PROJECT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AS ENABLERS OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF THEIR IMPACT ON ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Digital transformation has become a strategic imperative, yet a substantial proportion of such initiatives fail to deliver their intended value. This study examines the extent to which established project management (PM) practices act as enablers of digital transformation and, in turn, influence organisational performance. Drawing on survey data from 312 managers and project professionals across seven industries, the research tests a structural model linking five PM practice dimensions—planning and scheduling, stakeholder engagement, risk management, agile and iterative delivery, and governance and control—to digital transformation capability and firm performance. Results from partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) indicate that PM practices explain 54% of the variance in digital transformation capability, which in turn mediates a significant indirect effect on organisational performance (indirect effect = 0.18, 95% CI [0.11, 0.26]). Agile delivery and stakeholder engagement emerge as the strongest enablers. The findings advance the dynamic-capabilities perspective and offer actionable guidance for managers seeking to translate disciplined project execution into measurable transformation outcomes.