Defining a Framework for Chief Digital Officer Duties as Digital Transformation Governor in Organizations

Digital technologies have introduced the organization to both opportunities and threats. Digital transformation is comprised of various activities that lead organizations to implement fundamentally changed approaches to working and disrupting their business models. Governing and management of these initiatives require a new position in the organization chart. Many companies dubbed this role as a Chief Digital Officer (CDO). CDOs have become the executive force for organizational transformation and using technologies to reimagine business core. Although this role is necessary for this change, there is not an all-around description of this role.

In this paper, a two-step method is used for gathering data needed and consequently generating a framework. Firstly, a meta-synthesis method was used to create a framework for the roles of CDOs. through expert interviews, the framework was adjusted and completed. After analyzing over 190 articles about this matter and interviewing 8 digital transformation experts in 5 different industries, the framework was introduced.

The proposed framework for CDO duties has 3 layers, 12 main duties, and 73 detailed duties in 3 main categories of “planning and directing”, “orchestrating” and “networking and external monitoring”. Each category has 2 more levels of detailed objectives and responsibilities.

The framework proposed in this paper is a 3-layer framework and it can guide Chief digital officers to not only know their responsibilities but with the help of this framework, they can get a clear idea of what their organization’s digital transformation strategy and implementation should look like.

In this paper, a two-step method is used for gathering data needed and consequently generating a framework. Firstly, a meta-synthesis method was used to create a framework for the roles of CDOs. through expert interviews, the framework was adjusted and completed. After analyzing over 190 articles about this matter and interviewing 8 digital transformation experts in 5 different industries, the framework was introduced.

The proposed framework for CDO duties has 3 layers, 12 main duties, and 73 detailed duties in 3 main categories of “planning and directing”, “orchestrating” and “networking and external monitoring”. Each category has 2 more levels of detailed objectives and responsibilities.

the framework proposed in this paper is a 3-layer framework and it can guide Chief digital officers to not only know their responsibilities but with the help of this framework, they can get a clear idea of what their organization’s digital transformation strategy and implementation should look like.