💡 – Digitization ≠Digital Transformation
Digitization was implemented during the trend of the 1990s and 2000s. It meant transferring analog content and processes into digital formats. Music became MP3s, books became PDFs, forms became online forms. But one thing remained the same: the mindset. People took the analog and tried to convert it into digital as losslessly as possible. Business models often stayed the same—just digitized.
This phase was important, but it was not transformation. nicht Transformation.
What is digital transformation?
Transformation begins where digitization ends. It means, from the very beginning think digitally – without detouring through analog models. It’s not about digitizing what already exists, but about developing entirely new business models, processes, and ways of thinking that are only possible through digitization .
An example: music streaming. Digitization made it possible to store and transmit music files. But it was transformation that gave rise to Spotify—a business model not based on selling albums, but on access to music as a service. The subscription economy is not digitized CD sales, but a new paradigm.
Typical definitions and academic perspectives
In university teaching and among many experts, digital transformation is often described as a comprehensive change that affects technology, organization, and society. According to this view, technology alone is not enough—it requires new business processes, retraining of the workforce, and sometimes even a complete reorganization. Transformation is therefore not only technological,but also kulturell und strukturell.
Others, of course, also point to AI as one of the most effective technologies for changing the way we work, but the real lever lies in redesigning organizations .
Societal impact
Transformation doesn’t just change companies—it reshapes societies. The way people consume content, work, learn, and connect is being reimagined. Platforms, AI, automation, and data-driven decisions are not digital copies of analog processes -- they are something new..
Conclusion
Many organizations believe they have transformed because they have digitized. But that is a misconception. Those who only digitize remain trapped in old ways of thinking. Transformation means breaking free from that mindset and pursuing new paths, that were previously impossible.
