Digital transformation in the energy industry

Abstract

Digital technologies continue to disrupt organisations not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for organisational change, redefining competitiveness, workflows, hierarchies, and roles. The research aimed to explore how digital transformation impacts organisational structure in the Namibian electricity industry. A purposive qualitative research was conducted through online interviews with 13 participants from the Namibian electricity industry. The research results found that technologies introduced create a drive for digital transformation across the organisations, which modify workflow procedures and business processes, reporting structures, team compositions, roles, and responsibilities, and considerably alters organisational structures. Although digital transformation impacts a shift in organisation structures, the changes are slow, and at a varied gradual rate for the electricity industry. The research presents an opportunity for both theory and business practice to gain a better understanding on the foundational aspects of digital transformation impact on organisational structure. A key limitation found is that the participants were chosen intentionally, which may have biased the study's application to the industry population. Future research suggests exploring leadership & organisational culture influence on the adoption of DT. Secondly, examine the extent to which new business model created from the adoption of digital transformation a competitive and sustainable electricity industry positioning.