Bheki Sithole, Elma van der Lingen
Abstract
The objective of the paper is to identify and give clarity concerning the factors that influence the adoption and diffusion of digitalisation in the mobile telecommunications industry during the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). Further, telecommunication stakeholders are provided with a tool to assist with strategic decision-making. A quantitative research approach was followed. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to professionals in the South African telecommunications industry and data analysed by regression and factor analysis. The results indicated that the confirmed factors under digitalisation benefits, organisational context, external environment, leadership, and digitalisation strategy have a positive influence on the adoption and diffusion of digitalisation, whereas digitalisation barriers have a negative influence. A chief digital officer’s role plays a mitigating part in digitalisation barriers and the digitalisation strategy has a positive influence on digitalisation benefits. The research contributes to the gap found in the literature by addressing the adoption and diffusion of digitalisation specifically in the mobile telecommunications industry in South Africa. The findings also led to recommendations assembled to help stakeholders/managers to make informed decisions when embarking on a digitalisation journey.