Resource fit in digital transformation : Lessons learned from the CBC Bank global e‐banking project

Purpose – The implementation of e‐banking projects highlights the importance of digital transformation for contemporary organizations in order to survive and achieve competitive advantage in a digital economy. This paper aims to explore the development process of digital transformation through an e‐banking project based on the resource fit concept. Design/methodology/approach – The qualitative method of case study is applied. In total, 17 in‐depth interviews and secondary data were collected and analyzed. Findings – Numerous researches related to e‐banking have focused on either the resource‐based theory or strategic fit perspective, but not on both. This paper makes a unique contribution by constructing a resource fit framework that integrates these two theories. This framework offers a theoretical advancement in the resource fit literature. It includes four dimensions: external resource fit, internal resource fit, external capability fit, and internal capability fit. Through an actual empirical case examination of the resource fit framework, this study explored eight critical factors necessary for successful e‐banking project implementation. Research limitations/implications – This study fills a theoretical gap by developing an integrative framework and evaluating it via an empirical case study. Hence, examining this framework for organizational digital transformation in different industries and multiple case studies with cross‐cases comparison will be valuable for future research. Practical implications – The study demonstrated that managing digital transformation can be challenging, but awareness of, and preparedness for, analysis of both the resources/capability and external demands through the resource fit perspective are necessary. Originality/value – This paper offers a pioneer framework in the resource fit field and makes a practical case examination that can be useful for researchers and practitioners by taking a more detailed view of digital transformation development.