Why do so many digital transformations fail? A bibliometric analysis and future research agenda

Over the past decade, there has been a surge of publications focusing on digital transformation (DT). Yet, while the majority of current research reports on DT implementation, we continue to learn about the significant risk posed by high failure rates in these transformation efforts. This raises a crucial research question: “Why do so many digital transformations fail?” We conducted a bibliometric analysis to examine this question, identifying the key themes related to the failure of DT. Using thematic mapping, we scrutinise the literature to delve into the main causes behind the limited advancements in comprehending DT failure and the absence of both conceptual and empirical clarity on the new phenomena of DT. Our findings indicate a widespread tendency to categorise the DT ecosystem using terms like ‘technology’, ‘information system’, and ‘management’, among others. However, this approach neglects an in-depth examination of the specific and novel aspects of DT that have contributed to its failures. Additionally, we propose key recommendations for shaping future research agendas in this domain.