Leading digital transformation: A narrative perspective

Change communication is a critical dimension for leading digital transformation.
Existing literature predominantly theorizes change communication as part of the
earliest stages of the transformation, but how it evolves over time to remain relevant
in this context is understudied. We address this shortcoming through a fouryear
study of a digital transformation initiative in a local government’s health care
department. Drawing on a narrative perspective, we offer a processual account
and describe the ongoing communicative work of public managers as they
attempt to shape frontline workers’ expectations of digital transformation. We
theorize three narrative types—aspirational, setback, and persistence—that
work as communicative resources in dealing with hopes, delays, and emerging
concerns. Our article contributes to the literature on leading digital transformation
in the public sector by providing a narrative perspective that details how
managers produce narratives, navigate existing ones, and tailor them to emerging
concerns.