Lessons from enterprise systems competency centers in adopting digital transformation initiatives: An assemblage approach

Firms are increasingly adopting digital transformation as a strategic priority. However, the path to successful transformation remains uncertain for many organizations. This paper examines the establishment and evolution of competency centers in two case study organizations, historically used in enterprise systems, in addressing the complexity and challenges of digital transformation. The interactions within these competency centers are analyzed through assemblage theory to understand the emergent relations between heterogeneous parts (technology, people, and organization) and the dynamic processes of new configurations. The insights from this research show the critical role of the competency center in any enterprise system's success and how it could continue playing a central role in future digital transformation initiatives. By providing a new lens to examine these issues, the assemblage theory provided a new theoretical perspective to the IS field and a new alternative empirical setting to the organizational literature.