On 26th June 2024 the BMRI welcomed a visiting professor Guangming Cao, the Head of the Digital Transformation Research Center, University of Ajman, who presented his research on ''Organizational Culture, Digital Transformation, and Product Innovation'.

The research filled a knowledge gap in understanding the intricate connections between organizational culture, digital transformation, and product innovation. It introduced a new conceptualization of digital transformation through a multidimensional digital transforming capability.

Investigating the impact of four organizational culture types on this capability and its influence on product innovation, the study utilized partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with data from a survey of 250 U.S. firm managers.

Results indicated that adhocracy, clan, market, and hierarchy cultures positively relate to digital transforming capability, influencing product innovation in terms of newness, meaningfulness, and performance. Notably, new product newness and meaningfulness mediated the effect of digital transforming capability on new product performance.

This research enriches existing literature by exploring these relationships, highlighting the significance of a multidimensional approach to digital transformation within diverse organizational cultures and its consequential impact on product innovation.

The seminar was well attended by more than 20 participants, both offline and online.

Guangming Cao, BSc, MSc, PhD, is a Professor of Data Analytics at Ajman University. His research interests mainly include the impacts of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, big data and business analytics, and strategic IT alignment on organizational decision-making, capabilities, and performance. He has published articles in journals such as European Journal of Operational Research, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Journal of Business Research, Industrial Marketing Management (IMM), IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Information Technology & People, International Journal of Management Review, Supply Chain Management, and Production Planning & Control. Professor Cao and Dr Jay Weerawardena (University of Queensland) were awarded the IMM Best Paper Award 2023 for their co-authored paper “Strategic use of social media in marketing and financial performance: The B2B SME context”.