Why do digital transformations continue to fail at alarming rates—even in companies with strong leadership, advanced technology, and significant resources?
In Digital Disruption, Dr. Anton Gates combines original qualitative research with over 20 years of consulting and leadership experience to investigate what truly distinguishes successful digital transformation efforts. Drawing on insights from executives at U.S. e-commerce companies, this book reveals the strategic traits and leadership behaviors that drive—or derail—transformation success.
Unlike academic theory or trend-based frameworks, this book is grounded in real-world challenges, practical decision-making, and the lived experiences of those responsible for executing change in competitive, fast-moving markets.
At the heart of this work is the introduction of a novel model: Agile Design Thinking Digital Transformation Framework A(DT)². Synthesizing principles from design thinking and agile scrum, the A(DT)² framework offers a practical roadmap for identifying disruption, prioritizing innovation, prototyping responses, and deploying value-generating solutions. It helps leaders answer critical questions such as:
- How do we recognize disruption early—and act on it?
How do we align people, processes, and technologies for maximum impact?
How do we test, validate, and scale digital solutions effectively?
What You’ll Learn:
The four key themes that emerged from executive interviews—and what they reveal about digital strategy execution
How to connect competitive intelligence, innovation, and execution under a single strategy
Why many leaders fail to link transformation to measurable value—and how to fix it
How to apply the A(DT)² framework to structure your organization’s response to market change
About the Author:
Dr. Anton Gates is a strategist, professor, and founder of Executive Insight Solutions. He holds a Doctor of Business Administration from Capella University and teaches business, strategy, and AI-focused innovation at multiple institutions. With more than 20 years of experience advising organizations through complex digital change, he brings a practitioner’s perspective to academic research and a scholar’s discipline to real-world transformation.
This book is ideal for:
CIOs, CTOs, and innovation executives
Digital transformation leaders and project sponsors
Management consultants and business analysts
MBA/DBA students and faculty in business strategy or technology leadership
Mid-level managers preparing for strategic change initiatives