Aug 2026· Elicit Journal of Economics and Management Studies· 0 citations· 28 references
TL;DR
An integrated conceptual framework is developed that explains how digital transformation drives Shadow IT adoption, links unauthorised technology use to organisational complexity and cyber governance risks, and identifies governance mechanisms that balance innovation, security, and compliance.
Abstract
Purpose: This study examines how digital transformation contributes to the emergence of Shadow IT and Shadow AI, synthesising evidence on the factors driving unauthorised technology adoption, its implications for organisational complexity and cyber governance, and the governance strategies proposed to address these challenges.
Methodology: A systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, synthesising evidence from 25 peer-reviewed studies across diverse organisational and industrial contexts. The evidence was synthesised through thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns relating to the conceptualisation of Shadow IT, adoption drivers, organisational consequences, cyber governance risks, and organisational responses. The findings were interpreted using the Technology–Organisation–Environment (TOE) framework and Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory.
Results: The review found that digital transformation, combined with restrictive governance processes, unmet operational needs, and the widespread availability of cloud computing and generative AI, encourages the adoption of unauthorised technologies. Shadow IT increases organisational complexity by creating fragmented technology infrastructures, data silos, duplicated information, and reduced accountability. These conditions weaken cyber governance through reduced visibility, data security vulnerabilities, compliance risks, and challenges associated with autonomous AI systems.
Novelty and Contribution: The study develops an integrated conceptual framework that explains how digital transformation drives Shadow IT adoption, links unauthorised technology use to organisational complexity and cyber governance risks, and identifies governance mechanisms that balance innovation, security, and compliance
Social and Practical Implications: The findings support the development of governance practices that improve collaboration between business units and IT departments while strengthening cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and responsible use of digital and AI technologies in contemporary organisations.
Climate change governance in developing countries continues to face persistent implementation challenges arising from uneven institutional capacity, weak data infrastructure, and limited stakeholder participation. Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, blockchain, and digital participation platforms, have been proposed as potential enablers of adaptive climate governance. However, evidence on how these technologies contribute to adaptive governance and policy innovation in developing-country contexts remains fragmented.
A systematic literature review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Literature published between January and March 2026 was identified through searches of five electronic databases. After screening and quality appraisal, 44 studies were included in the review. Data were analysed using qualitative thematic synthesis in ATLAS.ti 25 through a hybrid deductive -inductive coding approach
Five themes emerged from the analysis: (1) AI and predictive climate analytics, (2) IoT and real-time environmental monitoring, (3) digital platforms for stakeholder engagement, (4) blockchain for transparent climate governance, and (5) big data and policy learning. The review demonstrates that digital technologies support anticipatory governance, adaptive policy learning, accountability, and collaborative decision-making when supported by appropriate institutional conditions. It also introduces the Digital Adaptive Governance Framework (DAGF), which proposes five governance pathways linking digital technology inputs to policy outcomes: anticipatory governance, feedback loops, adaptive policy learning, accountability-triggered reform, and collaborative governance.
The findings indicate that digital technologies are governance-contingent rather than inherently transformative; their effectiveness depends on institutional capacity, policy coordination, digital literacy, and inclusive governance arrangements. For South Africa, the review highlights opportunities to strengthen climate governance by improving digital infrastructure, enhancing transparency in Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) implementation, addressing water governance challenges, and promoting inclusive digital participation. Institutional reform and capacity development should precede large-scale technology procurement. The proposed DAGF provides a conceptual foundation for future empirical research on digital technologies and adaptive climate governance in developing-country contexts.
Lwando Mdleleni, B. Ngcamu· Frontiers in Climate· 0 citations
This study critically examines the evolving relationship between Industry 4.0, digital transformation, and organisational performance, with a particular focus on the enablers, barriers, and socio-technical processes that shape successful transformation. The aim of the study is to clarify how organisations can convert the technological potential of Industry 4.0 into tangible and sustainable value. To achieve this, the study adopts a systematic literature review SLR approach, synthesising evidence from eighty-two peer-reviewed articles published between 2014 and 2024. The review followed a structured and transparent process, combining keyword-based searches in Scopus with filters for open-access, English-language publications, and journal articles. Thematic synthesis was then employed to extract insights from the findings, theoretical framings, and contextual discussions of the selected studies. The results indicate that digital transformation is not a purely technological upgrade but a holistic process of organisational change requiring the integration of strategy, culture, leadership, and governance with digital technologies. Key findings show that organisational readiness and maturity are decisive predictors of transformation success, while leadership commitment, cultural alignment, and business process management act as crucial enablers. Technologies such as IoT, AI, and analytics improve performance only when embedded in systems that enhance integration, visibility, and resilience across supply chains and organisational boundaries. Conversely, transformation is frequently stalled by human resistance, conceptual ambiguity, skill gaps, and weak governance structures.
Misheck Musaigwa, Fulufhelo Netswera· International Journal of App...· 0 citations
Digital transformation is often discussed as a portfolio of technologies, yet project outcomes depend less on tool acquisition than on the organisation’s capacity to align technology, work design, governance and human judgement. This review develops a socio-technical account of digital transformation as an organisational capability and examines how that capability shapes project management efficiency. A structured integrative review of research published between 2020 and 2025 was undertaken across project management, information systems, operations, organisational change and digital strategy. The synthesis identifies five mutually dependent capability domains: digital architecture, data and analytical discipline, adaptive delivery routines, participative work design, and transformation governance. These domains improve efficiency through faster information flows, shorter decision cycles, earlier risk detection, reduced coordination loss, reusable knowledge and stronger benefits realisation. However, the evidence also shows that digitisation can increase administrative burden, surveillance concerns, fragmented accountability and false confidence when technology is introduced without process redesign or employee participation. The paper proposes an integrated capability framework in which technical affordances generate value only when they are translated through social mechanisms such as role clarity, psychological safety, cross-functional learning and decision rights. Project efficiency is therefore treated as a multidimensional outcome comprising speed, resource productivity, decision quality, adaptability and sustainable value rather than mere schedule compression. The review concludes with a staged operating model, measurable indicators and a research agenda for testing capability configurations across sectors and levels of digital maturity.
Shiraz Iqbal Sagar· Global academic journal of e...· 0 citations
Digital transformation is fundamentally reshaping supply chain management (SCM), yet existing research remains fragmented across technologies, outcomes and contextual factors. This study systematically synthesises the literature to examine the impacts, drivers and barriers of digital transformation in supply chains and to develop an integrative framework that explains how these elements interact. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature review of 768 peer-reviewed articles published between 2016 and 2025 was conducted using qualitative synthesis supported by descriptive analysis and concept-driven categorisation. The findings identify competitive pressure, globalisation, customer expectations and sustainability imperatives as dominant drivers of digital transformation, while technological complexity, organisational resistance, resource constraints and strategic misalignment emerge as critical barriers. Overall, digital transformation is shown to enhance supply chain efficiency, agility, resilience and environmental sustainability. Building on these insights, the study proposes a conceptual framework that maps the relationships among drivers, moderating factors and performance outcomes. By integrating drivers, moderators and outcomes into a unified model, this review advances theoretical understanding and offers actionable guidance for practitioners, while delineating key avenues for future research on digital supply chain innovation.
Amal Jishnu H. M., Hareendrakumar V. R.· Asia-Pacific Journal of Mana...· 0 citations
. Digital innovations associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), including Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Cloud Computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT), have significantly transformed societies and economies. These technologies offer opportunities for economic diversification, job creation, digital transformation, local value addition, and reduced inequality. This paper argues that Africa’s effective participation in the 4IR depends not only on adopting technology but also on strong governance, sound regulatory frameworks, strategic policy implementation, cross-sector collaboration, targeted investment, and skills development. Drawing on professional experience within Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communication, and Digital Economy, including involvement in national ICT and AI strategy working groups, the study examines key drivers of digital innovation. The findings reveal that while advocacy and policy development are important, they are insufficient without context-specific and adaptive implementation frameworks. The paper highlights the importance of evidence-based approaches to assess the impact of emerging technologies. It concludes that scalable innovation, effective governance, and practical implementation mechanisms are essential for positioning Africa as a competitive and sustainable digital economy.
Stella Gichuhi-Karau· Proceedings of the 1st Afric...· 0 citations
This comparative case study investigates the impact of digital transformation (DT) on the development of a digital organisational culture (OC) within two distinct university settings: one in Saudi Arabia and the other in the United Kingdom. Adopting a qualitative interpretive methodology, the research examines the intricate dynamics of cultural shifts triggered by digital transformation. Drawing on Alvesson and Sveningsson’s framework, the study explores how changes in the nature of work and the emergence of new collective meanings influence organisational culture within the context of digital change. Through in-depth qualitative analysis, the research offers valuable insights into the complexities of transformation within two culturally diverse higher education institutions (HEIs). The study identifies digital strategy as the primary catalyst for this shift, emphasising that robust leadership and management support are essential to aligning strategic initiatives with cultural objectives. The research further establishes that a digital strategy capable of fostering a digital organisational culture is built upon three key pillars: a culture of compliance, performance reshaping, and a culture of continuous learning. However, existing studies identify leadership, resistance, strategy and training as important DT factors. This study extends the literature by demonstrating that these are not independent variables but interconnected forms of cultural change work through which digital organisational culture emerges. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities of digital transformation and organisational culture change, providing practical implications and recommendations for successful digital integration within university environments.
Ibrahim Almatrodi, Dimitra Skoumpopoulou· Systems· 0 citations
A new method for surgically removing training examples from a model reveals that as datasets grow, the link between what a model learns and what it produces dissolves.
