Digital transformation of socio-economic systems as the end result of the digitalization process

The article is devoted to a comparative analysis of the interpretations of concepts related to the process of introducing information technologies and systems, namely: “informatization”, “digitalization” and “digital transformation”. A critical assessment of various approaches to the definitions of the above terms is given. The relevance of the study is confirmed by the fact that despite the rapid penetration of information and communication technologies into all spheres of human life and activity, the methodological base in this area of research is still insufficiently developed, especially in terms of terminology. As a result, there is chaos in the interpretation of concepts and their not quite correct use. The purpose of the work. The study is aimed at systematizing approaches to the definition of the concepts of “informatization”, “digitalization” and “digital transformation”, differentiating these terms and clarifying their interpretations. Materials and methods. In the process of writing the article, general scientific methods and research techniques were involved: a descriptive method, a comparison method, an analogy method, a historical method, a structural-functional method, methods of generalization and typology, as well as a systematic approach. The study was based on the materials of domestic annual statistical observations in the field of assessing the level of development and implementation of information technologies, as well as the results of rating countries in terms of the level of development of these technologies, conducted by the largest foreign consulting companies, agencies and research centers, studied various methodological materials and theoretical overviews. articles on the research topic in order to generalize and systematize them. Results. The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of a number of terms related to the process of introducing digital technologies, their differentiation is carried out, the main features and characteristics of each of them are established. Definitions of the clarifying nature of the following concepts are given: “informatization”, “digitalization” and “digital transformation”. Informatization, digitization, automation, digitalization and digital transformation are proposed to be considered as successive meaningful stages in the process of introducing information systems and technologies. At the same time, the digital transformation of socio-economic systems is considered as the final desired result of the digitalization process, in which a qualitative leap (breakthrough) is observed in the development of the socio-economic system and most of the most important processes (business processes) are rethought and restructured. Such qualitative transformations lead to a change in the business model, affecting all elements of the system. Conclusion. The advantage of the approach proposed in the framework of this study is that all the above terms are considered here not in isolation, but in interconnection, being part of a general process, reflecting the essence and content of such a complex and ambiguous phenomenon as digital transformation.