The impact of digital transformation on academic work
At a Glance
Section titled âAt a Glanceâ| Metadata | Details |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | 2023-05-19 |
| Authors | Amanda Gorrell |
| Institutions | University of Lancashire |
| Citations | 3 |
| Analysis | Full AI Review Included |
Executive Summary
Section titled âExecutive SummaryâThis research analyzes the organizational impact of digital transformation (DT) within a UK Higher Education Institution (HEI), using the Leavittâs Diamond Model to diagnose systemic failures. The findings, while qualitative, provide critical insights for technical managers overseeing large-scale system deployments and organizational restructuring.
- System Misalignment: The DT initiative failed due to a non-holistic approach, neglecting the interdependence of organizational Structure, Work tasks, Technology, and Teachers (People). Changes in one area (e.g., centralized support staff) created negative, unintended consequences across the entire system.
- Workload and Technostress: Centralization of administrative support shifted tasks (e.g., manual data input, student enrollment) onto academic staff, leading to significant workload increases and high levels of technostress, particularly among senior personnel.
- Infrastructure Deficiencies: A critical failure was the lack of integrated systems architecture. Administrative software did not sync, forcing staff to manually input data into multiple databases (e.g., Banner, SAM), resulting in âno single source of truthâ and increased risk of human error.
- Support Gap: The institution provided limited ICT training and support. Localized IT expertise was lacking, forcing academic staff to rely on colleagues for technical assistance, further compounding their uncompensated workloads.
- Boundary Collapse: Online working, while offering flexibility, eroded work-life boundaries, with staff reporting working long hours (e.g., until 8:00 oâclock at night) to manage the administrative overload.
Technical Specifications
Section titled âTechnical SpecificationsâSince this paper is a qualitative study on organizational dynamics, the âtechnical specificationsâ are presented as key performance indicators (KPIs) and failure modes related to organizational system health and technology implementation.
| Parameter | Value | Unit | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organizational Model Used | Leavittâs Diamond Model | N/A | Framework for analyzing interdependence of Structure, Work, Technology, and People. |
| Data Integrity Status | No single source of truth | N/A | Result of non-integrated administrative software requiring manual input across multiple databases. |
| Administrative Task Shift | Centralization of support staff | N/A | Primary structural change leading to increased academic workload. |
| Reported Admin Workload (Senior Staff) | Up to 80 | % | Estimated percentage of total work dedicated to administrative tasks by one senior teacher. |
| Work-Life Boundary Failure Mode | Working until 8:00 oâclock at night | N/A | Symptom of work overload and difficulty establishing boundaries while working online. |
| Technostress Correlation | Higher stress levels | N/A | Observed among senior female academics and staff with limited previous ICT experience. |
| Support System Efficiency | Limited/Ineffective | N/A | LIS (Learning and Information Services) reported as âoverworkedâ and unable to provide instant, localized support. |
Key Methodologies
Section titled âKey MethodologiesâThe research employed a qualitative methodology focused on gathering experiential data regarding organizational change and technology adoption.
- Theoretical Framing: The study utilized Leavittâs Diamond Model (1964) to ensure a holistic analysis, examining how changes in organizational structure (e.g., centralization) impacted work tasks, technology use, and teacher experience.
- Data Collection Method: Six semi-structured interviews were conducted with academic staff (Senior Lecturers, Lecturers, Tutors) at a teaching-focused UK university. Interviews lasted between 45 minutes and one hour.
- Participant Profile: The sample included staff on permanent or long-term fixed contracts (4 female, 2 male), ensuring data reflected established institutional experiences.
- Data Corpus: The analysis drew from interview transcripts, the researcherâs field notes, the theoretical framework, and existing literature (data triangulation).
- Analysis Technique: Thematic analysis was used, generating seven key themes based on inductive coding (e.g., Work-life balance/workload, Centralisation of support staff, ICT training and support).
Commercial Applications
Section titled âCommercial ApplicationsâThe findings, framed as organizational failure modes during digital transformation, are highly relevant to technical management and large-scale system deployment across various sectors.
- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Deployment: Provides critical case study data on the risks associated with implementing non-integrated administrative software (lack of integrated systems architecture) and the resulting data integrity issues.
- Organizational Change Management (OCM): Applicable to any organization undergoing centralization or staff reduction concurrent with technology adoption, emphasizing the need for integrated change strategies to prevent technostress and burnout among technical personnel.
- IT Service Management (ITSM): Highlights the necessity of providing localized, context-specific technical support and adequate time allocation for training when deploying new digital tools (e.g., MS Teams, specialized admin software).
- R&D and Knowledge Work Productivity: Relevant for managing workloads in knowledge-intensive environments where administrative burdens can displace core technical tasks (e.g., research and teaching), leading to reduced output quality.
- Digital Workplace Strategy: Informs the design of remote or hybrid work policies, specifically addressing the need for clear work-life boundaries and management acknowledgement of the increased cognitive load associated with continuous online engagement.
View Original Abstract
In recent years, the digital transformation of Higher Education (HE) has had a significant impact on educators and teaching practices across the sector. New ways of working have led to teachers experiencing more pressure to develop technical expertise while simultaneously supporting students through a labyrinth of change. This small-scale explorative study investigates educatorsâ experiences of working and teaching online in a teaching-focused institution through the lens of Leavittâs Diamond Model (1964). The data collected consists of six semi-structured interviews with teachers working in a teaching-focused university. The study indicates that many participants have experienced a significant increase in workload since the Covid-19 pandemic, with some exhibiting signs of technostress associated with online working (Panisoara et al., 2021). This seemed especially prevalent with more senior academics as policies and digital infrastructure appear to have led to additional administrative burdens. Despite these findings, the research suggests that Information Communication Technology (ICT) may not be the sole cause for this, but rather, it is a symptom of a more complex phenomenon. It has been further suggested that as the HE landscape evolved, little emphasis has been placed on how organisational initiatives influenced the structure, work tasks, technology, and teachersâ experiences. Due to the limited scope of this study, it is unclear if this is an isolated situation within the school or a more extensive sector-wide issue. Nevertheless, Higher Education managers and policymakers may benefit from applying integrated change strategies if they are to better support teachers and adopt a more balanced work environment post Covid-19.