Structuring institutionalization of Digitally-Enabled Service Transformation in public sector: Does actor or structure matters?

Abstract

Failure to identify the right institutionalization framework has caused derailments of major public sector Digitally-Enabled Service Transformation (DEST) projects in the UK, such as the NHS-National Program for IT (NHS-NPfIT) and BBC Digital Media Initiatives (BBC-DMI). Although such cases have generated much debate among the research community, majority of the discussions have been dominated by technological imperatives and strategic choices views, ignoring the dynamic nature and role of institutions and people within such context. To understand this scenario, an analysis was performed on four largescale DEST projects in the UK public sector (NHS-NPfIT, BBC-DMI, TUO and DVLA-SSP). Findings indicate that the actors (stakeholders) and structures (procedures and resources) had significant roles in facilitating or impeding such transformations - mimicking the structuration process. Based on this, a high-level conceptual framework is drawn utilizing Institutional and Structuration Theory concepts to further explore the roles of actors and structures in DEST institutionalization process.