The chapter explores the concept of digitalization and digital technology and its importance. The research is based on a systematic literature review, which analyzed articles on digitalization and digital technologies. However, primacy was given to articles on the digitalization of organizations in a marginalized context. The chapter identified the critical success factors and formulation of a digitalization strategy formulation for the transformation of marginalized communities in Zimbabwe. Therefore, the authors highlight the need to explore human-centered digital transformation capabilities and dynamic capabilities in developing countries. The chapter then formulated a strategy for the digitalization of marginalized communities in a developing context.
TopIntroduction
Digital technology is persistently defining how society in the modern world should function including the marginalized communities and also the digitalization of organizations is being directed away from being innovative to becoming part of their central part functioning (Elers et al., 2022). Regardless of where people live, what they get as income, the language they speak, their skin color, their affiliation in political circles, their religion, their physical ability, their sexual orientation, or even gender people should be accorded unfettered access to digital technology such as the Internet (Hourcade et al., 2010a). The access to digital technologies across the globe and in developing economies to a large extent has not been convincing.
With the increase in the rise of digital technologies such as mobile gadgets, artificial intelligence, and social networks just to mention but a few, companies have embarked on conducting multiple initiatives as a way of exploring and exploiting the benefits that come with these technologies (Karimi & Walter, 2015; Reis et al., 2018). However, this has impacted the way key business operations are now being conducted thereby affecting end products and processes. Society has not been left unaffected as it is facing swift and drastic changes due to the maturation of these mentioned technologies and their universal penetration. Conversely, even though the assortment of technological innovations and procedures for putting them into practice, whether in business, governance or secretive life, actual digital transformation especially in marginalized communities is taking much longer and facing more challenges than what has been anticipated (Ghauri et al., 2022; Matt et al., 2015). This chapter looks at marginalization and all its different forms and how issues to do with access to digital technologies have affected the same communities the same way the other social issues have affected the same group of people. Thus the chapter seeks to propose a digital transformation strategy that would spur development in marginalized communities, especially in key sectors of the economy that include but are not limited to agriculture, education, health, and mining. This chapter seeks to achieve the following:
- 1.
To determine the critical success factors for digital transformation
- 2.
To identify the challenges of digital transformation in marginalized communities
- 3.
To identify strategies that have been employed by other countries in marginalized communities.
- 4.
To come up with components that could be included in formulating a strategy for digital transformation in marginalized communities.
TopBackground
Digital transformation as postulated by Kraus et al., (2021) is using information and communication technology to capabilities that are produced in businesses, government, and in the lives of ordinary citizens and the society at large and at a high level, digital transformation takes in the insightful modification occurring in society and industries by bringing digital technologies. Rudder, (2019) defined digital transformation as the amalgamation of digital technology into all sections of a business consequential in fundamental changes in how businesses operate and how value is delivered to clients.
Marginalized communities refer to those areas that are disqualified or excluded from conventional social, economic, educational, technological, and/or cultural life (Sevelius et al., 2020). According to LibertiesEU, (2021) marginalization, also referred to as social exclusion, takes place when an individual or groups of individuals are less capable to perform things or have the right to use fundamental facilities or opportunities. The digital divide according to Lester, (2019) is the technological gap that exists between those who have and those who have not considering digital technologies. Aruleba & Jere, (2022) also referred a digital divide as a global disparity that occurs in accessing digital technologies that drive globalization by households, individuals, and business firms.