HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to Homeback to Research & KnowledgeOrchestrating Digital Business Transformationback to

Report

Orchestrating Digital Business Transformation

Working in Concert to Achieve Digital Excellence

By Michael R. Wade, Andy Noronha, James Macaulay and Joel Barbier

20 pages

June 2017

Download full report

PRINTABLE PDF – 4MB

KEY QUESTIONS FOR EXECUTIVES

The Global Center for Digital Business Transformation is turning its research lens to a different set of questions that are top-of-mind for the hundreds of senior executives with whom we have engaged:

How should we execute our digital transformation?
Where do we start?
What is the sequencing of actions?
And in different areas of the business, what precisely should we change, and to what extent?

To address these questions, we are launching a new research project we refer to as “Digital Orchestra.” Just as conceiving of digital disruption as a vortex helped us explain how disruption changes the nature of competition, the analogy of an orchestra illustrates how to execute a digital transformation.

- IMD Business School

Orchestrating Digital Business Success

To thrive amid digital disruption, a company’s executives must answer fundamental questions about the value they want to create – and their strategic options for getting there. By answering these questions, they set the strategic direction, the execution of which will require significant changes across many aspects of the business. These parts of the business – the company’s operating model – constitute the “orchestra.”

To learn more about the Digital Orchestra, read the full report.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Keep reading

Article

Optimizing omnichannel assortments and inventory provisions under the multichannel attraction model

Assortment optimization presents a complex challenge for retailers, as it depends on numerous decision factors. Changes in assortment can result in demand redistribution with multi-layered consequences. This complexity is even more pronounced for ...

General Management

By Andrey Vasilyev, Sebastian Maier and Ralf W. Seifert

in European Journal of Operational Research

August 2025, vol. 324, no. 3, pp. 799-813, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2025.01.035

Article

The anatomy of family business conflict

Understanding conflict in family businesses is a complex but essential study area for practitioners and academics. To enhance theoretical precision and provide practical insights, this article presents a comprehensive framework of family business ...

Customer Centricity Family Business

By Marco Mismetti, Barbara Del Bosco, Cristina Bettinelli and Alfredo De Massis

in Journal of Family Business Strategy

June 2025, vol. 16, no. 2, 100660, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2025.100660

Article

Boundary conditions for organizations in the Anthropocene: A review of the planetary boundaries framework 10 years on

We systematically review business research concerning the planetary boundaries framework: A natural science framework that identifies nine Earth system boundaries that govern the safe operating space for humanity. Ten years after the introduction ...

Sustainability

By Amanda Williams, Paolo Perego and Gail Whiteman

in Journal of Management Studies

June 2025, vol. 62, no.4, pp. 1811-1846, https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.13150

Article

Biodiversity Matters - Business Strategy

Biodiversity matters for long-term business survival. Here's how companies can build resilient, nature-based strategies to address environmental risk.

Why your well-being initiatives aren’t working – and how to fix them

It takes more than a few yoga classes to tackle the problems of burnout, financial stress, and poor mental and physical health. Consult the checklist to gauge the effectiveness of your current approach to well-being and check out the three charact...

By Dr. Wolfgang Seidl and Gillian Pillans

in I by IMD

Article

How to win over DE&I doubters and disruptors

Effective DE&I strategies are proven to enhance performance, yet they still face resistance. Here's how to convince the naysayers.

Diversity and Equity and Inclusion

By Josefine van Zanten and Luca Condosta

in I by IMD

Article

Lessons in digital transformation from industry

In an interview with IMD’s Didier Bonnet, aerospace veteran Mike Ambrose shared his insights on pulling off a successful digital transformation in one of the world’s most complex industries.

By Didier Bonnet

in I by IMD

Article

AI Agents in Business Operations - C-suite Agendas

In mature AI adoption, AI agents embed into business operations, adding complexity and unlocking major opportunities, says José Parra Moyano.

Artificial Intelligence

By José Parra Moyano

in I by IMD

Article

Ambidextrous Leadership - Building Future-Ready Leaders

Ambidextrous leadership thrives on non-linear careers. Diverse experiences fuel innovation, adaptability, and sustainable performance.

General Management Leadership Talent Management

By Richard Roi and Luca Condosta

in I by IMD

Article

Steady profit: Learning the lessons of future-ready companies

In an increasingly uncertain world, how do companies plan for the long term? Take this short quiz to test your knowledge of future readiness, and read on for insights from future-ready companies.

By Howard H. Yu

in I by IMD

Optimizing omnichannel assortments and inventory provisions under the multichannel attraction model

By Andrey Vasilyev Sebastian Maier and Ralf W. Seifert
in European Journal of Operational Research August 2025, vol. 324, no. 3, pp. 799-813, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2025.01.035

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications