Edinburgh Business School
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Item Towards an integrated digital transformation framework for Industry 5.0 : enablers, barriers, and the ambidexterity solution(Heriot-Watt University, 2025-06) Mohankumar, Sandeep; Tran, Doctor YenDigital transformation (DT) is crucial for organizations to thrive in the digital era, driven by Industry 4.0 and further accelerated by Industry 5.0. However, unsuccessful DT initiatives can be detrimental to organisational performance, highlighting the need for pragmatic DT strategies aligned with operational goals and sustainable value creation. A comprehensive DT strategy must encompass organisational, technological, and human dimensions. Furthermore, organizations must simultaneously exploit their existing business models while exploring new digital opportunities - a capability known as organisational ambidexterity - to ensure sustained growth and competitiveness in an ever-evolving market landscape. Despite its significance, existing studies on DT lack an integrated perspective on the enabling and deterring factors that influence the success of DT initiatives. Additionally, there is a notable absence of a comprehensive framework to support organizations in effectively strategizing and implementing DT while maintaining organisational ambidexterity. This research addresses these significant gaps by systematically investigating the enablers and deterrents of DT and developing a comprehensive, actionable DT framework. The proposed framework equips organizations with a structured approach to achieving their DT objectives while successfully practicing ambidexterity. This study adopted an inductive approach combined with an explanatory sequential design to investigate how organizations navigate the complexities of DT while balancing tradition and innovation. The research began with an extensive literature review to identify and analyse the key constituents and frameworks of DT, emphasizing critical success factors and the application of organisational ambidexterity within the context of DT initiatives. Insights derived from this review were further explored through quantitative surveys and qualitative semi-structured interviews conducted with a carefully selected sample of organizations in Oman. This research makes a significant theoretical contribution to knowledge by offering an integrated perspective on the critical factors influencing DT and enhancing the understanding of organisational ambidexterity within the context of DT. From a practical standpoint, the study presents a comprehensive DT Framework, grounded in theoretical insights and pragmatically designed, offering organizations a structured approach to strategizing and implementing DT initiatives. Furthermore, this research proposes an 'ambidexterity solution' to balance exploitation and exploration in effectively practicing digital transformation.Item Plus ça change : the impacts of climate-driven strategic changes on organisational culture, employee engagement and wellbeing in Nigerian Oil and Gas industry(Heriot-Watt University, 2025-02) Bolaji, Adewale; Samuel, Doctor SundayThe Nigerian Oil and Gas (O&G) industry faces unprecedented climate-driven strategic change to transform the global energy sector from fossil fuel production to zero-carbon, clean and green energy due to pressures emanating from investors, stakeholders, climate change activists, agitators, and enthusiasts, driven by growing employee dissatisfaction, frustration, and grievances. This study investigates the impacts of the climate-driven strategic change on organisational culture, employee engagement and wellbeing in Nigerian O&G industry. Employing an interpretivist philosophy, qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 25 O&G industry employees. Narrative analysis guided by Kotter's Change, Strategic leadership model, the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs and the United Nation Sustainable Development goals 3 and 8, was used to analyze the data. The findings reveal that climate-driven strategic change has significantly impacted organizational culture leading to increase in employee stress, decrease engagement and compromised wellbeing and contributes to ineffective leadership styles. Remarkably however, the findings also reveal that, the more the climate-driven strategic change, the more it remains the same. This research contributes to understanding of climate-driven strategic change in the O&G industry and provide insights for policymakers, practitioners, and industry leaders to mitigate negative impacts and leverage positive outcomes to strengthen and promote sustainable and resilient workplace. The study highlights the importance of prioritising organisational culture, employee engagement and wellbeing and ensuring resilient and sustainable industry in the face of climate-driven strategic change uncertainty in the Nigerian O&G industry.Item How digitalisation and artificial intelligence can create competitive advantages : best practice applied to strategic business management within professional team sports companies(Edinburgh Business School, 2025-08) Steinberg, Daniel; Bergsiek, Professor Micha; Morrow, Professor StephenItem Contributing mechanisms of organisational structural change in the context of digital transformation. An exploratory case research(Heriot-Watt University, 2023-06) Ratz, Oliver; Rygl, Professor Doctor DavidOrganisations are subject to constant change in the context of the megatrend of digital transformation (DT), which has numerous effects on the corporate environment. This influence results in organisational structural change (OSC), which can be observed as a phenomenon across all industries. Given the dynamics of DT, as well as the increasingly digital world, which has an impact on all organisational functions, management along the organisational structure is an elementary factor for companies to ensure competitiveness and cover new types of value creation. Therefore, identifying contributing mechanisms is relevant to characterise OSC and thereby gain a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon. Currently, academic literature reveals gaps in understanding OSC in the context of DT and the contributing mechanisms. At present, it remains unclear how the considered phenomenon can be characterised, whereby there is a lack of knowledge concerning what these changes look like. Furthermore, it is unclear which mechanisms contribute to OSC, which makes it difficult to explain this phenomenon in detail. Academic literature lacks an understanding of practical experiences regarding OSC, which has led to a gap between theory and practice because mainly theoretical models exist without addressing practical challenges. Emerging from these gaps, the aim of this research project is to identify different characteristics as well as the mechanisms that contribute to OSC in the context of DT, as well as which practical experiences can be transferred into concrete conclusions for organisations. To address the identified research gaps, a qualitative study design in the form of a single-case research is used. Semi-structured interviews among one company were conducted to generate an in-depth understanding of OSC. At the centre of the research are questions about the “what” and “how” mechanisms contributing to OSC, which is examined with a mechanism-based research approach, corresponding to the philosophical position of a critical realist. According, the focus of this research is placed on explaining rather than predicting the investigated phenomenon. Within this research, a total of nine research objectives were answered, addressing the four main areas of (1) characteristics of OSC in the context of DT, (2) contributing mechanisms to this phenomenon, (3) categorisation of organisational change and (4) key aspects of successful OSC in the context of DT, including learnings and practical experiences with this. The differentiated literature review as well as the research approach undertaken provide answers to the research objectives. A total of four characteristics of OSC in the context of DT were derived. Twenty mechanisms that contribute to the considered phenomenon were clustered into four categories. Highlighting several aspects regarding learnings and practical experiences with these findings complements this research. With the characterisation of the considered phenomenon against the background of organisational change, this research is the first scientific contribution based on a real-world case with practical examples. Successful OSC in the context of DT is explained based on various characteristics, triggers and learnings. By addressing these objectives, this research follows up on previous studies that have investigated DT against the background of its impact on organisational structures and contributes to a better understanding of the considered phenomenon by expanding the knowledge. Furthermore, the findings provide practical insights for organisations, helping them to adapt organisational structures and successfully master DT. This research enables to drawing conclusions for other contexts, so that managers can transfer the derived learnings and practical experiences to change processes in other companies.Item Assessing business and information technology alignment : a study of listed companies in South Africa(Heriot-Watt University, 2025-07) Maduapera, Manuel; Canduela, Doctor Jesus; Raeside, Professor RobertBusiness and Information Technology Alignment (BITA) remains an important concern for business and IT executives. Empirical studies have demonstrated the necessity of a tight coupling between business and IT performance, indicating that the lack of cohesive business and IT strategies may negatively impact Organisational Performance (OP). The strategic implementation of BITA is posited to foster innovation and efficiency, resulting in increased customer satisfaction, enhanced decision-making processes, and optimised business process automation. This research addresses this relation by assessing BITA maturity and evaluating its relationship with OP within 166 Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed companies in South Africa. A theoretical model rooted in IT and business strategies is adopted to do this, utilising the Strategic Alignment Maturity Method (SAMM) as the BITA measurement instrument. An additional aim is to investigate the applicability of SAMM in an emerging economy. Quantitative methods were used to investigate the relationship between the alignment of business and IT management to performance. Data pertinent to BITA was collected by questionnaire survey from business and IT executives and via the SAMM framework linked to the operating performance of the companies surveyed. Various financial measures collected from secondary sources are used as a proxy for operating performance. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Weighted Least Squares regression and General Linear Model regression in SPSS. The measurement of BITA was found to involve a considerable degree of subjectivity, raising concerns about the roles of the respondents, IT and business executives, in completing the questionnaire to assess BITA. Model fit challenges were encountered within the OP factor models, likely attributable to the subjectivity of variables used in the modelling and the timing of the dependent measures of the operating measures. The overall BITA maturity of JSE-listed companies was found to be higher than that of companies in China, the United States and globally, although with similar variations, rendering the BITA results generally consistent with previous surveys. However, the study found no strong evidence that BITA enhances OP using the SAMM, thereby casting doubts about the SAMM's suitability for measuring BITA in the context of a BRICS emerging economy, specifically South Africa. This shortcoming may be attributed to applying a Western framework to a different cultural context and stage of national development. It suggests the potential necessity for refining the SAMM to incorporate additional stakeholders and cultural factors. Additionally, issues with the input data, such as the survey methodology validity concerns, including the concurrent measurement of OP, which ideally requires a one-year lag, may further contribute to this limitation. The study does make a valuable contribution to the literature, particularly in identifying the determinants that drive BITA implementation in emerging economies like South Africa. The work enhances the theoretical foundation by grounding the conceptual framework within the existing BITA literature and addresses the dearth of research concerning the relationship between BITA maturity and OP within listed companies in emerging economies. Additionally, the study offers practical insights by providing recommendations to assist managers and practitioners in achieving and sustaining long-term alignment of business and technology functions.Item Examining the impact of perceived dissimilarities and leadership behaviours on individual perceptions of psychological safety of employees : a quantitative analysis(Edinburgh Business School, 2025-07) Marten, ElenaThis thesis examines the interplay between perceived diversity dissimilarities, leadership behaviours, and organisational practices in shaping employees’ psychological safety, defined as the belief that the environment is safe for interpersonal risk-taking without fear of negative consequences, an essential factor in fostering innovation, collaboration, and high performance. Data from 565 employees across multiple European organisations were analysed using quantitative methods grounded in a positivist paradigm. The research assessed how empowering and inclusive leadership, surface- and deep-level dissimilarities, inclusive culture, and commitment-based HR practices affect employees’ perceptions of psychological safety regarding their immediate peer group and organisational environment spanning multiple hierarchies and departments. Key results show that empowering leadership is strongly linked to psychological safety and specifically moderates the negative impact of cultural/ethnic dissimilarities in broader organisational settings. Inclusive leadership emerges as a significant predictor of perceived psychological safety within the immediate peer setting, yet loses statistical strength when employees evaluate their broader environment. Inclusive culture substantially mitigates the negative effects of perceived demographic and life-stage dissimilarities on perceived psychological safety within the broader organisational environment and addresses deep-level differences, including interpersonal, cultural/value-based, and knowledge/experiential aspects, across both peer and broader organisational settings. Meanwhile, commitment-based HR practices effectively buffer deep-level dissimilarities: at the peer-group level, they offset interpersonal, cultural/value-based and knowledge/experiential gaps, while at the broader organisational perception of psychological safety, they moderate cultural/value-based and knowledge/experiential differences. Overall, the findings highlight the critical role of aligning leadership styles, fostering an inclusive culture, and implementing targeted HR strategies to create psychologically safe workplaces, a foundation that enables high-performing organisations to fully leverage the potential of diversity in increasingly complex and dynamic environments.Item Building a competitive brand advantage through importer integration : a qualitative case study on collaborative brand-building in export-import relationships(Heriot-Watt University, 2025-06) Lee, Hyeun-Mi; Hammer, Professor Doctor DominikThis thesis aims to examine how an internationalizing medium-sized firm can build a competitive brand advantage by integrating importers as a strategic resource, drawing on the extended resource-based view (RBV). In addressing the aim, the study identifies importers’ brand-building patterns, analyses their influencing factors, and evaluates how exporters and importers can co-create a collaborative competitive brand advantage. Based on a qualitative case study of a medium-sized German brewery, the findings provide a holistic analysis of brand-building patterns from the perspective of importers. Further, brand orientation as one major influential factor on brand-building patterns is identified, leading to three brand-building typologies classifying importers by brand-building sophistication. Moreover, the role of the imported brand within the importer’s portfolio is identified as a critical factor influencing the extent of brand-building support. Finally, the findings highlight the nuanced roles of both the global brand owner and local importer in developing a collaborative competitive brand advantage. This thesis contributes to international business, branding and marketing literature by highlighting the role of importers as strategic brand-building partners for internationalizing resource-constrained firms, thereby demonstrating the relevance of the extended RBV to the domain of export–import brand collaborations. The first brand-building typology developed for importers is a novel contribution not only to theory but also to practice, guiding exporting firms in selecting and collaborating with international partners more effectively to achieve a sustainable competitive brand advantage. Finally, this thesis introduces a model for building a collaborative competitive brand advantage, highlighting interfirm collaboration and the strategic interplay of the importer and brand owner as key drivers of brand success in international markets.Item Long-term scenario analysis for the post-mobile era in Germany(Heriot-Watt University, 2025-06) Keding, Lisa-Marei; von der Gracht, Professor Doctor HeikoThis dissertation, “Long-term Scenario Analysis for the Post-Mobile Era in Germany”, explores the future of the smartphone by 2040 and examines whether it will remain dominant or be replaced. The thesis addresses not only technological shifts but also social, ecological, economic and political dynamics shaping the post-mobile era. To capture this complexity, the research applies a triangulated design across three Phases: Scanning & Set-up, Foresight, and Transfer. Phase S included a bibliometric analysis to identify discourse patterns, followed by a small-scale survey and expert interviews. In Phase F, a Delphi ZTPI survey – combining a real-time Delphi with a condensed version of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI) – was used to analyse how time orientation influences expert assessments. Eight scenarios were developed in Phase T based on inputs from Phases S and F. Scenario dimensions were derived empirically, enhancing transparency and reproducibility. The scenarios depict diverse trajectories, from conventional smartphones to AI-powered wearables, modular sustainable devices, sensory-enhanced interfaces, and implanted technologies. The dissertation advances Strategic Foresight by integrating psychological profiling into the process – enabling more differentiated interpretations of expert judgement. The results offer a transferable framework for cross-industry use, while the scenarios provide targeted insights for decision-makers in ICT and policyItem What will project management look like in 2035? : a study based on the requirements of a medium-sized technology company in the Germany(Heriot-Watt University, 2025-06) Mai, Jochen; Mergenthaler, Doctor Jens; Gerschewski, Doctor StephanThis doctoral thesis explores how project management in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may develop by the year 2035, in response to increasing technological disruption, organisational decentralisation, and systemic complexity. The research adopts a constructivist paradigm and is theoretically grounded in Complexity Theory, which frames project environments as dynamic, emergent, and context-dependent systems. The study does not aim to predict a single future, but to investigate how expert practitioners construct multiple plausible futures through subjective interpretation. A mixed-methods research design was employed, combining a Delphi study with scenario planning. Expert participants contributed across three Delphi rounds to evaluate emerging trends and co-construct scenario narratives. This methodology enabled a synthesis of expert judgment and strategic foresight, supporting the formulation of practice-oriented insights. The principal findings suggest that the future of project management in SMEs will be characterised by human–AI collaboration, data-informed decision-making, distributed leadership, and continuous skills development. While sustainability received limited emphasis from experts, themes such as stakeholder alignment and intergenerational collaboration emerged as critical. These insights were reflected in a series of scenarios titled Stories from the Future, designed to support strategic reflection in SMEs. The thesis contributes to academic knowledge by demonstrating how Complexity Theory can inform foresight methodology and interpretive research design. Practically, it offers SME leaders structured approaches to anticipate change, build adaptive capabilities, and engage with uncertainty through reflective, scenario-based thinking, enhancing organisational resilience in complex environments.Item An investigation into the relationship between career success and personality traits of UK Wealth Managers(Heriot-Watt University, 2024-09) Divito, Christopher; Buchan, Doctor Linda; Canduela, Doctor JesusThis research study, located in the UK Wealth Management sector, was concerned with investigating the point of intersection between two discrete research fields, i.e. career success and personality traits. Employing a postpositivist research philosophy and utilising quantitative methods, the study examined the relationship between the career success of a sample of UK wealth managers and their underlying personality traits, as defined by the Five Factor Model (FFM). In this study, career success measures were multiple: the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) assessed job satisfaction and the Career Success Scale (CSS) measured career satisfaction; both elements of subjective career success. Objective career success was conceptualised as job productivity, with data provided by the participating organisations. The Ten Item Personal Inventory (TIPI) was deployed to evaluate each subject’s personality. The literature on the relationship between personality and career success was found to be extensive, though not definitive, and encompassed a multitude of professions and workplace scenarios. Notably, gaps existed in research within this specific sector of the UK financial services market. As such, the current study contributed to knowledge by identifying inter-construct relationships between (i) job satisfaction and career satisfaction, and (ii) career satisfaction and job productivity, for UK wealth managers. Job satisfaction was not found to be linked to job productivity. Various relationships were identified between the separate constructs of career success and the FFM personality traits, with conscientiousness positively linked to all three constructs (to varying degrees) and with neuroticism found to have an inverse relationship with both job satisfaction and career satisfaction. Additionally, job productivity was found to be linked to both wealth management experience and professional qualification level, with wealth management experience also linked to career satisfaction. Recommendations for practice included the development of a specialised selection tool for candidate wealth managers and, separately, the establishment of training and development programmes for existing employees, with the purpose of developing behaviours suggested by the prevailing beneficial personality traits.