Title: A framework for digital transformation: root cause analysis

Authors: Mathupayas Thongmak

Addresses: MIS Department, Thammasat Business School, Thammasat University, 2 Prajan Rd., Pranakorn District, Bangkok, 10200, Thailand

Abstract: Digital transformation is believed to improve a company's performance. However, only a few companies succeed. Thus, this paper synthesises primary research relating to digital transformation to determine obstacles and propose a conceptual model for successful digital transformation. An integrative systematically review method is applied. Obstacles in terms of barriers, challenges, and problems are extracted from 163 academic journal and conference articles from GS and EBSCOHost using content analysis. Root causes of digital transformation failures are identified using Pareto analysis and fishbone diagram. Eight management resources are applied to investigate obstacles from different theoretical views, but only seven of them are revealed. Management, man, measurement, and machine are the root causes of failures. The results contribute to the emerging field of digital transformation, reveal hindrances of digital transformation at the company level, and guide top management on what areas they should focus on, to effectively implement digital transformation in their firms.

Keywords: cause-and-effect diagrams; Pareto analysis; fishbone diagram; digital transformation; barriers; challenges; problems.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIS.2026.151690

International Journal of Business Information Systems, 2026 Vol.51 No.2, pp.129 - 159

Received: 05 Mar 2022
Accepted: 28 May 2022
Published online: 16 Feb 2026 *

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