The Employee Perspective in Digital Transformation Research: A Critical Review

The dynamic role of employees in Digital Transformation (DT) has gained attention in Information Systems (IS) research. DT is often used interchangeably with other digital-x terms such as digitization and digitalization, leading to conceptual ambiguity and limiting advancement of the employee perspective in DT research. We conducted a critical literature review to evaluate the current state of research at the intersection of digital-x terms and employee characteristics. The preliminary findings from the evaluation of 34 articles indicate a lack of clarity among the digital-x terms. The theoretical contribution to the IS field includes specifying research on the employee perspective for the three digital-x terms, critically discussing the existing state of employee-focused research by providing a platform for exploring the individual frontier, and identifying boundary conditions and their limitations. Finally, this paper provided insights for leaders and organizations on the role of employees during DT.