The Twin Transformation Butterfly: Capabilities for an Integrated Digital and Sustainability Transformation

The Twin Transformation Butterfly: Capabilities for an Integrated Digital and Sustainability Transformation

23 January 2024 | Anne-Sophie Christmann · Carlotta Crome · Valerie Graf-Drasch · Anna Maria Oberländer · Leonie Schmidt
This paper explores the concept of "twin transformation" as a synergistic interplay between digital and sustainability transformation, aiming to enhance organizational performance and create value for the common good. The study conceptualizes twin transformation as a value-adding reinforcing interaction between digital and sustainability efforts, where digital technologies enable sustainability and sustainability guides digital progress. Drawing from dynamic capability theory, the paper develops a capability framework for twin transformation, highlighting the need for specific capabilities to integrate both transformations. The research addresses the challenge of integrating digital and sustainability transformations, which have been studied separately in information systems (IS) research. The paper argues that digital transformation has received more attention than sustainability transformation, and that sustainability has often been reduced to its ecological aspects rather than considering its holistic perspective. However, digital solutions have significant potential to support sustainability goals, as demonstrated by research in Green IT and Green IS. The study conducts interviews with key informants from 15 organizations to explore the dynamic capabilities needed for twin transformation. The findings reveal 16 dynamic twin transformation capabilities, grouped into four overarching wings: primary capabilities and support capabilities. These capabilities include deploying sustainable digital technologies, fostering sustainability-related consumer choices, and integrating sustainability into digital transformation solutions. The paper contributes to IS research by providing a conceptual framework for twin transformation, emphasizing the need to consider both digital and sustainability transformations in equal measure. It also highlights the importance of dynamic capabilities in enabling twin transformation and suggests that future research should focus on integrated and interdisciplinary approaches to address global environmental and social challenges. The study underscores the potential of twin transformation to create value for organizations and society, and calls for further research to explore the interplay between digital and sustainability transformations in more depth.This paper explores the concept of "twin transformation" as a synergistic interplay between digital and sustainability transformation, aiming to enhance organizational performance and create value for the common good. The study conceptualizes twin transformation as a value-adding reinforcing interaction between digital and sustainability efforts, where digital technologies enable sustainability and sustainability guides digital progress. Drawing from dynamic capability theory, the paper develops a capability framework for twin transformation, highlighting the need for specific capabilities to integrate both transformations. The research addresses the challenge of integrating digital and sustainability transformations, which have been studied separately in information systems (IS) research. The paper argues that digital transformation has received more attention than sustainability transformation, and that sustainability has often been reduced to its ecological aspects rather than considering its holistic perspective. However, digital solutions have significant potential to support sustainability goals, as demonstrated by research in Green IT and Green IS. The study conducts interviews with key informants from 15 organizations to explore the dynamic capabilities needed for twin transformation. The findings reveal 16 dynamic twin transformation capabilities, grouped into four overarching wings: primary capabilities and support capabilities. These capabilities include deploying sustainable digital technologies, fostering sustainability-related consumer choices, and integrating sustainability into digital transformation solutions. The paper contributes to IS research by providing a conceptual framework for twin transformation, emphasizing the need to consider both digital and sustainability transformations in equal measure. It also highlights the importance of dynamic capabilities in enabling twin transformation and suggests that future research should focus on integrated and interdisciplinary approaches to address global environmental and social challenges. The study underscores the potential of twin transformation to create value for organizations and society, and calls for further research to explore the interplay between digital and sustainability transformations in more depth.
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Understanding The Twin Transformation Butterfly