Digital Transformations in the Challenge of Activity and Work

17Managing Technological Change

At the societal level, as in organizations, technological change is ambivalent. While it is accepted that it is a decisive factor in economic growth, it is no less true that it can also be an amplifier, or even a catalyst, of inequalities. This chapter begins by outlining some of the threats and opportunities related to the digitalization of organizations, before showing how social and responsible support can help to remedy the main threats. It then goes on to present a change management model that takes into account the specificities of technological change.

17.1. Introduction

The preceding chapters contain – directly or indirectly – either through case studies or models with a prescriptive dimension, elements of an answer to the question “How can we drive technological change?”. For this purpose, we have chosen a particular summative angle: that of strategic change (Hafsi and Fabbi 1997). The guiding idea of our analysis is that the introduction of a new technology at organization level is a complex change that can challenge internal balances. It affects the business, the employees and the organization as a whole. As such, it is a source of both threats and opportunities. We will focus on these notions.

We begin by presenting some of the threats and opportunities related to the digitalization of organizations, before presenting how social and responsible management of these new technologies can address the main threats. Finally, we present ...