Digital transformation reshapes organizational processes and working methods, necessitating the active

involvement of middle management to drive successful change. This literature review explores the evolving

role of middle managers in digital transformation. This study examines the concept of digital leadership and

the strategic importance of middle managers in the effective implementation of digital initiatives. This review

reveals that beyond their traditional roles as mediators and translators of strategy, middle managers are

increasingly expected to act as change agents, digital facilitators, and innovation promoters. However, this

and change their management capabilities. Organizations should foster a supportive environment that

empowers middle managers to experiment, innovate, and act as key transformation enablers. This review

contributes to the growing body of research on digital transformation by emphasizing the central, yet

underexplored role of middle management, offering a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge, and

The expansion of artificial intelligence tools, robotics, the Internet of Things, and various other technologies

has led to the emergence of Industry 4.0 (Volberda et al., 2021), generating a digital transformation. This

but this is not guaranteed. Consequently, organizations must pay particular attention to the factors that ensure

the success of digital transformation, notably human capital. Securing the buy-in and involvement of all staff at

every level (Bagrationi and Thurner, 2023) is crucial for ensuring the successful completion of this long and

uncertain process. This includes employees and executives, but above all, middle management, which is

considered a strong link within the organization (Putra et al., 2023). Therefore, this category of employees

receives special attention (Matyusz and Pistrui, 2023). Management science research on middle management

has focused on its role in various types of change (Wooldridge et al., 2008). However, digital transformation

projects have not yet received the attention they deserve (Christodoulou et al. 2022). Existing studies have

addressed the importance of middle management in the development of digital transformation projects but not

the assessment of their actual involvement (Jaoua, 2018) through the different roles played by this central

managers must acquire to meet the demands of digital transformation by posing the following research

question: What roles do middle managers play in ensuring the success of the digital transformation process?

This study explores the involvement of middle management in formulating and implementing strategies in

digital transformation projects. It also assesses the importance of middle managers’ roles and strategic

activities in ensuring the successful implementation of digital transformation (Christodoulou et al., 2022).

The COVID-19 crisis forced organizations to rethink their ways of operating and adopting digital work models

(Matyusz and Pistrui, 2023) to reduce the risk of contamination. Owing to remote work and tools, such as

Meet, Zoom, virtual classrooms, and e-learning (Azzam et al., 2021), it has become possible to minimize these

transformed organizational culture (Nadkarni and Prügl, 2021), encouraging organizations to challenge the

status quo and view change as a constant in their operations and evolution (Peña and Caruajulca, 2022).

Digital transformation refers to profound changes brought about by the adoption of technologies, such as

artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, big data and social networks (Volberda et al.,

2021). This transformation impacts organizations, societies, and even governments, forcing them to adapt

quickly to radical upheavals (Park, 2021). Digital transformation modifies processes by automating them

through the adoption of artificial intelligence and software that facilitate professional activities. Furthermore,

integrating digital tools enhances the organization’s internal and external communication, thereby

strengthening collaboration among employees and enriching customer experience, as demonstrated by mobile

applications and data analysis used to anticipate trends. Therefore, organizations are compelled to innovate and

reinforces the digitalization of the organization (Matyusz and Pistrui, 2023), leads to several consequences

such as faster transactions, greater agility in actions, increased adaptability to new requirements, higher

employee productivity, and greater overall staff satisfaction (Peña and Caruajulca, 2022). There is even a

change in organizational structures and strategies in response to digital transformation (Van Doorn et al.,

2023), as well as better adaptability to evolving market conditions. In short, digital transformation can lead to

greater innovation, strong performance, and better outcomes for an entity (Khatib and Alshawabkeh, 2022).

However, the failure of the digital transformation process can lead to numerous repercussions for

organizations. Beyond financial losses and the costs associated with purchasing software and technologies, as

well as the necessary training and adjustments, several difficulties may arise (Khan and Uddin, 2023). These

include the learning curve, handling of new tools, and adoption of new behaviors in response to technology.

and Thurner, 2023). Moreover, certain privacy issues may threaten an organization's leadership and pose a real

risk to the adoption of these technologies. Thus, although digital transformation benefits organizations and

determines the success of the process. Among these leaders, middle managers (Xanthopoulou et al., 2023) play

a central role in the success of digitalization in the hotel industry. These true change agents can lead to

complex and uncertain processes (Van Doorn et al., 2023).

Digital transformation is a dynamic process. An organization’s commitment to this process does not guarantee

success. However, to succeed, it is essential that all staff embrace this radical change and actively participate in

every stage to ensure the integration of digital technologies into all organizational processes. This is

particularly true for middle management, who are genuine agents of change and act as vital links capable of

driving significant transformations within the organization. However, who are the middle managers? What role

do they play in the digital transformation process?

managers have access to information on strategic decisions and the future direction of the organization. This

places them at the heart of the organizational structure, ensuring coordination and communication between

management and employees (Besson and Mahieu, 2008). The centrality of the middle manager’s position

legitimizes their efforts to bridge the gap between strategic and operational levels. As intermediary agents

between the top and base of the hierarchy, they seek to contribute to strategic decisions by making them more

realistic while considering operational realities. Simultaneously, middle management ensures the

implementation of strategic decisions issued by the top management. Using this logic, Gaha (2003) asserts that

“middle managers constitute the backbone of a company. They are accountable for the success or failure of

executing the plan, managing, and supporting exchanges.”

In summary, middle managers work with senior executives to participate in strategic decision making while

responsibilities in the face of current demands. Consequently, middle managers represent a true “talent pool for

the organization” (Gaha, 2006), and should benefit from the attention and support of top management. They

play a crucial role in the present and are generally prepared to assume leadership roles in future. Therefore,

they deserve particular attention from organizations and senior managers (Koponen et al., 2023).

In addition to the hierarchical position of middle managers, numerous researchers have examined their roles.

The focus is on efforts to coordinate the daily reality of operational staff and strategic activities of top

management (Floyd and Wooldridge, 1994; Nonaka, 1994; Balogun, 2003). The centrality of middle

managers’ positions highlights the importance of their role within an organization. The synthesis work carried

out as part of this research enabled us to group the various roles of middle management into an initial

perspectives closer together and foster synergies around organizational projects. Their second role concerns the

task of a strategist, a true agent of change, who is capable of making decisions and actively contributing to the

The technical and scientific knowledge acquired by middle managers through their education, combined with

the interpersonal and communication skills developed through their professional experience, provides this

central figure with the necessary expertise to become a competent strategist to make appropriate decisions at

Wooldridge and Floyd, 1990). However, information sharing is not one-sided, as this key actor also gathers

advanced interpersonal and communication skills to negotiate with team members, manage conflicts, foster

operational staff gives them an advantage in terms of receiving feedback on the market reality. The

occupying a central position within the organizational structure, the middle manager acts as a transmitter of

This theoretical framework is relevant because middle managers must establish high-quality relationships with

all members of their team, particularly with the organization, in general. Due to the centrality of their position

maintaining fair and high-quality relationships with all their counterparts to ensure genuine involvement in

conducive to digitalization and collaboration (Fein and Tziner, 2021). Therefore, it is legitimate to discuss the

leadership of these actors as a key factor in their success in their new roles. This individualized leadership,

based on the specific nature of the relationship between the middle manager and each employee, helps