Thematic Analysis and Structural Modeling of Digital Maturity and Competence in the Telecom Industry
Keywords:
Digital transformation, digital maturity, employee competence, organizational readiness, telecom industryAbstract
Digital transformation in the telecom industry plays a vital role in improving organizational performance, enhancing service quality, and increasing customer satisfaction; however, the knowledge gap and lack of organizational readiness hinder the full exploitation of this transformation. The present study aimed to develop a model for digital maturity, competence, and readiness for digital transformation in the telecom industry. A mixed-methods research design (quantitative and qualitative) was employed, and data were collected through in-depth interviews with experts. In the initial analysis, 118 themes were identified and categorized into 22 organizing categories through axial coding. Subsequently, three overarching themes—digital transformation maturity, digital competence, and employee readiness—were determined, and the dimensions of the model were screened using the Delphi method. Dependent and independent variables were identified using the DEMATEL technique, and the final model was designed. The findings revealed that the success of digital transformation requires simultaneous attention to innovation, organizational culture and structure, leadership, investment in technology, continuous training, and responsiveness to customer needs. Model fit and validation indices indicated the adequacy of the proposed model. This research provides a practical and systematic framework to enhance the competence and readiness of organizations in facing digital transformations and offers guidance for policymaking and strategic planning in the telecom industry.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Elham Shamekhi, Gholamreza Hashemzadeh Khorasgani, Hassan Farsijani, Ashraf Shah Mansouri (Author)
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