Logical Correspondences: Lessons from the Digital Transformation Case Study via Institutional Logic Perspective

Abstract

Digital transformation is unstoppable, and how to successfully transform an organization is the key to the competition of modern enterprises. Relevant literature points out that digital transformation leads to changes in the institutional logic behind various practices in the organization. This study intends to explore the shift of the dominant logic during the organization's digital transformation and how to increase the compatibility of the multiple institutional logics in the organization. Recent literature on institutional logic indicates that logical hybridization allows organizations to face multi-institutional logical conflicts. However, the shift and hybridization of institutional logic within organizations have not been discussed in depth in the context of digital transformation. This research employs the qualitative case study method to examine the selected case — CommonWealth Education Media and Publishing from a practice lens. I conduct 14 personnel interviews and two onsite participation observations, and adopt the model induction method of institutional logic to analyze the data collected. I find that before and after the digital transformation, in terms of the daily practices of content production and sales, customer interaction and partner connection, the dominant logic of each practice has shifted. After examining the shifts happened in these three practices, I derive three types of hybridization from the hybridity of the old and new institutional logic within each practice. This study coins the hybrid approach “correspondence” and discusses theoretical and practical contributions from this new point of view.