**2. Transformation informatics**

Business informatics, as defined by the Informatics Research Centre that the authors belong to, is the study of the creation, management and utilisation of information in scientific and economic activities (https://www.henley.ac.uk/research/ centres/informatics-research-centre). Furthermore, transformation informatics is the

## *The Chasm of Technology Innovation in Digital Transformation: A Study from the Perspective… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.111793*

study of the utilisation and effect of information in digital transformation in a sociotechnical setting [14]. This term includes a broad field of study that encompasses everything from the use of information in digital transformation to the investigation of the interaction between user actors and information systems, as well as business management and organisational subjects.

Business information systems are typical socio-technical systems, which means they involve both technical and social aspects because a successful business involves much more than just implementing the latest technologies. Effective business information systems must take into account the organisational and social factors that play a crucial role in driving the success of the business. In order to be effective, business information systems must consider the needs and behaviours of the people who use them. Collaboration across different divisions of the organisation is also important to ensure that the information system aligns with the overall goals and values of the business. Additionally, value co-creation, motivated by the same business values, is a key factor in creating successful business information systems.

The organisational onion (**Figure 2**) provides a visual representation of the relationships between technologies, business processes, and corporate values that revolve around people. The inner circle represents the technical infrastructure and applications that support business operations and is referred to as the technical norm. The middle circle is referred to as formal norms and encompasses a range of factors such as industry or country regulations, applied protocols, and business processes. These formal norms are necessary to ensure that the business operates in a structured and efficient manner while adhering to regulations and protocols. The outer circle is the informal norms, which is a wide-ranging concept that includes corporate culture, values, and motivation. These informal norms play a crucial role in shaping the overall behaviour and attitudes of employees within the organisation. They influence the decision-making process and can impact the overall success of the business.

All three layers of the organisational onion are essential for business success. However, when we examine the data used in the digital transformation process from the transformation informatics perspective, we find that each phase of the digital transformation trilogy has its own focus. The first phase of focused digitisation, which converts analogue signals to digital data, can be considered new data sources for information systems. This phase is purely technology-driven and focuses on

**Figure 2.** *Organisational onion [15].*

technical norms. The second phase of digital transformation, servitisation, is a process of consolidating core business data from multiple dimensions in order to better serve their customers. In this phase, the emphasis is placed on process reengineering that removes data silos in various fields to ensure that users always receive timely services. User profiles are provided by the multiple dimensions of data, making it easier to identify specific requirements. To that end, the servitisation process targets the middle circle of the organisational onion. The final phase is to establish digital business ecosystems, in which all stakeholders, from both upstream and downstream of industrial chains, can participate. In order to successfully bring together so many different businesses, they must all share a common set of business values and a motivation to collaborate to increase business value for all parties. Consequently, the third phase of digital transformation emphasises the establishment of informal norms.

The preceding analysis demonstrates that the requirements for technological innovation vary between the three phases. Technology is not the only variable in digital transformation; business operations and business values are also intertwined. The discussion of the role played by technology can help us comprehend how technologies are required for business operations. The subsequent section will examine the impact factors that influence the commercialisation of technological innovations from these three perspectives.
