Technical Debt Is Killing Digital Transformation, But There Is a Way Out

IF 7.3 2区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

California Management Review Pub Date : 2025-10-01 DOI:10.1177/00081256251370795

Aleksandre Asatiani, Jacob Torell, Tapani Rinta-Kahila, Johan Magnusson

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Digital transformation is important for organizations to stay competitive. Yet, incumbents face challenges from technical debt accrued from legacy information systems. The big bang approach—aiming for a rapid replacement of legacy systems—often falls short. This failure largely results from treating technical debt as a purely technical issue, while overlooking its managerial implications. What is needed is a gradual approach that redefines IT’s role from debt custodian to strategic enabler, focusing on generating business value rather than solely eliminating technical debt. This article offers four recommendations for managers to handle technical debt amid digital transformation.

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技术债务正在扼杀数字化转型，但还有一条出路

数字化转型对企业保持竞争力至关重要。然而，现有企业面临着来自遗留信息系统积累的技术债务的挑战。大爆炸式的方法——旨在快速替换遗留系统——往往是不够的。这种失败主要是由于将技术债务视为纯粹的技术问题，而忽略了其管理含义。我们需要的是一种渐进的方法，将IT的角色从债务保管人重新定义为战略推动者，专注于产生业务价值，而不仅仅是消除技术债务。本文为管理人员在数字化转型中处理技术债务提供了四条建议。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

California Management Review Multiple-

CiteScore

18.40

自引率

3.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： California Management Review (CMR) serves as a vital link between academia and management practice, offering leading-edge research with practical applications. Edited at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, CMR covers a wide range of management topics, including innovation, strategy, sustainable practices, and human resources. CMR ranks among the top management journals globally, distributing articles through outlets like Harvard Business School Publishing and SAGE Publishing. Focused on bridging academia and practice, CMR ensures that all articles are based on rigorous academic research while providing actionable insights for managers. In addition to regular issues, CMR publishes special issues and sections on relevant topics, often guest-edited by leading faculty. Recent special issues have covered dynamic capabilities, city innovation, big data, and intellectual property management.