Universities’ readiness for digital transformation: a managerial aspect

This article presents a research-oriented investigation. It conducts a theoretical analysis of 307 works dedicated to assessing organizations’ readiness for digital transformation processes. In a context where universities are undergoing digital transformations and facing challenges in achieving targeted performance indicators, the search for underlying causes of these failures becomes increasingly relevant. This study aims to deepen the understanding of universities’ digital readiness by framing the managerial problem through the lens of theoretical analysis informed by empiricalresearch outcomes in this domain. The methodologies employed include a systematic literature review, expert evaluation, and content analysis. The foundation of this work lies in the search, identifi cation, selection, and critical appraisal of publications by both domestic and international authors addressing the transformation of organizational activities, including those of universities, under the infl uence of digital technologies and tools. The scientific novelty of this article resides in the novel interpretation of empirical data extracted from published studies on this issue. A qualitative synthesis of these findings and expert extraction of knowledge from the conducted research have substantiated the necessity of distinguishing between the concepts of “digital maturity” and “digital readiness”. Furthermore, this study delineates a comprehensive set of organizational conditions essential for the successful implementation of digital transformation initiatives within universities and assesses their impact on the outcomes of such processes. It concludes that the development of an institution’s IT infrastructure, traditionally regarded as a primary determinant of successful transformations, is no longer a sufficient condition in today’s context.