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Normalising a Digital Transformation
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Association for Information Systems
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ICIS 2021 Proceedings IS Implementation & Adoption
Dec 12th, 12:00 AM
Noel Carroll
NUI, Galway, noel.carroll@nuigalway.ie
Brian Mc Lafferty
Maynooth University, brian.mclafferty.2017@mumail.ie
Kieran Conboy
NUI Galway, kieran.conboy@nuigalway.ie
Brian Donnellan
Maynooth University, brian.donnellan@mu.ie
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Carroll, Noel; Mc Lafferty, Brian; Conboy, Kieran; and Donnellan, Brian, "Normalising a Digital
Transformation" (2021). ICIS 2021 Proceedings. 12.
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Forty-Second International Conference on Information Systems, Austin 2021
1
Noel Carroll
Lero, NUI Galway
Galway, Ireland
noel.carroll@nuigalway.ie
Brian McLaffery
Lero, Maynooth University
Maynooth, Ireland
brian.mclafferty.2017@mumail.ie
Kieran Conboy
Lero, NUI Galway
Galway, Ireland
kieran.conboy@nuigalway.ie
Brian Donnellan
Lero, Maynooth University
Maynooth, Ireland
Brian.Donnellan@mu.ie
Abstract
Digital transformation research and practice has received significant attention across
the information systems (IS) field in recent years. However, this area of research is still
in its infancy and in particular most studies focus on the initial adoption of digital
technology rather than the subsequent long-term normalisation and sustaining of that
digital transformation. Little is known about normalising a digital transformation (i.e.,
embedding and sustaining a digital transformation). This paper presents research-in-
progress to theorise about the normalisation of a digital transformation. This research
presents a longitudinal case study on Hewlett Packard Enterprise Finance Services
(HPEFS) and their efforts to normalise a digital transformation over seven years (2013-
2020). The contribution of this research is threefold. Firstly, this research demonstrates
the novelty of applying normalisation process theory (NPT) to examine a digital
transformation process. Secondly, NPT goes beyond traditional IS theoretical
perspectives and draws attention towards embedding and sustaining digital
transformations. Thirdly, we present a case study on how HPEFS normalised a digital
transformation and we outline our future research avenues.
Keywords: Digital transformation, normalisation process theory, case study
Introduction
Research on digital transformation has grown in the information systems (IS) field in recent years (Chanias
et al. 2019; Vial, 2019; Wessel et al. 2020). Digital transformation is essential for organisational growth by
exploiting new digital technology capabilities to do business in new and existing markets. There are many
definitions of digital transformation which refer to strategic changes using digital technologies to extend an
organisation’s business model, drive digital change across products and processes, improved customers
engagement, and introduce new organisational structures to provide improved digital services (Hess et al.
2016; Matt et al. 2015; Sebastian et al. 2017). In this study we combine key elements from the literature and
define digital transformation as an evolving process (Westerman et al. 2014) which must continuously
embed (Vial, 2019) and reconfigure stakeholder expectations (Hanelt et al. 2020) through the digitised
embodiment (Schultze, 2014) of new experiences (Sebastian et al. 2017) and creation of value (Vial, 2019).
Building on this, we argue that current IS views misrepresent the complexity of the overarching
transformation process within a digital context rather than traditional IS implementation, IT change, or
organisational change. As a result, the process of digital transformation within an IS context is not well
understood (Rowe, 2018; Vial, 2019) although we continue to build weak assumptions on how digital
transformations emerge (Carroll, 2020). Against this background, this paper responds to calls for more
research on developing theoretical contributions for digital transformations (Vial 2019; Chanias et al. 2019;
Baiyere et al. 2019; Markus and Rowe 2020; Wessel et al. 2020) and deepening discourse and theoretical
developments on digital transformations within an IS context.

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Examining the Transformation Process
There is growing recognition that organisations undergoing digital transformation need to pay more
attention towards the transformation process as opposed to a focus on new digital technologies (Tabrizi et
al. 2019; Carroll, 2020). A digital transformation process requires a broad overarching view of how to
strategise for a transformation process through the reconfiguration of people, processes, and digital
technologies. To support the IS community better understand how organisations undergo a transformation
continuum (i.e., a transformation is a continuous process), we need a novel theoretical lens to capture the
socio-technical dynamics of embedding the transformation process.
We reviewed IS literature for suitable theoretical perspectives in search of a theoretical lens on the
implementation, embedding, and sustaining of digital transformations. For example, assimilation of
practices, routinisation, change management, sensemaking, institutionalisation, dynamic capabilities, to
name a few – all of which provide focus on a specific part of the overarching transformation journey.
Compared to insights on digital technologies, the extant literature provides sparse coverage on theories to
examine or explain the process of digital transformations, for example how they are managed and sustained
in practice. There is considerable focus on technology adoption, implementation, and routinisation
(Tornatzky et al. 1990), technology diffusion (Rogers, 1995), institutional theory, and assimilation (Meyer
and Goes, 1988) which often focus on a specific technology. Yet there is a lack of theoretical development
on embedding and sustaining the profound impact of technology on business practice and the overarching
transformation process. For example, as with assimilation theory, a key to effective technological
assimilation is exercising control over its diffusion (Raho et al, 1987). Yet, within a digital transformation
context, managers need to “change their mindsets and abandon command and control” (Ebert and Duarte,
2018; p.19). In addition, while referring to institutional theory, Greenwood et al. (2014; p.1217) report that
“institutional theory has become so preoccupied with the institutional level of analysis that it has lost sight
of our claim as organisational scholars to actually study organisations” and they describe how there is a
need to gain a more “coherent, holistic account of how organisations are structured and managed” (p.
1206). Existing IS theories can support us to address part of these transformation challenges, yet we lack
an overarching theoretical view to guide the IS community though the digital transformation process. Our
research on digital transformation addresses these current shortcomings and draws on normalisation
process theory (NPT) (May and Finch, 2009) being a key part of the transformation process.
Normalisation Process Theory
NPT is a derivative sociological theory on the implementation, embedding and integration of new
technologies and organisational innovations (May and Finch, 2009). By focusing on normalisation, we can
begin to identify factors that promote and inhibit the routine incorporation of complex interventions into
everyday practice (Carroll and Conboy, 2019). NPT guides us to unpack and explain the dynamic nature of
digital transformations. NPT explains how transformations operate, focusing not only on implementation,
but beyond this to the point where change becomes so embedded into routine practice (i.e., it is normalised).
There are four core theoretical constructs behind the normalisation process (May and Finch, 2009) which
can provide new insights on organising structures, social norms, group processes and conventions to
sustain a digital transformation (Carroll, 2020) and improves the chances of success (Table 1).
NPT provides a rich theoretical lens to explain a transformation process since it allows us to uncover how
practices become routinely embedded in their social contexts, impacts on new organising structures, how
digital technology influences new social norms, and the impact on group processes and introducing
conventions. This article argues that NPT supports the IS community to better theorise about the digital
transformation process which encapsulate NPT theoretical constructs. In doing so, NPT provides a novel
lens which can support us understand the dynamics of implementing, embedding, and integrating new
technology or complex interventions. Considering the high failure rate associated with digital
transformations (Bughin et al. 2018), NPT can guide us to uncover challenges associated with the digital
transformations. NPT provides new ways to conceptualise the transformations process and the integration
of new systems of practice into existing organisational settings and becoming embedded in everyday work
(May and Finch, 2009).

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Core Construct of NPT Description
Coherence Sensemaking individually and/or collectively when faced with the prospect
of a digital transformation.
Cognitive Participation The relational work that people do to build and sustain a community of
practice around a digital transformation.
Collective Action The operational work that people do to enact the digital transformation.
Reflexive Monitoring The appraisal of work that people do to assess and understand the ways that
a digital transformation affect them and others around them.
Table 1. Applying NPT to Digital Transformation (Carroll and Conboy, 2019; Carroll,
2020)
Methodology
A case study is considered a suitable research approach to support theorising while exploring emerging
complex phenomena (i.e., digital transformations) within real-life settings (Eisenhardt, 1989), in order to
induce theories (Benbasat et al. 1987). Within a critical realist approach, we conducted a longitudinal case
study of a digital transformation at Hewlett Packard Enterprise Finance Services (HPEFS) over a seven-
year period (2013-2020), a division of Hewlett Packard Enterprise. We gathered data from observations
and granted access to key documentation. This included regularly updated journal entries and the in-depth
review of personal and organisational documents (such as digital transformation strategies, budgets,
meeting minutes, user guides, e-mails, private blogs, and reports) as well as relevant publicly available
information. We also carried out twelve in-depth semi-structured interviews across HPEFS staff involved
in the digital transformation (Table 2). These data sources provided the ‘real world’ perspective
ontologically, from which the interpretive approach supported us to identify the causal structures (Van de
Ven, 2007; Williams and Karahanna, 2013) which were critical theorise about the transformation using
NPT.
Code Position
Avg. Yrs
Experience
Code Position
Avg. Yrs
Experience
OBPM
Online Business
Process Team
14 GBDR
Global Business
Development Director
22
SITPM
Senior IT Project
Manager
9 ECSL
EMEA Channel Sales
Leader
16
SITBA
Senior IT Business
Analysts
9 EBDD
EMEA Business
Development Director
18
SITM Senior IT Manager 16 MBDA
Director of Marketing
and Business
Development, Americas
22
HOC
WW Head of
Credit
24 BD Business Development 16
FICO
FICO Business
Model Owner
5 CDM
Customer Delivery
Manager
16
Table 2. Summary of the Interview Profiles
Pawson and Tilley’s (1997) context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configuration guided the overarching data
analysis approach for this case study. The analysis involved the breaking down of the key events into the
effects and outcomes realised from which the triggers or conditions were identified (Henfridsson and
Bygstad, 2013; Koutsikouri et al., 2017). This approach also guided the identification of the change events
or incidents that in turn influenced the socio-technical actions that yielded the systems changes (Lyytinen
and Newman, 2008), i.e., the digital transformation process. The data from this analysis was categorised,

4
coded, and integrated to provide an explanation of the conditions, actions or interactions, and consequences
of the case (Strauss and Corbin, 1998). As illustrated in Figure 1, we employed a coding process to create an
integrated set of central categories to form a larger theoretical scheme to help explain the digital
transformation normalisation process at HPEFS.
Figure 1. Abstraction process to theorise on normalising a digital transformation
Summary of Preliminary Findings
HPEFS introduced the Partner Connection tool (PCT) as an online digital platform in 2013. PCT enabled
HPEFS to transform its key processes (such as quotation, credit application, and generating a contract) and
shifted large aspects of how the financial products of HPEFS would be presented and sold to customers. By
onboarding partners to sell through PCT, there was a transition in several the practices because of this
digital transformation i.e., how, and when tasks and activities were performed through certain digital
technologies. This service was embedded into the partners order management system which broadened the
reach of users within the company and therefore enabled growing sales opportunities. The new service
capabilities transformed HPEFS processes and fundamentally transformed how the financial products of
HPEFS were presented and sold to customers through digital channels. By onboarding partners to sell
through the PCT, a number of existing practices were transformed as a result of this digital solution i.e.,
who and when tasks and activities were performed and through digital means. As part of our preliminary
study, we investigated the digital transformation process through an NPT lens and identified a number of
factors associated with the normalisation of digital transformations. We explain how it became embedded
and sustained in practice under the four main NPT constructs: (i) coherence, (ii) cognitive participation,
(iii) collective action, and (iv) reflexive monitoring. We also identify the interconnectedness between the
iterative and dynamic nature of digital transformation as HPEFS transitioned through different
normalisation phases (Figure 2).
Coherence of Digital Transformation
Examining the coherence of a digital transformation guides us to explore the process of sensemaking that
HPEFS underwent to integrate the new PCT and embed new digital practices. This allowed us to uncover
the rationale and key drivers within HPEFS to initiate a digital transformation within HPEFS. We also
identified the implications of PCT in defining and reorganising the new digital practice to sustain the
transformation process. At this first phase in the normalisation process, a focus on coherence invited us to
question how HPEFS organisational practices had currently operated and identify why management
initiated the need to digitally transform practices.
For HPEFS, the answer to this question was largely guided by the evolving digital capabilities that existed
in the marketplace, the growing sense of competition, and how new technologies influenced customers
growing expectation and demands for new service capabilities. Therefore, HPEFS’ partners were the main
focus to undergo a digital transformation and embed the PCT to provide partners with new self-service
system capabilities. The rationale for introducing the PCT was to improve how HPEFS engaged with
partners and delivering an improved experience for the partners customers. As part of the coherence phase,
management at HPEFS initially focused on the perceived benefit of new internal digital capabilities through
the PCT to enhance internal digital capabilities of partners. For example, the Online Business Process
Manager (OBPM) reported that the PCT would provide a: “global platform to leverage for partners and
offering speed of processing transactions and the flexibility.” In this case, HPEFS identified the

5
competitive advantage of undergoing a digital transformation and increase speed of transactions and an
improve partners digital experiences. To promote HPEFS’ rationale for a digital transformation, they
invested in sensemaking tasks to educate stakeholders on: (i) the value-add of a propose digital
transformation, (ii) the operational benefits of changing their customer practice, (iii) the benefits of new
digital capabilities, and (iv) the overall competitive value for HPEFS in the marketplace. For example, the
TechData Credit Team Leader (a major distributor and key partner for HPEFS) outlined the impact: “we
can work 24hrs/7days per week in a very flexible tool that we can focus any deal coming for our customers
no matter if coming for HP products or non-HP products.” This demonstrated the benefits of the
sensemaking process and impact of the new digital- practices and benefits to their day-to-day operations.
Figure 2. Normalising a Digital Transformation
Cognitive Participation of a Digital Transformation
Following on from the coherence phase, the collective sensemaking process-initiated plans on identifying
the work that people do to build and sustain the digital transformation. This process became the ‘glue’ for
HPEFS and re-examine how their key stakeholders engage in current and new practices. Specifically,
management could identify how the new PCT created new roles, altered existing working relationships,
through the adoption of new digital practice and associated responsibilities to sustain the digital
transformation. By initiating their digital transformation, the internal stakeholder expectation was to grow
the segment through an online selling platform (i.e., the PCT) by enrolling partners into the new practice
and sell on behalf of HPEFS. This would drive ‘double-digit growth’ (i.e., volume of sales) without the need
to grow the sales force by the same amount. The external expectations were: (i) to allow selling partners to
provide a financial solution to their customers and facilitate rapid decision-making (e.g., to grant a
customer credit), provide an efficient contract signing and payment process to supply IT assets; and (ii) to
enable customers to be supplied and financed through the same selling partner to HPE. On a practical level,
this meant that by enrolling partners into the digital transformation process, HPEFS could learn how a new
set of digital capabilities for partners’ activities would create value (e.g., customer experience, time-
reduction to complete tasks, efficient decision-making, or financial benefits). As one example, the Senior
IT Manager (SITM) of Global IT HPE explained that: “by digitally transforming, we were giving the
partner the ability to give real time pricing, where we had more control over what that pricing was, we
were giving.” It was during the cognitive participation phase that the emphasis shifted from digital
capabilities to human capabilities to buy-into and drive the digital transformation. For example, the Global
Digital Transformation Director, HPEFS explained that: “While very powerful as a technology, it can be
hard for people to see how it works, the value proposition, and therefore was open to interpretation as to
the best way to implement in terms of where and how.” To normalise the digital transformation, it was
critical to encourage people to use (and participate) in the PCT platform since it allowed the partners to “see

6
the benefits” of the digital transformation. This was also predicated by the various demonstrations and
training events to guide partners through a new digital process and experience of HPEFS. To achieve this,
HPEFS had to enrol the internal team to become more proficient on the tool and support the key digital
activities that would lead to improved cognitive participation and activate the collective action phase.
Collective Action for a Digital Transformation
Collective action focuses on the key tasks that HPEFS had to do to enact the new PCT practice. Through the
NPT lens, we could identify how HPEFS changed specific practices, organisational structures, and
introduced new tools to enact and successfully sustain the digital transformation. For example, the PCT
performed a new end-to-end workflow to sell financial products on behalf of HPEFS and became a platform
for new practices including: (1) quick quote; (2) credit application (with automated credit scoring); (3) firm
quote; (4) contract generation; (5) signing / eSign. The new digital practice and its workflows were
embedded into the PCT online platform to self-guide the user through the end-to-end process. The PCT and
the transformation process was sustained by HPEFS through their continual engagement with business
partners, continuously improving their solution offerings and improved performance outcomes. For
example, the Global Digital Transformation Director, HPEFS explained that: “the ongoing engagement and
collaboration between the partner, the partner relationship managers and the sales teams was pivotable
to the success as we continually worked with these groups to drive deals through the tool and give
confidence on the ease, speed and transparency of doing so.” To sustain the transformation in practice,
HPEFS identified the need to continuously evolve in order to regenerate new socio-technical experiences
for both internal and external stakeholders to continuously engage with stakeholders in the transformation
process. For HPEFS, if aspects of the collective action began to weaken during the transformation process,
they could quickly identify this at an operational level and revisit stakeholder expectations or consider
abandoning aspects of the transformation process. However, for HPEFS, the collective action of the PCT
made it easier for their channel sales team to present updates to their partners and fundamentally change
the selling process which, in this case, became a new practice for quotation/pricing, credit application and
contract generation. To ensure HPEFS maintained the digital transformation momentum, they regularly
evaluated how the collective action phase met expectation around reflexive monitoring.
Reflexive Monitoring on a Digital Transformation
Reflexive monitoring of the PCT required an assessment process (informal and formal appraisal) to evaluate
the benefits or drawbacks from the digital transformation and reconfigurations of new practice and process
improvements. For HPEFS, this allowed them to determine which evaluation methods were best suited to
guide how executives or users could reflect on and appraise the effects of the digital transformation on
stakeholders. In doing so, it also allowed HPEFS to explore the overall impact of the digital transformation
at a socio-technical level, i.e., on new organising structures, social norms, group processes and conventions,
new patterns of work, and outcome measures. Core to the HPEFS assessment process was the need to
evaluate the partners experience since this was considered a “make or break” factor for the digital
transformation. This process and importance of gathering ongoing feedback and giving a response was key,
as highlighted by the EMEA Channel Sales Leader (ECSL): “while we had created business appetite with
the partners and we were able to work on their feedback, the speed of taking on board feedback is clearly
something we do very different today that we did in the past.” The partner experience at HPEFS was
normalised in order to increase online customer interactions with the organisation. In practical terms, for
HPEFS to evaluate the normalisation of the customer digital experience (as an indication of the digital
transformation being embedded and sustainable), they identified the following benefits from the PCT:
• External selling partner growth in the business processed through PCT
• More efficient decision for credit - less than one minute (FICO Scoring)
• Easier contract signing which increase payment completion times
• Improved customer management and engagement
• Improved ease in doing business e.g., the auto-population of data for quotations and contracts
In addition to the above benefits of the PCT, HPEFS identified how new customer digital experiences
promoted and encouraged active involvement from the customer to create on-demand products and

7
services. This had also generated growth in terms of user numbers and strengthened partner commitment
to their transformation vision. Within HPEFS, the design of the PCT enabled partners to enter transactions
and underlying process steps was built into the feedback from selling partners (acting as key innovators)
and sales teams. For example, one of HPEFS’ partners explained how the PCT created value: “…we can go
from quote to contract in minutes, enabling us to meet aggressive turnaround times and keep our business
moving” (Corporate Financing Manager for Global IT and services provider SHI). In addition, HPEFS
focused on a self-service approach for the PCT. A Sales Team lead (ECSL) within HPEFS explained that the
“self-service made quick quotes available immediately and sales could support quotes within 4 hours.”
This empowered internal teams to fully experience the benefits of a new digital practice in a way that they
experienced being closer to the selling partner which normalised the digital transformation.
Discussion
The literature indicates that digital transformations are extremely complex tasks and is unsurprising to
learn about high failure rates. Yet, what is surprising is the lack of new theoretical perspectives to better
explain what factors enable or inhibit how digital transformations are normalised in practice. Through this
research-in-progress, we identified the suitability of NPT to provide an alternative theoretical lens which
focused on normalisation within digital transformation. In this article, we present insights on how NPT
supports us to determine the assemblage of the transformation process which becomes routinely embedded
within organisational practices. Specifically, within HPEFS, to implement a digital transformation the
organisation had to redesign and embed a new digital practice through a new set of financial services
processes and their partners’ activities. Our preliminary findings on the HPEFS over the seven-year period
indicate that the phases within the normalisation process were vital to sustain the digital transformation.
For example, coherence was a critical and repetitive step to continuously drive digital adoptions, identify
new digital capabilities, and communicate the potential value creation to all stakeholders. Through their
PCT, HPEFS’ partners new digital engagement experience was normalised which led to increased online
partner and customer interactions with organisations. As the Senior IT Manager (SITM) explains:
“We spent a considerable amount of time educating all stakeholders on the ‘before and after’
benefits of this transformation. For example, by putting that online, we were giving the
partner the ability to give real time pricing, where we had more control over what that pricing
was, we were giving.”
Within HPEFS, the creation of value was led by the Sales and Operations teams to drive deployment and
adoption of the digital transformation by communicating the value proposition to the partners and the
tangible business outcomes. As the Director of Marketing and Business Development, Americas (MBDA)
reported:
"the digital platform that we've developed has been highly successful. And I look at a couple of
things there, (i) this business segment has grown double digits for the last three to four fiscal
years; and (ii) this functionality has now taken us to a place where we can make firm
commitments to the partners where we work and meet their expectations, and then
simultaneously be able to drive some efficiencies internally…”
In addition, as part of the reflexive monitoring phase, feedback from the customers (via the customer portal)
and partners was gathered both indirectly (engaging the sales and operations teams) or directly through
presentations, demonstrations, and information feedback sessions to normalise the digital transformation
across various phases. The adaption of the PCT embedded a new culture and mindset of continuous
improvement to sustain the digital transformation.
Future Work
As part of our future research, we plan to expand on this case study and provide rich details on each phase
during the digital transformation using our longitudinal data over a seven-year period. With nuanced
examples of evidence around additional normalisation components (Carroll and Conboy, 2019; Carroll
2020). Secondly, we plan to expand on the results of this analysis to extend NPT and to support how we
further theorise about digital transformations. As part of these efforts, we will continue to build on our
model (Figure 1) to further investigate the relationships between constructs and additions to consider as we
further theorise on normalising digital transformations. For example, we will also examine how emerging

8
techniques such as ‘citizen development’ are being adopted to sustain and normalise a digital
transformation culture within organisations (Carroll et al. 2021). We will also broaden our research by
analysing additional digital transformation cases studies across different sectors and establish a digital
transformation framework to guide academics and practitioners through the process of normalising a
digital transformation. Citizen development offers significant potential for digital transformation
initiatives. As part of our future research, we will examine how citizen development empowers employees
to bridge the gap in meeting growing demands for new applications to meet client need by taking advantage
of low-code or no-code platforms and normalise digital transformation processes (Carroll et al. 2021).
Another research opportunity identified from this research is to examine the connection between the design
choices for digital platforms and their impact on both the normalisation process and evolution of a digital
transformation. This will allow us to further explore how specific platform choices influence and exert an
idealised norm within organisations, similar to HPEFS, to sustain their digital transformation efforts.
Conclusion
This research presents a research-in-progress study of developing a new theoretical perspective on
sustaining digital transformation. By focusing on the digital transformation, this research reports our
preliminary case study findings from HPEFS. We first apply the main theoretical constructs of NPT to gain
an understanding around the main phases of normalisation. Drawing on the evidence from this case study,
we define digital transformation as an evolving process which must continuously embed and reconfigure
stakeholder expectations through the digitised embodiment of new experiences and creation of value. In
this article, we draw attention to the importance of normalisation to sustain the transformation process.
We expand on our position on digital transformation which will have substantial implications for both
theory and practice. Specifically, building on empirical observations and data across the HPEFS case study
(2013-2020), we focus on the normalisation of the technology and how it becomes sustained. To expand
on these new insights, our future research will provide more details insights and evidence on sustaining the
digital transformation process and theoretical arguments with empirical evidence based on the longitudinal
case study at HPEFS. To do so, we will expand on and add to these preliminary findings to build new
theoretical insights on normalisation in digital transformations. The contribution of introducing
normalisation to IS and digital transformation is that it provides clarity on the specific phases required to
implement, embed, integrate, and evaluate digital transformations in practice. NPT presents a suitable
theoretical lens to build new theoretical insights on multifaceted digital transformations and efforts to
explore and exploit new opportunities which will stimulate the IS genre to advance theoretical diversity to
continue to produce new knowledge (Markus and Rowe, 2018) on normalising digital transformations.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported, in part, by Science Foundation Ireland grant 13/RC/2094.
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