The Critical Success Factors of a Digital Transformation for Traditional Logistics Service Providers in The Netherlands

Abstract

Digital Transformation has become increasingly important for traditional service providers, including those involved in logistics. It is specifically those pre-digital organizations where digital technologies pose an existential threat. The critical success factors of a digital transformation for twelve traditional logistics service providers in The Netherlands have been investigated with a multiple case study using semi-structured interviews. The conceptual model of the meta-analysis on digital transformation of Vial and the systemic literature reviews of Osmundsen and Morakanyane on critical success factors of a digital transformation allowed a refined list of digital critical success factors to be formulated. These factors were analysed and compared with the case organizations’ digital transformation success, using the success metrics of Bughin and Kraus. The research was conducted with a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fs/QCA). The results of the research suggest that traditional logistics service providers that have a high awareness of transformation impacts, high adoption of a digital business model and a high endorsement of cross-functional collaboration have high digital transformation success. The fs/QCA models used in the analysis show a high predictive validity and can be reused for future research.

Date of Award	12 Aug 2021
Original language	English
Supervisor	Remko Helms (Examiner) & G. Smeets (Co-assessor)