From strategy to practice: How design managers in construction cope with digital transformation

Abstract

Implementing a digital tool is not just a technical challenge – it is a fundamental human process shaped by interpretation, routines, and organizational dynamics. In the construction industry, digital transformation is often framed as a strategic necessity, aiming to increase efficiency, collaboration, and data-informed decision-making. Yet, success depends less on the technology itself and more on how people interpret and integrate it into their everyday work. This study explores how digital transformation is enacted in practice, focusing on the case of FileMaster, a document management system introduced at NCC Building Sweden. Although the system was intended to streamline project documentation and support broader strategic goals, its implementation revealed a clear gap between strategic intent and operational reality. To examine this, the thesis applies the Strategy-as-Practice (SaP) perspective alongside the coping framework by Sandberg and Tsoukas (2011), highlighting how individual sensemaking, routines, and engagement shape digital outcomes. A qualitative case study approach was used, based on 24 narrative interviews and internal document analysis. The findings show that while strategic ambitions were well-articulated, many employees experienced confusion, resistance, and uneven support, underscoring the importance of aligning strategy with the lived reality of implementation. Despite these challenges, the study also found signs of adaptation, initiative, and gradual acceptance, especially where local support structures and motivated individuals helped translate the strategy into action. Different forms of coping – practical, deliberate, detached, and theoretical – were identified across roles, revealing how digital strategies are enacted differently depending on context, support, and engagement. The study concludes that successful digital transformation requires not only clear strategic direction, but also strong local anchoring, visible leadership, and support systems that enable employees to move from resistance toward meaningful engagement. This thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of the micro-level dynamics that shape digital change in construction and calls for greater attention to the emotional, contextual, and relational dimensions of implementation.