Department of informatics

Magister thesis, 15 hp

IT Management

SPM 2022.06

MANAGING CHANGE

A case study about internal transparency when managing

digital transformation

Sanna Jacobsson

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Abstract

A process many organizations face today is digital transformation, and with it comes both

challenges and opportunities. A field of research that should be more explored than it is, is

the internal transparency in such a process. This issue is fundamental when managing a

digital transformation to be able to achieve a successful result. Therefore, this study aims to

answer the following research questions: “How is transparency being practiced during a

system's implementation in a municipal authority?” and “How can managers be supported

to maintain transparency when managing a digital transformation?”. This study is

conducted with the support of the theoretical framework “Dynamic capabilities theory”.

Through qualitative research, including semi-structured interviews, and document analysis,

it resulted in a discussion regarding suggestions, and specific opportunities and challenges

to consider while in a digital transformation. This thesis resulted in identifying what should

be included in guidelines to support internal transparency. It also presents suggestions on

how to, efficiently, manage employees through a digital transformation.

Keywords: Digital transformation, Organizational change, Transparency, Dynamic

capabilities theory, Management

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

As society keeps progressing into a more digital world, it is essential that organizations keep

up with the development. Organizations going through digital transformations will face both

challenges and opportunities, but a common denominator for all is to develop and improve

their business (Verhoef, Broekhuizen, Bart, Bhattacharya & Qi Dong, 2021).

As much as 67% of government authorities report that they are going through a digital

transformation to improve their business and how they operate it. However, that does not

mean that 67% of organizations go through successful digital transformations, only 2%

reported that their transformations were achieved, and the result was successful (Gartner,

2022). Gartner (2022) also published a list of the main challenges during a digital

transformation in order to have the most successful outcome. Some of the top challenges that

are mentioned are a block in the changing culture and a lack of digital leadership. To take action

it is important that a clear vision is provided and communicated, and it will increase the

chances of succeeding with the outcome. Organizations need to align the actual transformation

process with the wanted outcome of it, to succeed in their management of the process, and to

achieve that, it is essential to manage the transformation that will be beneficial for both

employees, as well as for the organization.

The need to be transparent when handling a digital transformation continues to increase

since the digital world keeps on expanding, and now, more than ever before is current and

relevant. To have trust in an organization is of great importance, for both customers and the

organization itself. One way of achieving trust is to be transparent and organizations could

benefit from a strategy on how to manage it (Granados & Gupta, 2013). However, before being

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transparent with the outside, management needs to be certain that the internal staff is updated

with their changes. Therefore, this thesis will be in the interest of exploring the importance of

transparency within organizational boundaries, when managing a digital transformation.

Ultimately, it is my intention and aim in this study to show both why and how management

in a public organization can be open and transparent in their internal communication, during

a digital transformation, to have the best chance of succeeding in such a process.

1.2 Problem area

To involve customers in organizations' decisions is something that has been discussed and seen

as something beneficial for many years. The discussion that has been overseen is the

involvement and transparency directed to employees. In society today, and across

organizations, performing digital transformation is a question of survival, and is forcing

businesses to redesign themselves (The Economist, 2022). Markus and Mao (2004) enlighten

the importance of participation in systems development, and its relation to the success of the

system change or development. However, they continue saying that this kind of participation

is poor, and it would be beneficial for organizations to elaborate on their sense of participation

among users (Markus & Mao, 2004). There are multiple ways of managing an organizational

change, and to decide and navigate which path to take, as management is forced to do, is no

easy task. (Senior & Swailes, 2020, p. 247). Even though digital transformation extends beyond

organizational boundaries, it starts with managing it internally, with everything that means.

The need for being communicative and transparent with external parties has already been

important, researched, and discussed extensively (Hersperger, Thurnheer-Wittenwiler,

Tobias, Folvig, & Fernter, 2021). An aspect of the importance of studying this issue in

specifically a municipal environment is the fact that municipalities hold a societal

responsibility. (Johnsen, 2018). The public sector and specifically municipal authorities are

falling behind when talking about digital transformation, which makes them more vulnerable

to potential threats from society. This has a possibility to make it even more challenging when

the public sector aims to keep up with today’s digitalization, regarding both political, and

cultural aspects. (Alvarenga, Matos, Godina & Matias, 2020; Senior & Swailes, 2016, p. 14).

Therefore, a gap in research regarding the internal transparency in municipal authorities is

identified and might affect how managers act during a change such as a digital transformation.

This has led to two research questions being formulated, and to be investigated.

1.3 Research questions

1. How is transparency being practiced during a system's implementation in a municipal

authority?

2. How can managers be supported to maintain transparency when managing a digital

transformation?

1.4 Delimitations

This research is limited to exclusively studying the experiences and thoughts that managers

and employees have in a digital transformation, and figuring out how to best handle such

situations, regarding transparency and involvement. This means that the research that will be

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done, focuses on the internal environment of a municipal authority, rather than on the external

environment. When mentioning managers, the focus is on managers for this specific

department, and when mentioning employees, it is intended to mean workers from the three

different sections of the department, which will be further described. As well as this study being

limited to investigating the internal environment, it is also limited to exclusively studying a

municipal building permit unit in Sweden.

If this study were to focus on transparency outside organizational boundaries, the result and

contribution would be entirely different. Then, this study would possibly answer questions on

a more societal level, rather than a focus on the internal environment of an organization.

1.5 Acknowledgement

To acknowledge the ones invested in this study, who made it possible for me to produce this

thesis, I want to begin to thank my supervisor, Mirella Muhic, for all her support, and guidance

throughout this thesis. I would also like to thank my contact person on the collaborative

organization, I am grateful for all the support and commitment to this study. Lastly, I want to

acknowledge and thank the participants of this study, who have invested their time in

interviews and have brought great insights to my study.

2. Related research & theoretical framework

To find and analyze relevant and essential literature for this study I made the decision to

perform a literature overview (Webster & Watson, 2002). This also supported and allowed me

to structure and better define different concepts that are fundamental for the outcome of this

study. A literature overview is also helpful when identifying the research gap for the topic and

receiving more knowledge about past research, which in turn can help motivate the research

question. It is also resourceful to perform a literature overview when identifying the theoretical

framework for your study and to help define essential areas for the research.

Table 1 provides a literature overview of related research inspired by Webster and Watson

(2002) and is structured based on the author, article, a summary of the article, and the theory

behind it. Webster and Watson (2002) express the need to analyze previous research in order

to contribute to new findings. Therefore, I have conducted a literature overview in order to

make grounded decisions in this study and to identify an applicable theoretical framework.

Table 1: Literary overview inspired by Webster & Watson (2002)

Author(s) Article Summary Theory

Konopik, J., Jahn,

C., Schuster, T.,

Hoßbach, N. and

Pflaum, A. 2022.

Mastering the digital

transformation through

organizational capabilities:

How organizational

capabilities can support

managers when handling a

digital transformation

Dynamic

Capabilities

Theory

4

A conceptual framework.

Digital Business.

Helfat, C.E. and

Martin, J.A. 2015.

41(5), pp.1281–1312.

Dynamic Managerial

Capabilities: Review and

Assessment of Managerial

Impact on Strategic

Change. Journal of

Management.

Review of concepts that

impacts dynamic managerial

capabilities

Dynamic

Managerial

Capabilities

Theory

Vial, G. 2019. Understanding digital

transformation: A review

and a research agenda. The

journal of strategic

information systems.

Creating a framework for

gaining a deeper

understanding of the

concept of digital

transformation

Literature

study

Heim, I. and Sardar-

Drenda, N. 2021

Assessment of employees’

attitudes toward ongoing

organizational

transformations. Journal of

organizational change

management.

Willingness and attitudes

from employees to go

through organizational

change

Change

readiness

Gong, C. and Ribiere,

V. 2021.

Developing a unified

definition of digital

transformation.

Technovation.

Reviewing existing

definitions of digital

transformation to provide

six core definitions of the

concept

Theory

building

Van der Meulen,

Weill, P., &

Woerner, S. L.

(2020)

Managing Organizational

Explosions During Digital

Business Transformations.

MIS Quarterly Executive

How managers can deal with

changes within an

organization

Digital

transformation

/organizationa

l change

Schnackenberg, A.K.

and Tomlinson, E.C.

2016

Organizational

Transparency: A New

Perspective in

Organization-Stakeholder

Relationships. Journal of

Management.

Provides a conceptual

definition of trust and

transparency in

organizations

Theory

Building

5

Majchrzak, A.

Markus, M.L.

Wareham, J. 2016

Designing for Digital

Transformation: Lessons

for Information Systems

Research from the Study of

ICT and Societal

Challenges. MIS Quarterly.

Discusses the role of ICT in

societal challenges, including

employment

Literature

review

2.1 Previous research

As the literature overview was conducted it allowed for a clearer view and understanding of

what areas in previous research would be the focal point for this study. As a result of the

literature overview, the main topics to look further into are Digital transformation,

Transparency in digital transformation, and managing organizational change. This decision

was made since the articles in the literature overview is focusing on these topics while

researching similar areas as in this study.

2.1.1 Digital transformation

Providing a clear definition of the concept of digital transformation is vastly fundamental for

the meaning of this study. The fact that there are already multiple different definitions of the

phenomenon causes and is questioning the term its reliability, therefore, a clear meaning of

the phenomenon of digital transformation will be presented, for the sake of this study and its

validity. Digital transformation is an important process of change, which by using digital

technologies in an innovative and resourceful way can increasingly improve an organization's

way of business and redefine its value for stakeholders (Gong & Ribiere, 2021). A digital

transformation could also be defined by how it goes beyond the organizational boundaries

since it is also affecting customers and the whole society (Vial, 2019). In order to obtain and

achieve a digital transformation, the outcome must give the organization a competitive

advantage and maintain its competitive ability, which also allows for new business

opportunities (Verhoef, Broekhuizen, Bart, Bhattacharya & Qi Dong, 2021).

Digital transformation could consider a bigger challenge for the organization when

navigating and managing their business, rather than a challenge for the IT department (Ko,

Fehér, Kovacs, Mitev, and Szabó, 2022). Although the technology itself matters a great deal, it

can be argued that managing the digital transformation plays a greater role in the success of

the technological implementation. The study that Ko et al. (2022) conducted shows that the

commitment from management and how they act in a digital transformation is highly sensitive

to how the outcome is, and the future of the organization.

2.1.2 Transparency in digital transformation

For organizations to get the most out of their implementation of new systems or their digital

transformation, it could be essential for them to have a strategy for them to handle it. If an

organization is completely lacking a strategy for transparency, they run a high risk of making

quick and non-considered decisions, which in turn can lead to the wrong decisions. (Granados

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& Gupta, 2013). The need to be transparent beyond the organization's boundaries, and outside

the firm is necessary to achieve efficiency. As transparency can refer to both external and

internal accessibility, it is important to separate and distinguish them from each other and

understand that they must be handled separately, as well (Hersperger, Thurnheer-Wittenwiler,

Tobias, Folvig, & Fernter, 2021). Hersperger et al. (2021) also enlighten that digital data and

digital communication make handling and planning for organizational change, seem more

transparent. The reason for this could be that it allows for more frequent updates for employees

to receive (Hersperger, et al., 2021).

Organizations can manage transparency in various ways and managing it in an effective and

rewarding way is difficult. Providing information to stakeholders in a strategic manner can

increase the quality of what information is being shared. It can also strain and inhibit the flow

of information, and the organization could be perceived as reserved and not as transparent as

might be the plan. (Schnackenberg & Tomlinson, 2016, p. 1798). Another way of managing

transparency in digital transformations is to bring and enhance clarity on the process and

result. This would support the understanding and coherence of all stakeholders in the

transformation (Schnackenberg & Tomlinson, 2016, p. 1799).

To be transparent during a transformation or when making decisions, has not the same

meaning as information visibility, or availability. Therefore, the transparency paradox must be

considered, when studying such (Stohl, Stohl & Leonardi, 2016). A traditional view of the

paradox is the more visibility, the more transparent a process is, although this is not always

the case. If the visibility is high, there might be a chance that the transparency is not following.

Management might view them as being transparent if they make the information visible and

accessible to the employees, however, the information might not be seen by the employees,

how the management wants it to be received (Stohl, Stohl & Leonardi, 2016).

When being transparent, it allows for, and enables a participatory culture for the employees,

since they can both express their requirements, and evaluate prototypes. Both user

participation and involvement can benefit and influence the system’s change and its success of

it. The users and employees would then be part of the decisions making regarding the systems

development. (Abelein, Sharp, & Paech, 2013). To help this process it is essential to

communicate with the end-user, which helps with the decision-making, and evaluation

process. The communication and level of participation could therefore be crucial for the

adoption if the new system, among the employees. (Rehouma, 2019).

2.1.3 Managing organizational change

When organizations go through change, regardless of the type of change, it is essential to have

suitable management leading the way. It has been a question about what the best way is to lead

change, whether that means that only one way is suitable for all kinds so change, or if it is

beneficial to change the leadership style depending on the type of change (Senior & Swailes,

2016, p. 246). One way to base decisions regarding change management styles is on The

Dunphy & Stance change matrix (Senior & Swailes, 2016, p. 246), where the categories of

leadership are Collaborative, Communicative, Directive, and Coercive. The collaborative

leadership style is characterized by having broad participation among employees and is also

somewhat similar to the communicative leadership style where it is important to involve

people when setting the organization’s goals. The directive leadership style focuses on

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authority, and for it to be a driving force when leading. The coercive leading style means that

the change itself is forced by internal or external parties (Senior & Swailes, 2016, p. 247). Based

on the Dunphy and Stance change matrix model, these leadership styles can be combined, to a

varying extent, to achieve the most efficient leadership. How this model is presented and

perceived might be indistinct since it has a particular and specific view on change; “The model

assumes that change can be planned and implemented logically and linearly, and sometimes it

can. However, transformational change frequently takes place over a long period and is, or

becomes, ‘messy’ and more unpredictable” (Senior & Swailes, 2016, p. 247)

Regardless of the management style or how to navigate through organizational change,

challenges, and difficulties will be faced, and forced to be managed (Van der Meulen, Weill, &

Woerner, 2020, p. 167). A challenge to consider and navigate through is adopting new ways of

working, which forces an organization to adjust how they manage their business if they want

to receive the most efficient outcome; “These new ways of working also require companies to

pay more attention to the employee experience” (Van der Meulen et al, 2020, p. 168).

2.2 Theoretical framework

The theoretical framework provides tools for answering the presented research questions in

this thesis since it motivates the research method and supports the structure of the study

(Myers, 2020, p. 29). The decision to use the chosen framework is based on the literature

overview, which can be found in table 1. The literature overview resulted in finding various

theoretical frameworks that would fit this study, however, the framing that was seen the most

often in similar research was the Dynamic capabilities theory (DCT) (Teece, 2018). Therefore,

this framework will be used throughout the thesis. When having decided which framing would

be the most suitable for my study, it allowed for doing more extensive research on the given

framework. The framing also allows for a more thorough analysis and helps guide decisions

regarding methodological choices and analysis.

2.1.1 Dynamic capabilities theory

The DCT refers to a framework that leans on the meaning behind the concept of dynamic

capabilities. A dynamic capability is an organization's ability to handle a changing environment

when it comes to integrating, developing, and building both internal and external

competencies. In addition to a rapidly changing environment, the concept also allows a focus

on the uncertainty in such processes. The framework is therefore also associated with tacit

knowledge, such as routines, knowledge, cognition, and processes (Teece, 2018; Teece, Pisano,

& Shuen, 1997). The goal and ambition of this framework is to support managers when

organizing for maintaining competitive advantages, and for managing organizational changes.

The framework aims to identify correlations and interrelations between different and relevant

variables, and is inspired by its key elements; Resources, Strategy, and Capabilities (Teece,

2007; Teece, 2018). Additional fundamental aspects of the theory are also to maintain the

quality of managerial decision-making, and for organizations to create value through

orchestrations of their responses to technical changes (Helfart & Martin, 2015, p. 1284). The

management can through both internal and external insights and data identify and/or

problems and opportunities. The perceived dynamic capabilities of an organization could

potentially solve issues regarding inflexibility and could provide an explanation of how a

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specific organization responds and acts during change (Samsudin & Ismail, 2019, p. 1073). The

DCT has been stated to be similar to another framework, which is the resource-based Theory

(RBV), however, RBV is solely focused on and explains the competitive advantages through

rare resources that support a firm, in a static environment, maintaining their competitive

advantages. Therefore, is the DCT more suitable for this case since it gives attention to a rapidly

changing environment, and how to deal with transformations in such (Samsudin & Ismail,

2019, p. 1072).

In order to structure and clarify this, the framework is divided into three stages, including

Sensing, Seizing, and Transforming. (Teece, 2018).

Sensing capabilities are focused on more unstructured and broad data and information

regarding managing an organization. It also refers to technological abilities, possibilities, and

such things that could affect the firm's future (Teece, 2018). Through sensing for new

opportunities and new ways of managing change, new knowledge, information, and resources

may arise. When these new findings are first discovered, managers must decide how to

interpret and deal with them (Teece, 2007).

Seizing capabilities is focused on how to respond to the threats and opportunities that

come with the changes. The mentioned changes can refer to new information systems, new

technologies, and/or the implementation of a new business model (Teece, 2018). Once the

transformation is decided upon, whether it is a new technology or a new business model, the

organizations must address this transformation with certain processes or routines. How the

organization can seize this opportunity to receive the result they want, is the question asked in

this stage (Teece, 2007, p. 1326). An additional aspect of this is to strategize around the

technological changes, for example having the right timing when implementing, and

calculating what resources the organizations hold today, and what needs to be added.

The last stage is Transforming, which refers to what is happening when the change has

been implemented, or as the actual transformation is happening, and the alignment between

organizational system, and strategies (Teece, 2018). What has been done up till this stage could

play a major role in how the transformation will succeed. How the organization maintains its

adjusted routines and deals with new processes is important for the transformation (Teece,

2007, p. 1335).

The first two stages (sensing and seizing) are what I will be basing my thesis on since these

are accurate and relevant to my study, in investigating how to sense opportunities and how to

handle them in a digital transformation. Since the sensing capabilities focus on the

organization’s abilities, opportunities, and threats, and seizing is focusing on how to respond

to those it will suit this thesis purpose. This study aims to explore how to, in the most efficient

way, manage a digital change. Therefore, a dynamic capabilities approach is beneficial as it

supports when making decisions regarding finding and identifying an organization’s

opportunities and planning for a successful digital transformation.

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3. Method

3.1 Literature overview

When doing the literature overview, I took Webster and Watson’s (2002) method and model

into consideration, and in a structured and organized way found relevant literature. The

literature needed to be valid and reliable, therefore I started searching the top journals in the

field of IS. I based this on the journals that were included in the Association for Information

System’s basket of eight IS journals. Examples of the top journals on the list, and that I also

used are MIS Quarterly and Journal of Strategic Information Systems. Search words I

specifically used when finding relevant literature were “digital transformation”, “digital

transformation transparency”, “organizational change”, and “organizational change digital”.

The search engines that were used when finding relevant articles, and literature are mainly

“Umea University´s digital library”, “ACM Digital library”, and “Google Scholar”.

3.2 Qualitative method

The research method I chose to conduct this study is of a qualitative character since I collected

personal experiences and thoughts through interviews. A qualitative method helps to

understand what people say and what their experiences are and act as support in getting a

deeper understanding of what the cultural and social contexts of the area of interest are (Myers,

2020, p. 18). To conduct the most efficient qualitative research, and to lay an extensive

groundwork, it is beneficial to employ multiple data sources (Gioia, 2013, p. 19). In this study,

the different data sources that were conducted were both documents related to the area of

concern, and semi-structured interviews. The findings that were the most essential to this

research, would not have been able to be identified using a quantitative method, as such

method does not focus on the subjects’ experiences to the same extent as a qualitative research

method does. It allows for a deeper understanding of a broad perspective: “The allure of

qualitative research is that it enables you to conduct in-depth studies about a broad array of

topics” (Yin, 2016, p. 6). Time is an important factor when doing qualitative research as it takes

time to get a full understanding of a specific issue, however, since there was a limited

timeframe, it seemed like the logical and most efficient decision to conduct a case study (Myers,

2020, p. 65-67).

3.3 Case study

3.3.1 Case description

This thesis displays the context of a specific case in a real organization. The building permit

unit in a Swedish municipality is preparing for a digital transformation. Their end goal is to

make their processes more effective and shorten the waiting and request time for their

customers. They are implementing a new case management system and as a municipal

authority, they are in need to make this change since they are behind in their development

regarding IT adaptation. This has an impact on both customers and internal employees. The

goal for them is to shorten the average time for processing their building permit requests. The

building permit unit consists of four departments (Law enforcement, Inspection, Housing

adaptation, and Administration). They want, through a new system, to make the

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administration, that today primarily is done manual, instead will be done automatically, to

streamline, and shorten lead times for applicants and external parties. This implementation

and digital transformation will take place during 2023, and they are now in the preparing stage

where they have conducted a pre-study. Since this is a change that will impact, to some extent,

the whole of the organization, it will also have a great impact on the employees, both during

the transformation, and when it is implemented. This pushes the management to want to make

the most efficient decisions regarding their digital transformation

3.3.2 Data Collection

Different methods of data collection have been conducted since I both got access and went

through documents provided by the external partner and conducted interviews with both

managers and employees. To answer the research questions, it was important to get a broad

perspective to represent the whole organization, therefore I conducted 15 interviews, laying the

ground for receiving a holistic view of the organization (Yin, 2011, p. 99). At the beginning of

the process, I also scheduled frequent meetings with my contact person to both understand the

structure of their operations, and to receive a deeper understanding of their digital

transformation. This supported me both when creating the interview questions, and when

writing the case description. Conducting a qualitative study with various data collection

techniques allowed for a more comprehensive and extensive investigation, and enabled

multiple perspectives of data, both when interviewing people from different perspectives, and

when supplementing the interviews with written documents. All the interviews were recorded,

so I would be able to transcribe them and make a better analysis. The respondents all approved

that I could record them. In addition to the interviews, I also had a meeting dedicated to how

they had planned their communication for this digital transformation, and the strategies

behind the internal communication. If observations would have been a part of the data

collection, this study would have been triangulated (Yin, 2011, p.82). A suggestion would then

be to observe one of their department meetings and their mail communication regarding the

digital transformation. Although this might have given this study more depth and an additional

perspective, I am not confident that observations would support me when answering the

research questions.

3.3.3 Documents

Documents that were provided from the case organization and were analyzed in this study

included, among others, a pre-study for their digital transformation, policies on leadership,

guidelines for meeting structure, their plan for communication, and IT strategy. These were

shared in a joint team on Microsoft Teams, where relevant documents were added.

3.3.4 Meetings

Meetings were initially scheduled with the contact person in the mentioned organization,

where we first met through Teams, to discuss potential research questions and areas of

concern. This first meeting allowed for both of us to express expectations and what we wanted

the outcome to result in. Since before the meeting already had had email communication, it

was implied that digital transformation was going to be the main focus, since they are going

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through such a process. During the meeting, we discussed different perspectives to investigate

the topic and decided to meet in person to further discuss the area and direction for this thesis.

3.3.5 Interviews

I decided to base my interviews on a semi-structured approach, this decision was made based

on the belief of making them more relaxed and allowed for both me and the respondents to be

more flexible in the questions and answers. I had, beforehand, created an interview guide with

preformulated questions, but since the interviews were semi-structured, I did not strictly

adhere to them (Myers, 2020, p. 99). During the interviews, new questions arose, and I

reformulated some questions to fit the context better. To answer my research question, I

conducted semi-structured interviews with both managers and employees. Even though this

study is from a management perspective, it is important to understand the perspective of

employees as well since both parties are included and important when investigating this topic.

3.4 Designing the interviews

The goal of my interviews was to investigate and find out the managers, and employees’

thoughts and experiences regarding the digital transformation the organization is going

through and how involved the employees should be, and how transparent management should

be. The interviews aimed to receive a deeper understanding of the subjects’ experiences

(Myers, 2020, p. 97). When designing the interview questions, and structure, I based it on the

chosen theoretical framework, the DCT, where I included questions that would fit both the

sensing part and the seizing part of the theory. The questions regarding sensing were fairly

broad about how they run their business, generally, and the questions regarding seizing

focused more on the coming digital transformation they are going through. However, I initially

started asking the respondents introductory questions, about their age, role in the

organization, and educational background. This was to receive a deeper understanding of their

perspective, when talking to them, and asking them questions on the subject. The interviews

were held in person, which allowed for a clearer view of the respondent’s body language and

enabled the communication to be clear and not to be disturbed by any technical issues. Before

going through with the actual interviews, I held a pilot interview, in order to try out the

questions, and see how they were received and understood. This interview was held on Teams,

and after conducting this interview, I transcribed it and changed parts of the interview

questions, a few questions were also added and removed. When this was done and the

interview guide made sense, I continued conducting the interviews for my data collection.

After each interview, I wrote down field notes about how the interview went and my initial

feeling about their answers. This enabled me to better remember the interviews when

transcribing and analyzing them. All the interviews were collected and conducted within five

days, and after each day of interviewing I wrote some general notes to collect my thoughts and

generalizations based on the interviews and their answers. This helped me when analyzing the

data since it became easier to remember more clearly what was said during each interview.

3.4.1 Sampling of respondents

The sampling of respondents was necessary for the data collection and to identify what was

needed to answer the research questions (Yin, 2011, p. 87). I knew beforehand that I wanted to

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interview both managers and employees. To find the respondents that could best help answer

my questions, my contact person created an excel sheet to be able to schedule the interviews.

Since there are different work roles in the organizations, I thought that it would be important

to interview people from as many different sections as possible. Therefore, I interviewed three

employees from each group and every manager.

3.4.2 Description of interviews

The interviewed employers consist of coordinators, building inspectors, and building permits

administrators. The managers consist of department managers for the three sections, an

organization developer, and the manager for the whole unit. The range in age of the

respondents is between 29-63 years old, which gave me multiple perspectives from people with

different experiences. All interviews were held in real life in the organization’s office space. The

pilot interview that was conducted is included in this table since valuable findings were said

during that interview.

Table 2: Description of respondents

Respondents Role Work title Time of interview

(min)

Respondent 1 Manager Department manager 35

Respondent 2 Manager Organizational developer 25

Respondent 3 Employee Building inspector 20

Respondent 4 Employee Coordinator 25

Respondent 5 Employee Coordinator 20

Respondent 6 Employee Coordinator 25

Respondent 7 Employee Building inspector 25

Respondent 8 Employee Permit administrator 25

Respondent 9 Manager Section manager 30

Respondent 10 Manager Section manager 40

Respondent 11 Manager Section manager 25

Respondent 12 Employee Permit administrator 20

Respondent 13 Employee Permit administrator 25

Respondent 14 Manager Section manager 20

13

Respondent 15 Employee Permit administrator 20

3.5 Data analysis

3.5.1 Transcription

The transcribing of the interviews was done using Microsoft Teams’ own dictating tool, which

saved time and energy going into that. The interviews were held in Swedish; therefore, the

transcriptions were also made in Swedish. This made me have to translate essential parts and

specify quotes, of the transcriptions for them to be included in the study. I was not able to

translate all the quotes that are included in the result literal and verbatim since they might

have different meanings in English. However, all translated quotes are translated to make

sense and have the same meaning and context.

3.5.2 Coding and Thematic analysis

By using a theoretical framework, it provided support when analyzing the data and creating

different themes to divide the codes into. Based on the thematic analysis that Braun and Clarke

(2006) present, and with the support from the theoretical framing, I analyzed my data based

on Sensing and Seizing. Being inspired by a thematic analysis allowed me to be flexible, while

structured in my analysis and supported me to make active decisions about the form of analysis

(Braun & Clarke, 2006, p. 78). The thematic analysis consists of six stages to follow:

Familiarizing yourself with the data (1), Generating initial codes (2), Searching for themes

(3), Reviewing themes (4), Defining and naming themes (5), and producing the report (6).

Even though a thematic analysis can support the study it is also important to recognize

potential pitfalls and challenges when it is used. One challenge is to do a thorough work with

the analysis at all, if the analysis is not done correctly the result might differ and be incorrect.

An additional challenge is if there is a mismatch between the theoretical framing and analytic

claims (Braun & Clarke, 2006, p. 95), this is especially essential in my study since I based the

whole research on the theoretical framework. When structuring the thematic analysis, I began

by organizing summarizing quotes, when having done this, it became easier to find and identify

bigger categories, and themes. Gioia (2013), that were part of the inspiration for the thematic

analysis, created a table for organizing, and to better thematizing the coding. This resulted in

different themes, where “planning for DT”, “communication”, and “involvement” are examples

of identified themes. After doing this I connected the themes to the concepts in the theoretical

framework (Sensing and Seizing) and moved forward in writing the result and analysis.

3.6 Ethical considerations

When involving external organizations and people in your study it is important to have ethical

considerations, both when collecting the data and producing the report. Alongside this, it is

also essential that the thesis brings a certain transparency to fully understand the case and the

area of concern. There are certain procedures and guidelines to follow and to consider when

conducting a qualitative study, it is important to have respect for the participants in the study,

14

and protect their anonymity (Myers, 2020, p. 48). Four principles are especially important

when researching public organizations, which in this case, there is, and those are truthfulness,

thoroughness, objectivity, and relevance. To be truthful means that it is important to not tell

any lies or employ fraud in the study, the thoroughness refers to the fact that the researcher

should be particular and thorough in their methodology. The third principle to follow is to be

objective in the study, which means that it is important to not bring in any personal values or

biases that might in any case affect the study. The last principle to acknowledge is relevance,

which implies the need for the study to not be done purposely irrelevant, or wasteful (Myers,

2020, p. 49). The informants in this study are all anonymous, since including them wouldn’t

add to the value creation of this thesis. Before the interviews, I informed the informants that

their participation is completely anonymous and if they wanted to terminate their participation

during or after the interview that they were rightful to do so. All participants also signed a

consent form, where they were informed and agreed upon how the data was going to be

processed and used.

3.7 Rigor and Reliability

This study aims to hold a high validity and reliability, as a high number of respondents

participated in this study. 15 respondents supported what is being said in the result, and the

discussion, and makes this study possible to generalize to other situations and cases, because

of the extensive data collection. This study also relies on a theoretical framework, which

worked as a guiding tool regarding methodological choices, and producing the analysis, and

contribute to this thesis being rigorous. (Myers, 2020, p. 22).

4. Results

In the following chapter, I will present what was brought up and found in the data collection,

including meetings, interviews, and documents. The result is based on coding and thematic

analysis of the transcriptions and documents. The quotes that will be presented in the result

are not a complete reflection on the transcriptions and thematic analysis, since only the most

relevant quotes that are included and were able to fit in this chapter. To follow the structure of

the thesis, this chapter is divided into the categories Sensing and Seizing, based on the

theoretical framework. The categories sensing and seizing are also divided into subcategories

(managers, employees, and documents) for a better structure of this chapter.

4.1 Sensing

4.1.1 Managers

The managers describe how their communication operates throughout their department,

which makes it possible for them to communicate and be transparent with their employees.

However, since there are about 45 workers, they express some challenges with reaching out to

everyone.

“One of the problems is that, if we look at a department level, we are quite many [....] the

number makes us, makes it hard to be transparent” - Respondent 2

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One of the managers emphasizes the need to create a forum for questions when the new system

is implemented, so there is no time wasted in asking and answering the same questions.

“We should also make sure that there is some kind of questions and answers digitally, so

everyone can read the answers because a question is going to be asked 20 times, if not

more” - Respondent 10

The managers also have a perception of the employees’ thoughts on their involvement in this

digital transformation. They also express that as much as they might try to succeed in their

communication around this digital transformation, it is a question of whether the employees

are experiencing it.

“I think there is a wish from employees to be more involved in this process and follow

different decisions that are being made” – Respondent 11

“I would like to say that we are trying to be open, but it is hard to say. It is always

depending on how the employees experience it, and that they have is the answer to

whether information has been provided or not” – Respondent 1

4.1.2 Employees

4 out of 9 employees express that they have not fully understood what the current digital

transformation means and implicates or are unsure of what the digital transformation will

intend. All of them state that they are aware and informed that it is happening, and they are

about to implement a new case management system, but everyone is not completely aware of

what that means for them or how it will change their day-to-day operations. All the

respondents were asked if they are informed about the digital transformation, what it implies,

and if they have understood the goal of the desired result.

“a question whether I have understood is another thing” - Respondent 3

“Yes, I am aware of it, but what it is and how it’s going to be when it’s time, I don't think

I am aware of” - Respondent 7

“No, I think that it is because the system we have today isn’t quite working [....] I don’t

really understand, or I know very little about it” - Respondent 13

“I don’t really know, just to streamline certain operations” - Respondent 5

One of the employees that expressed the importance of not being too transparency at the

beginning of a digital transformation claimed it might lead to concerns and questions from the

staff

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“I think that too soon in a decision-making process that you don’t need to be transparent,

which can create anxiety and thoughts from employees [....] I think that transparency is

important when it comes to the final stage in a decision making” - Respondent 5

Questions regarding which of the employees that have been involved in the digital

transformation process, and if they are interested in being involved in the transformation were

asked. On this question, I received various answers, where multiple people had different

answers, and preferred different things.

“I think that there are better suited people, because there is those who are better at data,

and things like that [….] in this kind of process it is easy that you involve those who think

that this stuff is easy.” – Respondent 13

One of the respondents expresses that information in this digital transformation is not always

communicated in the right time.

“You might get informed a little too late at some points, but I also do not see any other

options to that in some situations” – Respondent 15

Respondents, however, expressed that they are prepared to work hard, but that they are not

sure everyone has that attitude.

“a lot of my colleagues might expect some kind of wonder, but this system is going to

demand us working hard to find the symbiosis in it, and that might be the biggest

challenge with all if this” – Respondent 4

4.1.3 Documents

The documents I have investigated are their Communication plan, IT strategy, Leadership

policy, Pre-study (for the digital transformation), Meeting structure,

Based on provided documents the organization has a communication plan for the external

communication, this is however not created by any of the managers of the department, but it

is on the behalf of the building permit unit. In their external plan for communication, it

enlightens their main values, which are the need to be trustworthy, open, and have a citizen

focus and frequent improvements. It also points out that their goals for the communication are

to include the municipality, have a digital approach, and be clear and sharp in their

communication.

In the organization’s leadership policy, it states that the manager should be present, and

make sure that all employees are familiar with goals and priorities. It also points out that

managers should be responsive toward employees and make room for employees and their

competencies.

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4.2 Seizing

4.2.1 Managers

Managers express, that initially, before this digital transformation, the employees need to be

on board, not only technologically, but there must also be an interest, courage, and an attitude

that it is okay to make mistakes:

“Employee’s interest, they must want this, or else it is never going to work, and they need

to get the time to dare to make mistakes, and learn from the mistakes” - Respondent 2

One way to make the employees more confident in handling a digital transformation is to help

them get a deeper understanding of what the outcome will result in:

“The easiest way is, in some way, to visualize, this is where we are today and what we do

today, and what we have today, and describe what is working, and is not working and

that we want to go towards where the possibilities are” - Respondent 2

The type of information that is communicated is different based on the situation and adjusted

based on the receiver of the information, and the managers are handling it in what they believe

is the most efficient way.

“Information is filtered and distributed, or elaborated in cases that it is necessary, you

have to adjust it based on each level [….] not that I withhold or take anything away that

employees want to know, rather the opposite, ‘this, we can inform later on, and try to be

active in that” – Respondent 1

4.2.2 Employees

Employees expressed that the employees that are involved in the process are the ones who are

interested and knowledgeable regarding IT and that it could have some effect on the outcome.

“In this kind of process, it’s very easy to involve those, those who are involved now are

pretty knowledgeable in that area [....] out of those who aren’t that good at it, sort of, to

get that person's perspective as well, not just those who are very knowledgeable in IT” -

Respondent 13

The employees that claim that they are unknowledgeable regarding IT, often feel like others

are more suitable to be involved in the digital transformation.

“Maybe I have felt that others more suitable has more knowledge and, in that way, can

drive the work forward, but I am very curious and interested to hear what is going on” -

Respondent 6

The same respondent expresses that there are different ways of approaching communication

and transparency:

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“If you let everyone speak their mind and try to listen to everything, it can have negative

consequences and can be too much but to regularly come and inform what is going on in

the process is important to make everyone feel involved” – Respondent 6

In the interviews, it was also brought up whether they think it is the technology that might

stand in the way of success, or if it depends on the attitude throughout the organization. On

this question different answers were received.

“I think that the technological parts become crucial for how the attitudes will be when we

start working with the new system” – Respondent 6

“Someone who think this stuff is difficult might be having a harder time [….] then it is

easier to see disadvantages, so it will be a challenge to get everyone to see this as

something positive” – Respondent 7

5. Analysis and Discussion

In the following chapter, the empirical findings of the result will be analyzed, discussed, and

compared with the theoretical background and previous research. The conducted interviews

combined with the document analysis will contribute to answering the research questions and

arrive at one or more conclusions. When analyzing the data with the aim to answer the research

questions “How is transparency being practiced during a system's implementation in a

municipal authority?” and “How can managers be supported to maintain transparency when

managing a digital transformation?” it is important to consider not only the mangers

perspective but also the employee’s perspectives. This is essential because when making

conclusions on managerial issues, it is also important to bring the employee’s points of view in

the aspect of it, to make a more thorough analysis.

5.1 Sensing

Ko et al. (2022) are arguing for that the main challenge of a digital transformation is for

management to navigate through it and lead the employees. This can be confirmed in this study

since all the managers express a bigger concern for them managing the digital transformation

the right way, rather than for the technology aspect of it. When planning for the new system

implementation, they expressed concern regarding the communication, how to make all 45

employees feel involved and informed, and how the level of transparency is going to be

maintained when the new system is implemented. Schnackenberg and Tomlinson (2016, p.

1798) bring up the importance of providing information to all stakeholders in a strategic

manner to increase the quality of what is being shared. This is confirmed by the managers, as

they express concern for how to handle future communication within the organization, and is

both fundamental today, as well as when the digital transformation is done. How achieving and

maintaining a functional communication and transparency strategy is important, however, if

they are being too strict in their strategy, it can inhibit and strain the information flow, and the

organization can be perceived as less transparent than they planned (Schnackenberg and

Tomlinson, 2016, p. 1798).

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Previous research showed, and the reason for conducting this study, that internal

transparency between management and employees, often, does not have any strategies and

can be overlooked (Hersperger et al., 2021; Granados & Gupta, 2013). The data analysis

confirmed this, as both the respondent and documents showed that there were not any actual

guidelines on how to be transparent and involve employees in the changes that the

organizations go through. Granados and Gupta (2013) brought up a strategy on how to be

transparent with the external environment, however, this was not the main focus of this study,

but it still is worth mentioning in this context. With having said that, this study only confirms

that strategies for internal transparency are lacking and that there is a higher concern with

external communication and transparency. The case organization holds a communication plan

for external parties and how to act towards citizens, however, there is no direct strategy to

follow on how to manage transparency internally. To clarify this and for it to make sense, it is

a question of providing the right information, and that might be a difficult task to identify and

perform. That is why specific strategies should be provided as well, which would work as

guidelines for managers to follow.

The data collection proved that an external strategy for transparency is more common since

the organization holds guidelines and documents for this. Essentially, I am not arguing that

the existing policies and guidelines should be terminated, but that they should be used more

carefully, and effectively, and add on policies directed to the internal environment. This would

enable both management and the organization, to in a structured and organized manner

manage and navigate through any changes they might be going through. However, it is often

difficult to organize a digital transformation in a structured manner, since it often takes place

over a long period of time (Senior & Swailes, 2016, p. 247). Based on this, it becomes even more

important for the case organization to provide guidelines, for them to be prepared for

unpredictable situations and procedures, as this project confirms the long time period for going

through a change.

One respondent also signifies the importance to visualize the result of the digital

transformation and express this to the employees, to nudge them to see the benefits and

opportunities of this:

“The easiest way is, in some way, to visualize, this is where we are today and what we do

today, and what we have today, and describe what is working, and is not working, and

that we want to go towards where the possibilities are” - R2

This is confirmed by Schnackenberg and Tomlinson (2016, p. 1799), as they enlighten a

visualization as being a support for employees to receive a deeper understanding and

coherence for the result of the transformation.

Among the employees, different thoughts, and opinions on being transparent with changes

and decisions within the organization, were enlightened. There were also different reasons

behind, wishing, or not wishing, for the management to be transparent. The two main reasons

for not feeling the need for managers to be transparent in a digital transformation were that

there could be too much unnecessary information, and the risk for managers of receiving too

many opinions and points of view to not make a decision. Nevertheless, were both of these

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statements voiced by employees, and their fear of expressing their opinions too much, as it may

have a negative effect on managers in the decision-making process. On a question regarding

being too much, or too little transparent, the employees also had different thoughts. R15 said

that information tended to be communicated too late, while R5 meant that it is in the final

stages of a decision or a project that transparency is the most important and that in the

beginning, it is not as necessary. One manager phrase that they perceive the employees as

wanting to be more involved than they are in decision-making regarding the digital

transformation. As an organization, agreeing on which path to follow regarding leadership

style can be difficult, as Senior and Swailes (2016, p. 247) point out, although it can be

confirmed that in this specific case, a combination of a collaborative, and communicative

change management style is accurate for them. This is being performed today, as the

organization managing the transformation, however, moving forward in this process it

becomes more important to do this purposefully, rather than out of convenience.

One of the respondents enlighten the fact that regardless of whether the management is

being transparent or not, it always depends on how the employees experience it:

“I would like to say that we are trying to be open, but it is hard to say. It is always

depending on how the employees experience it, and that they have is the answer to

whether information has been provided or not” – Respondent 1

This is in alignment with what Van der Meulen, et al. (2020, p. 168) enlighten, where they

argue for the importance of management paying attention to employees when an organization

is forced to adopt new ways of working. Alongside managing the digital transformation itself,

it is crucial to acknowledge it is not only the organization undergoing a change but also a great

adjustment to the employees.

5.2 Seizing

In the of organizations´ communication plan, towards citizens and applicants, regarding their

mentioned digital transformation, they are expressing that one of their goals is to be

transparent. This supports one of the points that is being brought up in the related research,

which is that many organizations want to be transparent with their external customers, and

often have a strategy behind it (Granados & Gupta, 2013). It also supports the fact that there is

limited research regarding the internal transparency of organizations, which is one more

reason for this study to take place. However, the need to be transparent with the employees

and internal staff is often forgotten. A support for managers could then lie in guidelines that

suggest how, when, and where to be transparent with employees.

A confirmed strategy for external communication is set within this organization and could

support both managers when making decisions, and the employees in handling change. In the

previous chapter (5.1), I gave the suggestion to create added guidelines for how involvement,

communication, and transparency should be managed. It is therefore also essential to reflect

upon what should be included in these strategies. According to Stohl, et al. (2016), and the

transparency paradox they enlighten, it is very common for organizations to perceive

themselves as transparent, exclusively since they are visible with their information. However,

this is not something that can be assumed, since management is not sure whether the

21

employees, receive the information, or if they have perceived it the right way (Stohl, et al.,

2016). Therefore, it is fundamental that certain issues should be addressed in the potential

guidelines, and as only four out of nine employees expressed that they were not completely

confident in knowing why this digital transformation took place, it becomes even more crucial.

One essential factor is the characteristics of information and communication that is being

communicated to employees, and when it should be communicated. Further questions to ask

are What will make employees feel included in decisions, what is the most efficient way of

communicating it and where this should be communicated. Since Hersperger et al. (2021)

enlighten that digital communication can make an organizational change seem more

transparent, it could be important for the organization to follow this suggestion. The majority

of the respondents appreciated a transparent environment and wanted the management to be

transparent in this digital transformation. It, therefore, is a suggestion to keep and maintain

information regarding this, digitally. This also allows for more frequent updates, which in turn,

can make employees feel more involved in the process.

It is easy to involve those employees who are the most interested in digital transformation

and who have the most knowledge about it. However, this might not be the most beneficial for

the development and the result of the transformation. If employees who don’t have the most

knowledge about the subject were more involved, other insights could occur. It is not only a

question about how much management should involve the employees and be transparent with

decisions, but also a question about which of them to involve, and when to involve them.

Throughout the interviews, the employees have expressed that the technology will be a

crucial part of this digital transformation succeeding, where one respondent expressed the

following:

“I think that the technological parts become crucial for how the attitudes will be when we

start working with the new system” – R6

As much as the technological aspects play a big role in this process, Ko et al. (2022) argue that

the commitment from management, and how it is being handled along the way is highly

sensitive to a successful digital transformation. This previous statement from the result, then,

contradicts what was enlightened earlier in this study, when saying that it is the technology

that is the important factor, rather than the commitment of management and how they choose

to navigate through it.

The aspects and suggestions that have been discussed in this chapter remain crucial for this

organization moving forward in their digital transformation and will have an impact on their

operations depending on how they handle it. The findings and insights discussed have been

supported by the theoretical framework, as well as previous research in this field of research.

6. Conclusion

To answer the research questions, the main conclusions from this study will now be presented,

as well as the theoretical and practical contributions. The studied research questions are: How

is transparency being practiced during a system's implementation in a municipal authority?

and How can managers be supported to maintain transparency when managing a digital

22

transformation?” The result of answering the first research question and what has been

discussed in the previous chapter is that transparency is currently being practiced through

departmental weekly meetings, as well as having involved certain employees in workshops

regarding the system’s implementation. I was able to identify that guidelines for external

transparency were held, but none for internal transparency. Since the second research question

was an extension of the first question, I was able to add to that discussion. It is crucial to create

and maintain guidelines for managers to follow when handling the internal challenges that

come with a digital transformation After having identified that transparency guidelines should

be held within organizations, I was also able to identify what questions should be considered

when creating such guidelines. Examples of what to take into consideration are questions

regarding the characteristics of the communication, where the communication is being held,

and what makes the employees feel involved. Since all these factors are highly fundamental

when being transparent, it has both confirmed and answered my research questions.

6.1 Contributions

The initial aim of this study was to contribute to this field of research, and I will now present

both the practical and theoretical contributions. The practical contribution is that the case

organization will gain better insights into their journey towards their digital transformation,

but it is also applicable to other scenarios and processes they might go through. Although this

study might be of great importance for the case organization, the result could be applicable to

other public organizations. When having finalized this thesis, organizations have the

possibility to take this thesis findings into consideration when managing change and to further

build on this study. This can function as a groundwork for a future digital transformation, as

essential findings regarding sensing and seizing capabilities have been presented. Those

contributions are also in relation to the theoretical aspect since they could add to research

regarding both DCT and research in internal transparency. Having just argued that this thesis

can be generalized and could lay a groundwork for future research, I am complicating the point

by identifying that I am aware of the limitations of this study. If the timeframe was not as

constrained, and I had collected more extensive data, this study would have been even more

generalized and applicable to further scenarios. However, having said this, I still am confident

and recognize that this is a study that can be applied in general organizations and could go

beyond the boundaries of municipal authorities.

Before this thesis was produced, I noticed a gap in research, this touched upon internal

transparency in digital transformations, and more specifically when managing such processes

in municipalities. Therefore, this study has presented solutions when managing a digital

transformation, to receive the best result.

6.2 Future research

To continue this research and to make a more elaborated contribution to this field of research,

a suggestion would be to study the transformation part of the DCT. This would help both

organizations and research regarding this area, alongside finding ways to manage a

transformation, beginning to end. Then it would be possible to study the outcome of the digital

23

transformation when the new system is implemented, in 2023, and perform an evaluation of

the suggestions in this study if it has been proven to be successful or not.

24

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8. Appendix

8.4 Interview guide

Introductory questions:

What is your name and how old are you?

Tell us about your role in the organization? Tell us about what you do?

How long have you been working here?

What is your educational background?

Employee perspective

Sensing:

1: Do you feel informed when there are changes in the organization?

2: If you look at the department, would you say it's a transparent organization?

3: Do you think it is important to be transparent with decisions and other changes within the

business? Why?

- In what way is it best to be transparent?

- Do you prefer meetings where they go through all the news / decisions / changes /, or

in writing etc.

5: During your time here, have you experienced digital change?

- Tell me about it?

- Have they been flexible?

- How has your attitude been towards them?

- How do you think they have been handled by the management?

- Did you feel involved in that process?

- Did you get a lot of information about the change before or during the process?

6: How do you feel about new digital changes within the organization?

- What is the motivation behind your attitude? Previous experience, or similar, or

something else?

7: How do you get information from the management? Meetings, emails, etc?

- How often are meetings held within the department?

- How does the email communication loom like?

- Do you prefer meetings or emails, or any other way to share information?

- If you would miss information? Ex a meeting, Do you find out the information that is

said during the meeting yourself then?

8: Do you feel that you have a lot of knowledge and stay up to date on what is happening in

other similar activities? For example, in other municipalities, or in the industry in general?

- Do you feel that you want to stay up to date with changes in your industry in general?

9: Do you feel that there are things that the management does not want to say / or actively

withhold in order for it to be perceived negatively?

10: Do you sometimes ask questions or have thoughts, but the management are not willing to

give an answer?

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11: When you express your opinions / if you were to express your opinions, do you feel that the

management accepts it, and take it into consideration?

Seizing:

12: Are you informed about the change you are going to undergo soon?

- Do you know the purpose and goal of it?

- Will your way of working change due to the new system?

- Do you feel that the management has handled it in a transparent and open way? How?

- Do you think they can be too transparent and open? How? Can it become negative?

13: Do you have different feelings about whether changes are digital or not digital?

- If so, what's the difference for you? Attitude?

14: Do you feel that your digital knowledge plays a big role in how you feel/your attitude

towards digital transformations?

15: Would you like more knowledge about it? Do you think that if you were more

knowledgeable about it, it would affect how you feel about digital change?

16: Do you feel that you have been involved in the change process? To what extent are you

involved in the change process would you say?

- Have you been allowed to attend meetings?

- Have you been allowed to express your thoughts / opinions about what is going to

happen?

- Would you like to be more involved than you are today?

- Do you think it is important that you and your employees are involved and informed

when a change is undergone? Why?

17: Do you trust that the management makes the best decisions?

- Why/why not?

18: Do you experience that the management often takes in your opinions before a decision is

made, or is that decision made over the heads of the employees?

19: What challenges do you experience with this change? Develop?

- What would be the possible factors for it to fail?

- Could there be any threat from outside (citizens) that could cause you to fail from your

desired result this implementation?

- Will the end result affect citizens as well?

20: Are there any external pressures that may have justified this system change?

21: What do you think would be the best way for management to handle such changes?

22: Do you think it is important that the management is transparent with you?

23: What can you as an employee and individual do to make this digital transformation as

successful as possible?

24: Do you believe in the digital transformation and that you will succeed / the result will be

successful?

25: What does it take to succeed? Both from you and from the business as a whole?

26: Do you believe that the organization is prepared for the change that this entails?

27: Do you think that your business has the resources to succeed in this transformation?

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- Both regarding time, work, and technical knowledge?

28: Is there anything you want to add that you feel you have not been told or raised?

Management perspective:

Sensing:

1: How is information generally communicated to employees today?

- Should you or anyone else miss a meeting, do you think everyone should be responsible

for finding out missed information?

2: Would you say that you are transparent and open with what is happening in the business?

3: Do you feel that the employees trust the management? In what way, develop?

- What do you do / try to do in your leadership that makes you build trust?

4: Do you appreciate the opinions of employees regarding decisions you make in management?

- Do you want "insights" from employees when you make different decisions?

5: Would you say that employees are involved in changes within the organization? How?

6: Do you feel that the employees actively express that they want to be involved in decisions

that are made and informed about news within the business?

- Does it feel like they want to?

7: When decisions are made, do you take in employees' thoughts and opinions, or are there

many decisions made "behind closed doors"?

8: What are inspired by in your leadership when you handle employees in such a change? Ex.

Other leaders, policies, feeling?

9: Do you stay up to date on what is happening in other similar businesses? For example, in

other municipalities, or in the industry in general? Develop?

10: Have you been in charge/involved in previous changes in the business?

- Have they been flexible? Tell us about them?

- In what way have employees been involved?

Seizing:

10: The digital transformation that you are going to go through now, what is your ultimate goal

with it?

- Has this goal been communicated to your employees?

- How is information communicated to employees for the digital transformation you are

to undergo?

11: Would you say that you are transparent about this coming digital transformation?

- Do you think that you can be too transparent? So, it becomes negative?

- Is there a step or part in this process where you do not want to be open and transparent?

- Can there be any step of this process where you do not want the staff and opinions from

staff?

12: Would you say that you have the resources needed to succeed in the digital transformation?

Develop?

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- What resources would you say are needed are important? Time, technology, knowledge

within the employees?

13: Do you feel that you in the management are as prepared as possible for the digital

transformation? Develop? And know what that means, with all the work and time that will be

required?

14: What challenges do you experience with this change? Develop?

- What would be the possible factors for it to fail?

- Could there be any threat from outside, e.g. the citizens, that could make you fail from

your desired result in this implementation?

15: Are there any external pressures that may have justified this system change?

- Will the end result affect citizens as well?

16: Are there things that you do not want to say / or actively withhold from the employees so

that it would be perceived negatively?

17: Do you feel that your own knowledge in IT affects how you handle the digital transformation

you are facing? How?

18: What would you like out of employees/employees in such a situation to succeed?

19: Do you believe in the digital transformation and that you will succeed / the result will be

successful?

- What does it take to succeed?

20: Is there something else or more you want to add that you feel you have not been told?