Organizational Readiness for Digital Transformation

Abstract

This thesis examines organizational readiness for digital transformation within the R&D function of a multinational pharmaceutical organization. As digital technolo- gies increasingly reshape work processes, systems, behaviours, and decision-making, the study explores how employees and managers experience and respond to digital change in practice. Drawing on a qualitative case study based on 20 semi-structured interviews with employees and managers across sites in Sweden, the UK, Poland, and the USA, the study investigates how organizational readiness for digital transforma- tion is shaped by communication, leadership, culture, and structural conditions. The findings show that digital transformation is generally perceived as necessary and unavoidable, but that employees do not always understand how specific initiatives relate to their own roles and daily work. This creates a gap between organizational intentions and individual relevance. Readiness is further constrained by competing operational priorities, limited time, compressed implementation timelines, insuffi- cient support structures, and fragmented communication. In addition, the study shows that trust, leadership, and organizational culture strongly shape how change is interpreted and enacted. Middle managers play an important role in translating strategic change into practical meaning for employees. Furthermore, the pharma- ceutical organization’s quality-focused and risk-aware culture supports compliance and patient safety, but may also limit experimentation and adaptability during digital transformation. In conclusion, the study shows that readiness for digital transformation is shaped not only by employee willingness, but also by structural, communicative, and cultural conditions within the organization. The thesis contributes to the literature by conceptualizing readiness for digital trans- formation as an ongoing process shaped through communication, interpretation, and local organizational conditions rather than as a static organizational state. It also provides practical insights for organizations seeking to strengthen readiness by improving communication structures, creating clearer support networks for imple- mentation, and balancing quality-focused structures with greater opportunities for learning and experimentation.