mgr Damian CIACHOROWSKI – Gdańsk University of Technology, ul. Gabriela Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland
GAIA Institute, ul. Staniszewskiego 19a/24, 81-603 Gdynia, Poland, e-mail: damian.ciachorowski@pg.edu.pl
Received 16.07.2026. Accepted 5.08.2026
pp. 17-28
Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to explore sustainability-related aspects of digital transformation and develop an initial conceptual framework for their conceptual organisation.
Design/methodology/approach: The study adopts a qualitative research design based on ten semi-structured interviews. Data were collected using the Actor–Network Theory (ANT) as a sensitising framework. The interview data were analysed following the Gioia methodology and subsequently verified against the findings of a previously conducted systematic literature review. Finally, a process of conceptual aggregation was undertaken to develop the proposed analytical framework.
Findings/conclusions: The study identifies a set of sustainability-related aspects associated with digital transformation processes and structures them into four higher-level analytical domains: People, Technology, Management, and Environment (PTME). The findings suggest that digital transformation can be analysed as a multidimensional process shaped by interactions between different elements rather than as a solely technology-driven phenomenon.
Research limitations: The study is based on qualitative expert data and represents an initial conceptual development. Further research is required to examine the applicability of the framework and to empirically investigate relationships between the identified domains.
Practical implications: The proposed framework may support organisations and decision-makers in reflecting on broader considerations associated with digital transformation processes and facilitate discussions among stakeholders involved in planning and implementing those initiatives.
Originality/value: The study contributes to digital transformation research by providing an empirically grounded approach to structuring sustainability-related aspects without relying solely on predefined analytical categories. The uniqueness of the PTME framework lies in the analytical relationships between them. These interdependencies suggest that digital transformation should be analysed as a systemic phenomenon rather than through isolated sustainability dimensions.
Keywords
digital transformation, sustainability, Actor-Network Theory, socio-technical systems, conceptual framework