MIT Sloan Management Review Article on When Gradual Change Beats Radical Transformation

Transforming the organization to reap the benefits promised by advanced digital technologies is no longer a question of “if” or “when”; it’s a question of “how.” Business leaders are often counseled by expert advisers to set up a dedicated digital unit that “disrupts,” driving change from the top that is executed on a grand scale.

That approach isn’t right for all companies, but there’s another way to successfully tackle this major change. Our research into digital transformation in industrial companies shows that the best approach in many cases is not revolutionary but evolutionary. We suggest that, depending on circumstances, that may be the better approach for organizations in other sectors as well.

About the Author

Ivanka Visnjic (@ivankavisnjic) is an associate professor at ESADE Business School. Julian Birkinshaw (@jbirkinshaw) is a professor at London Business School. Carsten Linz (@carstenlinz) is an investor, board director, and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network.