succeeding in digital transformation.
The article then moves on to discuss how leadership mindset, investment in upskilling, and
cross-functional collaboration promote digital success. The reference is highly pertinent as
it presents a framework for digital leadership, focusing on developing strategic plans,
relearning when needed, and building an innovative culture within organizations.
