High-reliability organizations (HROs) and their complex operating models have been a focus of scholarly work for more than three decades. Recently, HROs have been challenged by new market pressures that require them to digitally transform in ways that affect their identity and value creation models while still maintaining high levels of security and efficiency. This longitudinal, in-depth single-case study of a major European utility company examines the role of HRO identity in digital transformation (DT), specifically in terms of tensions between innovation and transformation on the one hand, and maintaining reliable operations on the other. Our findings show how tensions between HROs’ identity and key features of DT give rise to threat perceptions and self-protective behaviors by the IT workforce, that eventually may derail the transformation process. We develop a process model that highlights the sources and consequences of identity misalignment during major DT initiatives in HROs. In doing so, we extend the research on D T by highlighting the importance of bottom-up processes for DT success and failure, especially concerning the IT function’s perception of organizational identity.

三十多年来，高可靠性组织 (HRO) 及其复杂的运营模型一直是学术工作的焦点。最近，HRO 受到了新的市场压力的挑战，这些压力要求他们以影响其身份和价值创造模型的方式进行数字化转型，同时仍保持高水平的安全性和效率。这项针对欧洲一家大型公用事业公司的纵向、深入的单一案例研究考察了 HRO 身份在数字化转型 (DT) 中的作用，特别是在一方面创新与转型之间的紧张关系以及另一方面维持可靠运营方面. 我们的研究结果表明，HRO 的身份与 DT 的关键特征之间的紧张关系如何引起 IT 员工的威胁感知和自我保护行为，这最终可能会破坏转型过程。我们开发了一个流程模型，突出了 HRO 中主要 DT 计划期间身份错位的来源和后果。在此过程中，我们通过强调自下而上的过程对 DT 成功和失败的重要性，特别是关于 IT 职能对组织身份的感知，扩展了 DT 的研究。