Moving beyond conventional resistance and resistors: an integrative review of employee resistance to digital transformation

Abstract

Despite widespread organizational interest in digital technologies (DT), digital transformation projects often fail largely due to employee resistance. However, research on this resistance is fragmented and lacks integration, providing only partial explanations of the phenomenon. To address this gap, this integrative review aims to identify barriers to DT adoption in the workplace. Sixty-three papers met the eligibility criteria and underwent rigorous analysis. The factors thus identified reveal that resistance originates from workers’ perceived job vulnerability. This explanation, however, is limited because of the assumptions it makes concerning the functions of technologies and the resources provided by jobs. By shifting the conceptualization of digital technologies from neutral tools to agents with causal powers and acknowledging the multifaceted nature of job resources, this review proposes a reconceptualization of resistance. Drawing from theories of social conflict, it integrates previous work to develop a three-stage model of resistance that reflects how perceived threats to resources influence employees’ perceptions, emotional responses, and subsequent actions in the workplace. Building on this model, we propose a comprehensive framework that uses four pathways to explain how resistance may unfold in the workplace. Furthermore, we propose several research directions to guide future investigations. In light of these findings, this integrative review also presents various theoretical and managerial implications.

Despite widespread organizational interest in digital technologies (DT), digital transformation projects often fail largely due to employee resistance. However, research on this resistance is fragmented and lacks integration, providing only partial explanations of the phenomenon. To address this gap, this integrative review aims to identify barriers to DT adoption in the workplace. Sixty-three papers met the eligibility criteria and underwent rigorous analysis. The factors thus identified reveal that resistance originates from workers’ perceived job vulnerability. This explanation, however, is limited because of the assumptions it makes concerning the functions of technologies and the resources provided by jobs. By shifting the conceptualization of digital technologies from neutral tools to agents with causal powers and acknowledging the multifaceted nature of job resources, this review proposes a reconceptualization of resistance. Drawing from theories of social conflict, it integrates previous work to develop a three-stage model of resistance that reflects how perceived threats to resources influence employees’ perceptions, emotional responses, and subsequent actions in the workplace. Building on this model, we propose a comprehensive framework that uses four pathways to explain how resistance may unfold in the workplace. Furthermore, we propose several research directions to guide future investigations. In light of these findings, this integrative review also presents various theoretical and managerial implications.