Assessing the role of human factor in digital transformation projects: A systematic literature review and research agenda

Extensive research has been conducted on key corporate factors that have been impacted, and ultimately transformed, by digital transformation projects. These factors have been broadly analysed as distinct categories, the combination of which has led to a quad-factor model, which has already been introduced to applicators for the future successful delivery of digital transformation projects. Following a structured evaluation model of articles, this study presents a systematic literature review of 183 academic articles published between 2014 and 2023 to assess whether this quad-factor model provides a sufficiently robust framework for successful application of a digital transformation project, or whether the human factor needs to be introduced as the fifth independent factor supporting a project's results. Moreover, this study proposes a theoretical penta-factor model as a conceptual framework which presents human factor to have an equal contribution to the success of a digital transformation project. This will be helpful to future applicators in their efforts to design and deliver successful digital transformation projects with enhanced success and acceptance rates across the corporate ecosystem. Contributing to this highly relevant topic, the study summarises the ongoing trends in digital transformation projects and proposes promising avenues for future research.