The impact of complexity in information system driven organisational transformations

This study examined the effect of complexity on organisational transformations that are initiated by substantial information system changes. The motivation for this study was to explain and provide options to improve the relatively low benefit realisation from transformation investments. This study uniquely combined a critical realist approach, complexity theory and organisational theory to identify three critical mechanisms. Persistent activation energy mechanism, structural latency mechanism and insightful experimentation mechanism mutually interact to influence organisational transformation outcomes. These findings assist practitioners as they plan and implement transformations and researchers who can use these findings to further investigate the nature of transformative mechanisms.