When and how digital platforms empower professional services firms: an agility perspective

Abstract

PurposeDrawing on a strategic agility perspective, the authors develop a theoretical framework and empirically examine how digital platform adoption and capability impact business performance via digital-enabled strategic agility in the context of professional service firms.Design/methodology/approachThe authors propose and examine a conceptual framework based on survey data from 127 professional service firms in New Zealand.FindingsThis study reveals the impact of digital platform capability on the business performance of professional service firms that employ digital platform technologies. The results suggest that organizational innovation and managers' creative efficacy will be used as distal antecedents and contribute to digital platform capabilities. In addition, digital strategic agility can mediate the link between digital platform capabilities and business performance.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to investigate when and how digital platforms empower professional service firms. This study reveals the role of digital strategic agility and digital platform capabilities in knowledge-intensive enterprises. This research advances the development of knowledge-based economy in the information age by applying and extending strategic agility to the uncertain and volatile business environment. The authors' new conceptualization provides a deeper understanding of how and why professional services business and organizations can adapt to the post-COVID era smoothly and successfully.

Guest editorial: Emerging digital technologies and professional services: current and future research agenda

“…The eight papers published in this special issue adopt diverse theoretical and managerial perspectives along with a broad range of methodologies. Based on their approaches and contributions, we have classified these eight papers into three broad themes, namely (1) Diverse theoretical perspectives , including strategic agility perspective (Liu et al ., 2023), theory of resources and capabilities (Marino-Romero et al ., 2023) and a multidisciplinary perspective (Panda et al ., 2023); (2) Challenges in digitalization process , for professional legal firms (Kronblad et al ., 2023) and small professional services firms (Cardinali et al ., 2023) and (3) Practical applications of digitalization: the role of transformational leadership and technology-mediated knowledge sharing (TMKS) (Nguyen, 2023), AI usage in CXO decision-making (Kondapaka et al ., 2023) and the use of computerized text analysis to predict customers' evaluation of their service experience (Ferreira et al ., 2023). Next, we briefly describe all the eight papers under these three broad themes in this section, followed by a general discussion and recommendations for future research.…”

“…In the first paper under this theme, Liu et al . (2023) draw on a strategic agility perspective to develop a theoretical framework and empirically examine how digital platform adoption and capability impact business performance via digital-enabled strategic agility for professional service firms (PSFs).…”

“…For example, under the first theme, “Diverse theoretical perspectives”, Liu et al . (2023) use the strategic agility perspective to explore the process by which PSFs adopt digital platforms and study the impact of digital capability on business performance via digital-enabled strategic agility using survey data from PSFs in New Zealand.…”

“…In the first paper under this theme, Liu et al (2023) draw on a strategic agility perspective to develop a theoretical framework and empirically examine how digital platform adoption and capability impact business performance via digital-enabled strategic agility for professional service firms (PSFs). The authors test their hypotheses using survey data from 127 PSFs in New Zealand to demonstrate the impact of digital platform capability on the business performance of PSFs using digital technologies.…”

“…For example, under the first theme, "Diverse theoretical perspectives", Liu et al (2023) use the strategic agility perspective to explore the process by which PSFs adopt digital platforms and study the impact of digital capability on business performance via digital-enabled strategic agility using survey data from PSFs in New Zealand. Similarly, Marino-Romero et al (2023) study the use of information technology by professional services providers to offer greater value to their clients, using a mixed-method design to survey managers of KIBS companies in Spain to show that digital capability drives DT and superior organizational performance.…”